Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-08-21
PURGING In NEWBERRY.
County Executive Committee Con
SldefS Peculiar Cases.
GOV. BLEASE APPEARED BY PROXY
Makes Full and Complete Return to
Citation that Did not Carry Charges
and lndulges in Some Biting Sar-
casm at Expense Of the Chairman
Man of Fifty Alleged to be Under

and INDUCES in Some Biting Sar.
casm at Expense Of the Chairman
Man of Fifty Alleged to be Under
Age.
Newberry Herald and News.
The county Democratic executive
committee had an interesting meeting
Saturday. The committee was called
to order by County Chairman ]. l..
Keitt.
The most important matter taken up
was that of purging the club rolls
Thirteen persons had been notified by
Chairman Keitt to appear and show
cause why their names should not be
stricken from the club rolls, among
them Governor Cole L. Blease and his
brother, Mr.. Harry H. Blease.
Governor Blease was not present, he
being in attendance upon the senatorial
campaign meeting at Kingstree, which
was held on Saturday. The governor
was represented before the committee
by his brother, Eugene 5. Blease, Esq.
The first name called before the
committee was that Of Mr.. Harry n.
Blease. He had not been notified OF
any reason why he should not be al
lowed to vote, simply notified to appear
and explain why he should be permit
ted to vote. Mr.. Blease took the floor
and proceeded to give his reasons for
being permitted to vote, when he was
interrupted by Chairman Keitt, and
told that the only complaint against
him was that he had not been resi-
dent of the state for two years. Mr..
Blease demanded to know who had
given this information, but the chair
man said he had just heard it, 1t
didn't take but few minutes for Mr..
Blease to satisfy the committee that he
was entitled to vote. Mr.. j. B. O'Neall
Holloway wanted to know OF Mr..
Blease If he supported Woodrow Will
son. Mr.. Blease stated that he would
not answer Mr.. Holloway's question,
that he had already stated that he was
a Democrat, had always been a Demo
crat, and that Mr.. Holloway's question
was not asked for information, but
simply to try to prejudice the commit
tee against him. Then Mr.. Blease told
the committee that he was a Wilson
Democrat, that he did not vote in the
general election because he was in
South Carolina, and could not vote
here then, and could not vote in his old
home in Virginia, but that he had CIV
en- Mr.. Wilson his influence. After
wards Mr.. Holloway apOlogized to Mr.
Blease.
When Governor Blease's name was
reached, his brother, Mr.. E. S. Blease,
read a paper authorizing Mr.. Blease to
represent the governor. Then Mr..
Blease read the return Of Governor
Blease, which is as follows:
To the County Executive Committee
of the Democratic Party Of Newber-
ry County:
The county chairman has sent me
the following notice:
"Newberry, S. c., August 10, 1914.
ITO Coleman Livingston Blease, Co.
lumbia, S. C.-Sir: You are hereby
cited to appear before the county DEM
ocratic committee of Newberry coun-
ty, Saturday, August 18th, instant, at
the court house in Newberry, to show
cause why your name shall not be
stricken from the roll of club Ward No.
5, Newberry, S. c.
(Signed) 'Jos. L. Keitt.
County Chairman"
In answer to that notice, desire to
state that can not be present at said
meeting, for the reason that have an
engagement, and one fixed by the state
Democratic executive committee, a
committee higher than yours, to be at
Kingstree on the 18th of August, to at
tend the senatorial campaign meeting.
Therefore, l have appointed and con-
stituted Eugene S. Blease as my rep
resentative before your committee.
l am in the position Of being cited to
make answer to something charged
against me of which | am not aware
Your chairman, and no one else, so far
as | know, states why my name should
be stricken from the club roll referred
to in the notice hereinabove set forth.
1t occurs to me that since my name
l..
assigned why it should not be there,
that the presumption is that am cor
rectly enrolled, and that before my
name is stricken off from that roll that
some one should state the reason for it's
being stricken off, and that | should be
advised of that reason, If there be one.
But, as a member of the Democratic
party, the party which your chairman
and each member of your committee is
supposed to represent, and to repre-
sent fairly and impartally, l waive all
questions at this time that | might
raise as to the orderly method of your
procedure, and submit herein causes"
why my name should not be stricken
from the roll of the club, Ward No. 5,
Of the town Of Newberry, S. C.
First. Because | am a white man.
Second. Because ! am above the age
Of 81 years.
Third. Because I have never been
convicted Of any crime, and have new
er been charged with any crime.
Fourth. Because ! am a citizen of
the United States and a citizen of the
state of South Carolina
Fifth. Because l have resided in this
state for more than two years ana
have resided in Newberry county for
more than six months, prior to this
date.
Sixth. Because for the past two
years | have been member of Ward
No. 5, Democratic club of Newberry,
S. c., voted in the said club in the pri-
maries of 1912, represented said club in
the county convention, as a delegate
in 1912, and was elected by said club
to represent it as a delegate in the
Newberry county convention in 1914
Seventh. Because under the rules OF
the Democratic party of South Caro-
lima, now in force, State and county
officers temporarily residing at or near
the capital or the county seat, NAV re-
tain their former home clubs, if they
so desire And | am now state off
Ger, temporarily residing at the state
capital.
Eighth Because at the time of the
adoption Of the present rules of the
DelilOCIdllC party Ol SOuln Carolina, on
the 10th and 2lst days of May, 1914, |
was then state officer, temporarily
residing at the state capital, and was
then. and had been. a member of Ward
5, Democratic club of Newberry, S. C.
Ninth. That l am a Democrat, and
have been one all my life. That | have
always been attached to the Demo-
cratic party of the state of South Car
olina and of Newberry county. That
have been for three times the nominee
of the Democratic party of Newberry
county for the house Of representatives
that | have been once the nominee Of
the Democratic party Of Newberry
county for the office of state senator:
| have been once the nominee of the
Democratic party of the town of New
berry for the office of mayor of said
town: | have been twice the nominee
Cf the Democratic party of the state of
South Carolina for the office of presi-
lrntial elector; | have been twice the
nominee of the Democratic party Of
the state of South Carolina for the Of
fee of governor. and am now occupying
said Office, and living in the executive
mansion, in the city of Columbia,
which has been furnished to me by the
white Democrats of this state; | have
been a member of the Democratic par
ty of this state, and Newberry county,
for more than % years, have never at
any time voted any ticket Sova the