Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-04-14
governor At WATERFORD
Talks to the People About Matters
Political.
TRUE TO DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES.

TRUE To DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES.
Is not Fighting the President and Has
Never Done So-Is in No Wise Re-
sponsibIe for Factionalism-- Has
Never Voluntarily Dealt in vilIifica-
tion or Abuse; But has Always Re-
rnained True to His Promisea.
Governor Blease opened his cam
paign for the senatorial nomination
at Walterboro last Saturday. The
meeting was in the nature Of a rally
of the governors friends from Col
Teton and adjoining counties, and al
though the seating capacity cf the
court house in which the speaking
took place is less than 500, fully 900
people were crowded in the building.
Col. D. B. Peurifoy presided and in
troduced the governor and DR.. ]. w.
Wolling, an old friend of the govern
or, invoked divine blessings on the
assemblage. The audience was full
of friendly enthusiasm, and was gen.
erous with its applause. The speech
was devoted mainly to a refutation of
the charges that have been made by
the opposition as to party disloyalty,
etc, and included full outline Of
the governors platform. There was
no mention Of Senator Smith. The
full text Of the speech was as follows:
Campaigns of Slaneer and Abuse.
1t is too fresh in the minds Of the
people Of this state to need repeating
here, but merely to keep the records
straight, / desire to mention that in the
campaign of 1906, when l was can
didate for the office Of governor, was
fearfully, unjustly and malicously as
saulted by certain newspapers, tale
bearers and others, without cause or
justification.
In 1908, you all remember the fear
full onslaught that was made upon me
by the editor Of the Columbia State
and other newspapers in South Caro-
lina-abuse, personal and political,
fasehoods of the most unwarranted,
malicious and foul character, which fl
nally terminated in the cartooning Of
myself as a buzzard flying across the
state with my face as it's head, with
it's wings out-spread and upon each Of
it's feathers some dirty, filthy inscrip-
tion.
Then again you remember how fear
ful this same contest was waged from
the same source by this element Of
people, and, yes, these cowardly as
sassins Of character have attempted to
deceive the people outside Of the state
by continually yelling that it was
Blease that was creating strife, that 1t
was Blease that was carrying on a
campaign Of personal vituperation and
abuse, when they knew, and all Of the
people of South Carolina knew, and
know now, that was discussing is
sues and doing all within my power to
keep down factional strife, and no
man can point to Il speech that have
ever made which brought about, or
would bring about, faction against
faction, class against class, labor
against capital, or vice versa.
Through it all I sat and said moth
ing. Many times friends would say to
me, I'VE do not see how you can pos
sihly stand 1.-THE vituperatiOn and
has been heaped upon
deavoring to bring others to believe
that it was l, and not them, that was
engaging in a personal campaign in
stead Of discussing issues They knew
they were lies The people Of this state
know today that they were lies. They
were not satisfied with these things.
but even after l was nominated, yea
after l was elected and became gov
ernor, this same crowd have continu-
ally kept up their nagging, their abuse,
their vituperation, their SANDER, and
even at the expense Of lowering the
people of this state in the estimation
of the outside world, they have con-
tinued their malicious misrepresenta-
tions in reference to me, my official
acts and the governors office, and
truly through it all I have been able
to whip them, have been successful
and will again in this campaign be
successful, because the people are fair,
they believe in a fair deal, and they
will not sanction or tolerate, in this
campaign, abuse and slander, as they
have not tolerated it in the campaigns
of 1910 and 1912. And the other side
might we'll remember the words OF
that Great Book, BE not deceived;
God is not mocked; for whatsoever
man soweth, that shall he also reap
They have sown 1alsehoods, vitupera-
ton and abuse; they have reaped de-
feat.
Campaign of Two Years Ago.
Two years ago, long before the
opening of the regular campaign by
the candidates for national and state
Offices the newspapers began and car
ried on a campaign Of abuse. vitupera-
ton and unfair criticism OF the gov
crnor of South Carolina. One of the
governors opponents, as well as other
speakers on that side, travelled the
state from the mountains to the coast
and heaped abuse upon the governor
and his followers. The governor sat
silent and took it all, without COM
plant or reply. When the opening day
of the campaign came, in making his
opening address, he referred not to
this opponent or to these parties or
their criticisms, but again these sweep
ing criticisms and unfair and unjust
charges accompanied with vitupera-
tion and abuse, were INDUCED in. The
next day the governor answered them.
fighting in defense Of his personal
character, his public reputation and
his official acts. Since that time this
abuse from newspapers and others
has not ceased.
had hoped that the people of South
Carolina could this year witness
campaign pitched upon high plane
and fought upon high grounds-a
campaign fought for principle, and
NOT a camnaipn Of DersOnal abuse vi