Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-06-25

Wade Hampton.
II was a reformer and Col. Irby was
the reform candidate for the Office,
and I supported him from start to
finish in the race. Gov. Blease voted
for Gen. Hampton in the house in
preliminary vote and then In joint ses-
sion he voted for Col. Irby until he
was elected. I stood by my party
Mr.. Blease was elected as a reformer
and he deserted his party to vote, first,
for Gen. Hampton. and then deserted
Gen. Hampton to vote for Col. Irby.
"2. That I voted for county prohi-
bition in 1891.
Separate boxes were put at the
polls in Lancaster county and the can
didates for the general assembly were
to abide by the result Of that cleo
ton. The vote of Lancaster county
was for prohibition, and Of course /
supported prohibition accordingly in
the house. I carried out the instruc-
tions Of my county in that respect. I
voted for statewide prohibition in
1892 because the people Of the state,
by good majority, expressed them
selves for 1t at the polls. believe in
the rule Of the people. The most sat
isfactory and enduring plan Of deal
Ing with the liquor question Is county
local option.
"3. That I voted for a divorce law
for adultery In 1892.
This view struck me as being just
and I voted accordingly. Gov. Blease
was a member Of the house at that
time, but did not vote on this bill.
Quite a number of honorable repre-
sentatives entertained the same view
that I did on this question. See house
journal. 1892, pages 234 and 235. A
provision Is Incorporated in our con-
stitution now which forbids, divorces.
and the law is acceptable to me.
was a member Of the constitutional
convention.
a. That voted against the reduc-
ton of interest in 1894.
"At that time money was very
scarce In this state and 1t would not
have surprised me at all II found
that voted against a reduction in the
rate Of interest, and 1t was much bet
ter for the borrowers to pay the rate
Of interest then in force rather than
purchase on credit; but as a matter Of
fact I did vote against indefinitely
postponing the bill to which the gov
ernor refers, house journal, 1894, page
200. The vote he refers to was mo-
tion to reconsider after the bill had
been killed, and little legislation could
ever be accomplished II you fought
the same thing over and over. The
governors charge is misleading.
Working Hours Bill.
"5. That I voted to nullify a bill
limiting the number Of hours per day
of employees in cotton and woolen
manufacturing establishments in this
state by voting for the following pro-
viso to the bill: Provided, That moth
ing herein contained shall be con-
strued to prevent any Of the en-
ployes In the aforesaid manufactur-
ing establishments from engaging to
work or working such time In addi-
ton not to exceed ITO hours per
annum as may be necessary to make
up for lost time caused by accident
or other unavoidable circumstances
l voted for the bill to limit the hours
and Mr.. Blease knows that he and
voted the same way on that bill. Gov.
Blease moved to strike out the pro-
viso aforesaid, but I was convinced
that the laboring people preferred to
have the proviso and voted for 1t
accordingly. His reference to this
vote garbles and misrepresents the
facts, as any one can see by reference
to his statement and then examining
the journal Of 1892, pages 357 and
35S.
my father was a carpenter and q
laboring man, and there is every rea-
son why I should favor the laboring
classes, and my vote and my efforts
have always been in their interest ac-
cording to my best judgement.
'6. That / voted against the anti
free pass bill in 1891.
did nnf haliava that having a
free pass would influence members Of
the general assembly or public OFF,
GERS in the discharge Of their duty.
However, the bill became a law, and
In 1892 a bill was offered to repeal
that law. / was satisfied with the law
and the results therefrom and I voted
against a repeal, and therefore voted
against the acceptance Of free passes
by members of the general assembly
and state and federal officers; but
Gov. Blease voted to repeal the law,
that Is, voted for free passes. See
house journal for 1892, page 25S. He
condemns me for voting against the
anti-free pass bill in 1891 and yet in
1892 l voted against the acceptance
Of free passes and he voted for the
acceptance Of free passes.
"Jim Crow" Bill.
~. That I voted against the Jim
Crow or separate coach bill.
''At the time these bills were up for
consideration when l was In the house
there were first and second class pas
senger tickets sold, and the people
buying these tickets usually went into
separate coaches. The railroads Of
this state at that time were hard up
and struggling for existance and was
anxious to bring capital into the state
and to promote and develop its re-
sources, and 1t was emphasized before
the house that the law would place
a great burden on some Of the rail-
roads in the state, especially the weak,
short lines. Besides, first and second
class fares gave the white people an
opportunity to be separate from the
negroes; one color occupied one end Of
the coach and the other the other end
Of the coach, and as the acts were
imperfect and appeared to me to be
unconstitutional, did not vote for
them. The contention that both colors
used the same toilets is absolutely
untrue and an appeal to prejudice. l
am in favor Of the law as 1t now stands
and would oppose any effort to repeal
it.
The purity of the white race is one
OF the greatest bulwarks OF the safety
of the Anglo Saxon race, and l am
willing to compare records with the
governor or anybody else as to my pri-
vate or public conduct in that line.
The effort to make 1t appear that 1
have ever favored social equality be-
tween the races is a malicious misrep-
resentation Of the facts.
"S. That the last state convention
did not pass a resolution favoring the
repeal Of the 14th and 18th amend
ments to the constitution Of the Unit
ed States.
Again an appeal is made to excite
prejudice against me with some people
by the effort to make 1t appear that
l favored negro suffrage. Why, such
an argument Is bosh. The state con-
yention had no power to repeal any
section Of the constitution Of the
United States, and any resolution in
that direction would be mere dema-
gogy. However, 1 am on record on
the question Of white supremacy. i
was in the constitutional convention
of 1895 and helped to pass the suf-
frage law which has disqualified the
negroes of this state from exerting
any influence in the politics Of this
state. l am for white supremacy. II
am ahsolutely against the DarticiDa-