The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-01-17

7 In reply to that letter, 1 received a
letter from Senator Tillman, under
date of October Is, 1911A-the very
next day after my letter was written.
This letter have On file in my Office,
and the whole OFT may be read by
any one OF S'0d yho may be.s much
interested. I desire, fcs present pur-
poses, to quote few sentences. Sena-
tor Tillman said:
"I have yours of the 14th instant
and am glad to get it, for though the
lies that have been generously cir
culated lately have not made any i'm
preston on me, it is pleasant to. have
your renewed ASSURANCE of friendship
and good will. They are certainly
trying to play subtle game"
And, further, 81 do not know who
persuaded Jones to enter the race, and
have not seen him at all this summer.
One thing you may rely upon: If de-
eide to have anything to do with the
governors race, you will be the first
man will tell l agree with you that
the people of this State would resent,
as they have always done, any ap-
pearance of .dictation from any man."
The State campaign came on.
Charges few thick and fast. Tillman'
wrote what game to be known as the
Sims letter, and it was published, with
glaring headlines-headlines so dis
torted that even Tillman could not
stand them. Even Tillman began to
protest. In letter under date of Au-
gust 12, 1912, even Tillman said:
81 am sick and disgusted at the un-
fairness and dishonesty,-especially in
their headlines,-with which certain
: newspapers have used my letter to Mr..
Sims and tried to give it a construct
ion it does not bear and which was
never intended"
1t was about this time, however, in
face of former statements that ne
would be hands off, and in contra
diction of later statements by wire to
me, that Tillman began to write secret
letters throughout South Carolina
Stabbing ne in the back. Under date
of August 16, 1912, he wrote one of his
supporters at Newberry, attacking me,
saving: g do not want you to publish
this letter, but you can read it to any
discreet friend that you can trust.
warn you, now, that if the people or
South Carolina re-elect Blease COVER
nor, they will rue it as long as they
live" On August 18th he wrote a letter
to Enoree-a letter of the same gener-
al tenor-closing by saying: "This let
ter is not for publication, but for your
own use and such of your friends as
you choose ito show it, or press on
all who read it, or hear it, that it is
not to be made public" He was still
saying, however, that he was hands
off," as witness letter Of the day be-
FORE dated August Is, 1912, written
to a gentleman at Townville: Il have
done my best to remain hands off, as
between the two candidates for COVER
nor, and shall continue to do so.
am not responsible because the news
papers are deceiving the people by
putting lies in the headlines.
In the same letter Tillman again re-
iterated his view that he did not con-
slider the governors race any affair
of his, in the following words: 81
am trying the best | can to be neutral
between the men, have been tempted
seyral times, in fact have been impor-
tuned by some Of the best friends
have got to come out openly and bold
ly for Jones and give reasons: but [
have refrained from doing so simply
because do MT think it is any affair of
mine, and | sincerely believe that the
people of the State of South Carolina
can take care of themselyes,-as they
have always done,-WITHOUT BEING
DICTATED TO BY ANY ONE"
All this time, however, he was stab
bng me every day, in secret letters
as witness one of August 16, 1912,
marked Personal in which he at
tackled my candidacy and closed in a
postscript by saying: IL write this for
your eyes alone" All the time writing
secret letters "for the eyes alone" Of
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