Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-10-17
(To Be Continued).
BLEASE VS.. TIlLMAN
w. p. Beard Recalls Some of the Hot
Proceedings of Old Times.

Proceedings of Old Times.
(Gaffney Ledger, October 14).
Editor Gaffney Ledger:
In view Of the fact that many wor-
thy citizens Of Cherokee county sub
scribe to, and read your paper who
are political supporters Of Governor
Blease, and consequently political
friends Of mine, will you not, as a
matter Of common fairness to them,
allow me, on their behalf, to reply
through your columns, which should be
open to all, to the letter Of Senator
Tillman, published in the last issue Of
the Ledger? also make this request
because of the fact that my recent
rush into politics has carried me to a
position in public affairs sufficiently as
to cause the senior senator to direct
his lordly attention to my humble self
more than once, placing me in the list
of those who are running the state"
I hold no professional brief to de-
fend Governor Blease. But as a citi-
zen I have the right to defend from
defamation the governor Of South Car
olina, and because he Is my friend also
the task is one of pleasure.
Senator Tillman in thus denouncing
Blease and his supporters must plead
guilty to one of three charges, viz:
That with mortal dissolution staring
4; t,, hn hn 10
sins and trying to atone therefor by a
feeble attempt to undo the iniquity
persisted in for years, or ambitious
for laudations Of those who formerly
scorned him and no longer needing the
votes of his old time Wool Hat Boys"
would treacherously strike down those
who made him to gain his end. or
else his once powerful brain, now con-
sumed by the fires Of class hatred
upon whose angry flames he rode into
power, is prematurely in his dotage,
blinded to all but his own virtues. and
totally irresponsible for his childish
utterances.
The facts are that Tillman himself
was for years openly charged with all
that he now charges Blease with, and
more. did not believe him guilty and
l do Lot believe Blease guilty.
Tillman was accused Of helping to
murder bound and helpless negro pris-
oners in '76, with grating and steal
ing while governor, and gross vulgari-
ty in his home. He was charged with
bringing about conditions that caused
wanton murder at Darlington, with
importing hired assassins from the
southwest for constables and guards
for himself during the campaign. The
militia Of the state threw down their
arms and refused to obey his orders.
The people of Columbia threatened to
lynch him while governor Of the state
over whose public morals he now au-
daciously assumes a voluntary guar
dianship.
Did the patriots who now pit him
against Blease to stem the tide of "im-
!, moral Bleaseism" tell the truth on him
then, or were they lying, and now re-
pentant seek to atone for their sins by
honoring him all the more? Or are
they taking advantage Of the once de-
spised prestige Of his name to use him
as a tool in his dotage to cut to the
heart one whom by all obligations of
gratitude he should befriend?
Senator Tillman speaks of the bet
ter ideals Of the past" and "all of those
who are old enough to remember
them" am old enough to remember
even the decentralization of the '70's as
we'll as the period proceeding the ad-
vent of Ben Tillman into politics when
he so fiercely accused honorable Off
cials Of being "bamboozled and de-
bauched." Does the senator mean that
period; or the time when he as gov
ernor was making the campaign and
at Florence was forced to walk from
the speakers stand to the hotel through
a bowling mob eager for his blood,
with Hugh Farley in front, Eugene
Gary on his left, John L. McLaurin on
his right, and Joe McCown in the rear,
all with drawn revolvers to protect his
life? Or the meeting at Kingstree
where Youmans carried a stick to the
meeting with avowed intention Of can
ing him? And John L. McLaurin with
pistol in hand made his speech for him
replying to Youman's attack, because
he dared not leave the hotel? Or the
meeting at Newberry when Cole
Blease and his friends protected him
from murder and carried him to
Blease's father-in-law's house for safe
ty?