The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-12-03
BlEASE SPEAKS At ANDERSON
IN CHARACTERISTIC ADDRESS
GOVERNOR ATTACKS PRESI.
DENT, SENATORS AND
NEWSPAPERS,
Packed Court House Hears Remarks
OF Executive-Tclls Of His Pardon
Record and Says He Will Grant
More PardOns.

declared mere this afternoon in his
speech that President Wilson would
not be reelected unless he changed
what, the governor says. is the policy
Of the National Democratic admins
tration, permitting negroes to boss
white men, and also girls in the gov
ernmental service in Washington
Drawing cheers from the crowds
which occupied every seat and utiliz-
ed every inch Of room in the court
house, Governor Blease declared that
the South Carolina senators and con.
gressmen were afraid to- denounce
this condition, and announced that he
would make fight on it when he
goes to the senate.
The governor said that he was going
to beat Senator e. d. Smith next
summer. HE may come around
with a pocket handkerchief to show
yoI how to grade cotton but 1 an,
going to show you that all he has done
has been to draw $500 q year for
six years." he exclaimed, amid yells
from the audience. Saying that his
ambition had been satisfied when
elected governor. and that he would
have been content to retire II some
folks hadn't meddled last summer
but he was going to make one Of the
United States senators sorry for his
meddling. II am going to beat him, u
declared Governor Blease.
Governor Blease made an attack on
the United States senators for their
failure to agree on federal patron
ege: said that Tillman was standing
by his friend. Thurmond. and Smith
by his friend. Weston, for district at
torney, which some folks said was all
right, but criticised Blease for stand.
ing by his friends. He also paid his
respects to j. l. Sims, of Orange.
burg. who has been recommended
for United States marshal. charging
the first thing he had to do when
elected was to get affidavits to SHOW
that he was not editing a negro pa:
per in Radical times, and saying tha,
this was the brand OF Democracy
which Senators Tillman and Smith
said was simon pure
The newspapers came in for a
round OF 'denunciation, the governor
saying they criticised him for par.
! doning people, and in the samt
breath commended President Wilson
for doing the same. He claimed the
credit OF saving eight out Of the thir.
teen companies which the war depart.
ment wanted mustered out or the Nat.
ional Guard. and said no paper said
he did right.
Pour 1t In, Governor" yelled ar
enthusiast from the crowd.
The governor justified his pardon.
ing Of Emerson and Ellison on thu
ground Of the large petitions filed
asking clemency in their behalf. anG
from Solicitor Bonham endorsing the
parole. and told the people If anybod,
didn't like what he did they couit
just help themselves. This brought 6
laugh from the crowd.
He justified his parolirg Of the
! safecraNker, Samuel X. Williams, re-
arrested by federal authorities, on {
letter received from Judge Prince
who sentenced the man and who ask
ed the governor to parole him, sayinl
he would take oil the blame. He en-
tered into q vigorous defense Of hi,
pardonlng record and declared tha
he had never given any except fol
mercy and that 1t made him happy Il
give mercy. And he expected to con
tinue pardoning people. He said tina
he had been criticised for pardonini
a dead man, but that the newspaper
would not have to worry in this case
for fear the fellow would be sent bacl
TO the penitentiary.
The governor. holding in his hand
a catalogue Of q negro college In Co
lumbia wherein both white and ne
groes are shown in the picture Of tn,
faculty. made an attack on education
of negroes. He entered declaratio,
In favor OF the taxes Of white peopl
going to the whites, and made a dc
nunciation Of encroachment by tn
Federal government on the States il
the course Of his speech.
The campaign Of 1912 was recalled
by tho declaration Of the governo
that man could make the canvas
for governor on $500. and his charg
that the friends Of Jones had raiset
a fund of $25O.OOO in an effort to bu,
votes They talk about Blcase de
bauching the primary: what did the,