Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-09-01

Tillman, their platform said: I'VE sub
init that the course Of the head OF our
present administration, both before
and since his election, has been un-
wise and unjust"-and this platform
goes ONT is too long for me to quote
| il all to you-in denouncing Tillman
and the Reform movement in no un-
certain language, and calling upon the
people to rally around their standard
carried by John G. Sheppard, OF Edge
field, to down the "despot" Tillman
and his friends
| Now. Mr.. Manning claims to be
friend of the farmer and the laboring
people If So why was he in this con-
vention denouncing Tillman and the
| farmers movement in such terms as
have quoted to you, and as can easily
/, be verified by the records?
Mr.. Manning, when he was Senator
from Sumter county in 1902, voted 10
compel all parents or guardians TO
send their children or wards to school
"a bill known as the compulsory ed
ucation bill, introduced by Senator
Raysor of Orangeburg. Mr.. Brice, the
Senator from York, moved to Kill the
bill Mr. Manning voted No, thus
voting for compulsory education. Now
he saws he favors local option compul-
sorry education. Yet, twelve years ago,
when they were very much less ready
then than they are now, he did not vote
for local option compulsory education,
nor did he vote to leave it to the peo-
nle whether they wanted it or not, but
he voted to force it on them. Another
artful change in this corporation can
didates political life.
He is most assuredly subject to
change, for he was one OF the state
dispensarys most bitter and active
opponents when member OF the SEN
ate. but after going to Washington
and holding a conference with Senator
Tillman, he came back to the Senate,
and all at once became the great cham
pion Of the corrupt (0 dispensary,
falling on his knees and hollerlng, IN
order to become governor, Il am now
q friend of the State dispensary, am
now a friend of Ben Tillman, whom 1
have denounced publicly and private
lv 7 am now a disciple of Tillmansm,
and an upholder Of the dispensary'
concluding with those beautiful lines,
Il now consecrate my all to thee,
Ben Tillman and the State dispensa-
ree.'
When Mr.. Manning was member
of the House of Representatives IN
1893 a bill was introduced to change
the legal rate Of interest in this state
u,
yor of the money borrower, the poor
man. When a motion was made 10
kill the bill, Mr.. Manning voted 10 XIII
il. and against reducing the rate OF IN
terest in behalf of the corporations-ne
being a corporation director and cor
noration president-by refusing 10 vote
to reduce the rate Of interest, Whlch
would have been Of great assistance 10
the poor people-those who nave 10
borrow money. This will be found or on
page 334 of the House journal OF 1888.
Mr.. Manning and some or MS trlehus
argue with great force that we shouiu
stand by the nominees OF the Demo
cratic party. This is correct, but when
Mr.. Manning makes this argument, ne
should remember that he himself dld
not do so when he was such bitter
enemy and opponent Of one B. R. TILL
man. whom he has since learned 10
love. In 1894 Governor Tillman ana
Senator NJ. G. Butler were candidates
for the U. S. Senate. The election was
to be held by the General Assembly, as
there was no primary at that time for
r.. s. Senator. But it was clearly ana
distinctly understood that whenever
of these gentlemen received the ma
iority Of the votes in this primary was
to be the u. S. Senator, and that State
Senators and Representatives were
morally bound to support the nominee:
However, we find fifteen members OF
the General Assembly elected that year
in the same primary that Tillman beat
Butler in, violating their obligations
to the Democratic party and refusing
to vote for Ben Tillman, the Demo-
cratic nominee for the Senate, ana
among these fifteen was one Richard
|. Manning, then a member of the
House from Sumter county. He refus-
ed to support B. r. Tillman, the noml-
nee of the party, and got up on tne
floor of the Legislature and seconded
in beautiful speech the nominatlon Oh
General Butler, who had been defeated,
and when the roll was called, voted for
Butler against the Democratic noml-
nee, "old Ben Tillman," as he was ia
miliarly called by the farmer boys.
See Journal, 1894, page 263.
This is the man who is today claim
ing the vote Of the labOring people and
saving that he is their friend. AS
said to you in the beginning, l speak
not for myself. My political ambition
was to be Governor. l have been ana
| am Governor, but | do not want TO
be succeeded by a man who l know
will be oppressive upon my friends and
the people Of this State, and who will
be friend of the corporations and the
money interests, as has been evidenced
| by every vote that he has cast as
member of the House and of the Sem
ate, and who is today their paid SER
want as a corporation officer and
corporation stockholder.
Vote as you please. l have sounded
| the warning.
May Gods richest blessings rest up
on the people whose interests | repre-
sent. Very respectfully,
| Cole L. BleaSe.