The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1913-01-24
INAUGURATION DAY At
COLUMBIA LAST TUESDAY
Chief Executive Delivers
Characteristic Address.
Injects Great Amount Of
Politics, Praises Friends
and Raps His ''Enemiesv

Columbia, Jan. 21.-The major t,0fs
tion of the legislative session today
was devoted to the Inauguration cere-
monies. Governor Cole l.. Blease and
Lieutenant Governor C. A. Smith
were duly inducted into Office and BE-
gan their second terms.
1t was simple and yet striking
Inauguration. Under ordinary cir-
cumstances the ceremonies are quite
tame, but today they were livened up
by a stirring speech on the part Of
the Governor. Backed by a re-elec-
tion and with confidence in himself
and his positions, the Governor ealet
himself OUT, so to speak. He W J
in the pink of condition for a politi-
cal or stump speech and he gave such
to his audience. Towards the cloae
he stated that he had wiped his p5.
litical slate entirely clean-excebt
for few, and that he harbored no
political animosities and wanted 10
forgive and forget together.
More Campaign Speech.
Altogether the inaugural address
was forceful campaign speech
such as was heard last summer, With
a bit of toning down. Yes, it was
we'll done, for stump speaking is d
fort with the Governor, and perhaps
he knows it.
The inaugural address started out
and ended with the virtues of stick-
ing to ones friends. 1t was an hour
long and at no time in those sixty
minutes was there any listnessn3ss,
but on the constant mental query:
"Who or what is to be hit next?n y
Of course the daily newspapers ~{re
raped; so were alleged "nigger low
ers;" so was the member who mas
defeated; so was the effort To In
crease appropriations. Waru ks,
many of them, we're sounA ~ IS
against appfopriations, iffefElfes
taxes and the like. q -t
Pretty much all that the Governor
had to say was of his politicult cult
and his convictions.
The only unfortunate suggestion was
that there might be any antagon-
ism between Winthrop and the Ufn4
versity of South Carolina. 1t is a
pity that the Governor had not asked
for both sides or known the full facts
before his onslaught. The University
of South Carolina has nothing to hide
and never has attempted to impede
the progress of any sister institution.
1t was along the lines of scores
of his political speeches, with cli-
makes to>bring applause.
Speaking of the new Attorney Cen
eral, Mr.. Peoples, he remarked that
any man who could eat a lion
Uyon) could be depended upon to do
his duty.
The overwhelming burden of the
inaugural was political and how bad
ly the newspapers and others had
treated him, and still he was the
friend of the man who did not have
his rights, and coupled with this was
his sarcasm and way of putting some
things.
Loves His Friends
There are some central features
to the Governors address. He started
out by saying that God Almighty had
never given a man truer and more
devoted friends, and that no man
loves his friends better than he does
his. That was the motif of his ad-
dress. During the course of his talk
he injected several interesting state
ments, /one of which was that he had
promised his dying father that he
would be governor of South Carolina.
After he had spoken of his obli-
cation to the nearly $4,000 white vo-
ters, who had reelected him Govern
or, he took a shot at the preachers
and women, who, he said, had prayed
against his reelection, and he sup
posed they had prayed for the best
man to win, and their prayers had
been answered.
Attacks DIR. Mitchell.
He then took up what he consid-
cred fight between Winthrop and
the Universit of South Carolina, and
stated that his information about
the matter had come from President
ID. b. Johnson, and in this connection
said that he understood that DIR. Nit
chell, president of the University,
had written Governor Ansel, who is a
member of the Peabody board, that
if the University got portion of the
money that he would be quite willing
for the balance to go to the negroes,
and, added Governor Blease, this is
no place for a "nigger lover" at the
head of the University of South Car