Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-07-01
THE MILITIA MUDpLE.
Governor Blease Makes Full State.
nsnt Of HE Attitude.

II
Governor Blease Makes Full State.
nsnt Of His Attitude.
Returning to Columbia Thursday
night from Abbeville, where he attend
ed the state firemen's tourney, Cover
nor Blease issued the following state
ment regarding the war department
Withdrawing all support from the mill
tia Of South Carolina: -
I'm my opinion this whole matter is
making mountain out Of a mole HILL
The adjutant general, when he had fin
ished his inspection, made q report to
me, in which he recommended that
muster out of service eleven companies
for inefiiciency. This most positively
refused to do, and do not now pro-.
pose to do so to please anybody.
After that some question came up
as to the distribution Of some funds.
The military board was called togeth-
er and after discussing the matter and
hearing both sides the brigadier gene
raj, Hon. Willie Jones, who has been in
the military service for forty years;
Col. Julius E. cogswelI, who has
been in the service since his childhood.
and who is known to be one Of the
most thoroughly posted military men
in the state, and the governor Of the
state. voted to pay this money. know
that General Jones and Colonel Cogs-
well love the militia and were thor
oughly conscientious in their votes. AS
to myself leave that to others. Col
onel Babb, the other member Of the
board, can speak for himself, but am
satisfied he would have voted with the
majority had It not been that he was
the assistant to the adjutant general.
and asked to be excused in order that
no friction might occur. The adjutant
general voted not to pay the money
and then threatened to get out an In
junction to prevent the money from
being paid.
II presume that he reported all of
this to the war department in Wash
ington.
"The war department then wrote me
| a communication which speaks for it
self. and has been alluded to in the
newspaper dispatches. wrote back
and refused to muster out those elev-
en- companies.
Il am satisfied that the Wilson ad-
ministration. through the influence Of
| its Cuban leader In South Carolina, is
now and has been, since the fourth Of
March. doing everything within its
power to injure my administration In
order to try to defeat me for the Unit
ed States senate, because ] was not
Wilson man In the last May conven-
| ton, and because ] was against his
nomination for the presidency Of the
United States. ,lf
IT think the people Of South Carolina
can clearly see the Italian hand behind
this movement, as well as the Cuban
influence. and I am willing to leave It
| to them whether this Is movement
| for the best interests Of the state, or
whether It Is political scheme headed
| by certain people In Columbia and
washington in order to try to injure
me politically.
"As to that matter. am willing to
take my chances. as have done here
tofore, before the people Of this state.
I have no apology to make to Yankee
General Mills, to the adjutant general.
or to anybody else. am pleased with
the matter as 1t stands, and under no
conditions or circumstances win alter
my decision. would not muster those
companies out Of service and reflect
upon those young men without giving
them an opportunity to be heard and
to prove themselves, as I know them
to be, true Carolinians, for all the mon
ey in the United States treasury, for II
they were given the opportunity, they
will meet all the military requirements
and all the special orders Of the adju-
tant general.
IF It is necessary to do otherwise to
get an appropriation, then South Caro-
lima viii have no appropriation from
the United States government for this
purpose while am governor, and there
is no use for any further interviews or
any further correspondence. II 1t
means to muster out those eleven COM
panies to get this money then we win
never get It. II 1t requires me to re-
fleet upon those young men In those
eleven companies to get few dollars
from Secretary of War Garrison, we
will never get 1t. So far as am con-
cerned he can keep his money, the Gu
ban can go back home. the adjutant
general can be a general without any
thing to general over.
"The white people Of South Carolina
have always taken care Of themselves,
and they can and will do 80 again II
necessary. Whether we have a state
militia or not we win protect our white
supremacy and the virtue of our wo-
manhood, even IL 1t is necessary 10
close every cotton mill and to stop ev-
cry plow in the state.
COLE L. BLEASE.'
Gen. Mooro's Comment.
When shown Governor Blease's state
ment, Adjt. Gen. w. w. Moore said:
I'm the second paragraph Of his
statement, Governor Blease gives the
names of certain officers who voted In
favor of the distribution Of some mill
tary funds. I voted against distribu-
ting the funds to certain companies,
because these companies had failed to
measure up to the standard required
of them. Section Is Of the military
code of South Carolina provides that
no company. battery, etc., shall par
ticipate in the annual allotment of such
appropriations unless there has been
an average attendance Of at least 80
per cent of its enlisted strength at such
drills or other instructions"
Little Eeononnies.--A postage stamp
will purchase you the use Of dol
lor for 122 days. Three stamps equal
the increase on a dollar for one whole
year. Little economies rarely enter
into the calculations Of the average
man or woman-those who earn from
$500 or $4,000 q year.