Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-07-18
TlllMAN AND BLEASE

affairs.
TILLMAN AND BLEAsE
Senator Denies That He Neglected
His Business to Lecture.
Washington, July 16.-Senator TILL
man today gave out the following
statement relative to South Carolina
affairs:
Il notice that Governor Blease has
broke loose again. He makes mis-
statement, to speak mildly, and feel
compelled 10 correct him. He went
TO Hendersonville the other day and,
In telegram to the Columbia Rec
ord, he is made to say: l.H
Senator Tillman ruined himself
with the people Of South Carolina in
just the same manner when he went
about lecturing instead of remaining
in Washington and attending to the
business in the senate
II have lectured very extensively
throughout the country, but I never
neglected any senatorial work to do
it, as the record will show. I do not
recall ever having left Washington
while the senate was in session ex-
ceeding a half dozen times to deliver
lectures. Then l went to nearby
points, which I could reach after the
senate adjourned for the day, deliver
ed the lecture that night and return
ed to Washington the next morning.
I have received offers time and again
to lecture while congress was in ses-
sion, but l always declined. could
have made tens Of thousands Of dol
lars had l believed 1t right to do so.
PlnaCa ranQnflv 6nnQ
something. / have been amused at
two things about which I want to say
something / have been amused at
the subtileness and cunning he =. has
shown in getting out Of the militia
muddie. He double somersaulted in
stantly, and was so anxious to COM
ply with the requirements of the war
department that he telegraphed his
acquiescence to the secretary's de-
mands. The mail was too slow for
him.
Another thing the governor has
done recently, is the letter he wrote
dering them peremptorially to regis
ter all white men. His exact words
are: Let no white man be refused
I have examined the law carefully
to see just how far the supervisors
ought to 60, and / take the liberty
Of advising them to obey the law
the strict letter of the law-and reg
lister only men Unqualified under the
law, who will take the oath required.
That oath is as follows: -
~ do solemnly swear Cor aff1rm)
that l am q male citizen of this state,
and of the United States; that am
81 years of age or more; that I have
resided in this state for two years,
and in this county for one year, and
in the polling precinct in which I ap-
ply to be registered and in which I
will offer to vote IL registered for four
months; and that I have not been
convicted Of burglary, arson, obtain
ing goods or money under false pre-
lenses, perjury, forgery, robbery,
bribery, adultery, bigamy, wife beat
ing housebreaking, receiving stolen
goods, breach Of trust with fraudu-
lent intent, fornication, sodomy, in
cest, assault with intent to ravish,
miscengenation, larceny. or crimes
against the election laws 49,.
II am very anxious to have all
white men who can take the above
oath, register and thus be able to full
fill their duties as citizens. But 1t
will be a fearful blunder and crime
for anybody in South Carolina to lay
the foundation or give excuse for the
house Of representatives or the senate
of the United States to throw out a
senator or congressman elected from
South Carolina because of illegal reg
istration. The Republicans are not
now in power, and the danger Is not
as great as 1t once was. But even
Democratic senate and a Democratic
house cannot afford to tolerate any
thing smacking Of illegality or fraud.
lTtr- l.. q a.. t.-ao
the people to elect senator's by direct
vote and I do not want to see South
Carolina jerked up for illegal voting.
Until we get our primary law amend
ed by the legislature so as to remove
all possibility Of the charges Of fraud
and. bribery in the primary, we can
not afford to take any chances.
'If Governor Blease will exert him
self to see that the legislature at its
next session passes a reasonable and
just law to insure honesty and fair
ness in our primary. all will be we'll.
I want to emphasize this, and I say 1t
with all due solemnity: If money buys
the next senatorship in South Caro-
lima, as it may do, and as it is charged
1t has been done in the recent con-
gressional race in the First district,
I will feel compelled to object to the
seating Of any man sent here with a
=
tainted title.
Il join with Governor Blease in
urging our people to register. While
1t may be straining a construction of
the law in any other than a general
election year for supervisors to go
to places away from the court house
in each county, 1 can see no harm in
that. They are permitted and can go
to any places they see fit for the
meagre salaries they receive. But ev
cry good citizen ought to see to 1t
that no illegal registration is permit
ted, because as times are now in South
Carolina, illegality, dishonesty, or
fraud. either in the primary or in
the general election, will prove very
dangerous. Every fair-minded man
wants honesty and fair play, and
every patriot will abide the result Of
an election so conducted, whether his
side loses or wins"