Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-01-13

ed with being my friend. having sub
stantially shown that he is not-wired
the president of a New York bank:
Your wire. Business conditions in
this state are healthier than l have
known them for several years.
Viewing the situation from every
standpoint, never was there better
year for South Carolina, and never
was there so bright future before
the state and her people.
Consider the facts, gentlemen. They
are ample cause for congratulallon
and for pride.
Consider them we'll. Does it look as
if Blease and "Bleaseism" have ruin
ed the state, as was predicted by my
opponents in the campaign OF 1917!
The prosperity and the progress OF
every preceding year have been far
surpassed, and the showing which has
been made is not short of wonderful.
Political Peace.
1 had hoped for political peace dur
ing The past year-that the claim on
the part of my opponents of the desire
for political peace had come from
honest hearts. In many instances, l
regret to say, the results have proved
otherwise. TO bring about this much
desired peace / have done my part.
No man can truthfully charge me
with ever having done anything to
cause turmoil and bitterness. NO
man has ever yet heard me make
speech in which 1 arraigned class
against class. l have never advised
labor to attack capital. nor favored it,
or capital attacking labor. l have
never said anything about the lawyer
against the farmer, or the mill man
against the farmer, or the farmer
against the mill man, or the merchant
against any other man in dinerent
walk in life, nor anything that could
be so construed, in any speech that l
have ever made. l have never said
anything in regard to town against
country, or country against town, nor
anything which would tend to cause
disturbance in our state. l have de-
Tended myself when attacked, and
have power. 1 have been most foully
lied upon, villified and abused, and
the effort has been made all along to
make it appear that BleaSe was stir
ring up strife and factionalism, when
those who were thus speaking and
writing knew at the time that my en-
emies were causing the strife and dis
sensions, and that l have been plead
ing for peace among our people. The
organization of the campaign in the
spring of 1912, the collection OF thou
sands upon thousands of dollars to aid
in my defeat, the reorganization OF
the clubs in April, the packing of the
May convention, the packing of the
managers of election, refusing me and
my friends representation on the
boards of managers, all go to show
that the fight was against me, and the
bitterness precipitated against me,
and not by me. If ] had been let
alone and allowed to serve my two
terms, in peace, there would have been
some reason for giving credence to
the protestations of my opponents
that they wanted peace-and If they
had practiced what they preached,
there would have been peace. But
that was not what they wanted, and
the mean, villainous, contemplate
campaign that was waged against me,
and the fight made upon me since,
show up their statements as the false
hoods which they are. After the
campaign was over, after 1 had pro-
claimed peace from the State House
steps, and after the legislature had
met and adjourned. and it had begun
to look as though there was going to
be harmony, who started the Ander-
son law suits against my administra-
ton of affairs, the Cherokee supervis-
ors of registration law suits, the mud
die in Sumter, the continual annoy
ance of my appointees-refusing to
pay people whom / had legally ap-
pointed and who had done proper SER
vice and the service required by your
laws? A general attempted defiance
l.a, h4n n,rl
by my opponents throughout the state.
Editorials of the bitterest kind have
been written against me. Officials
holding little, petty jobs-who, some
of them, will soon be put out of these
little jobs-have written abusive arti-
cles in regard to me, which the news
papers have taken delight in publish
ing. All these things have been heap
ed up upon me, and I have sat quietly
and said nothing, ignoring these bitter
attacks upon me. And yet, in the face
of all this, some people are saying
even now that Blease is creating trou-
BILE and causing dissensions. When
l try to be quiet, even in the face OF
attacks; when 1 say nothing and do
nothing antagonistic to any one, in
stead of letting me alone, these people
keep up their abuses. I have about
come to the conclusion that the little
saying is true: ITO escape criticism,
do nothing, say nothing, be nothing"
But, gentlemen, l am built contrary
to that. I propose to be something.
to do something, and to say some
thing, and my enemies have failed to
keep me from it.
I continue to hope that political
peace will settle upon us, and I shall
do. my part in future towards that end,
as 1 have done my part in the past.
The Historical Commission.
In this connection, gentlemen, want
sion Of this state-an open defiance OF
the law by those high in authority, in
connection with the historical commits
sion of this state-an oen defiance Of
the law by United States judge and
lawyer who has served as special judge
in this state.
For some time we have had United
States senator defying the law Of South
Carolina by holding college trustee
ships while he is a member Of the Unit
ed States senate, and we have had and
now have other men in high office, such
as that Of state senator and other Of
fees, holding two positions in plain
violation Of the Constitution. Now,
comes the historical commission, po-
sition as member of which we have all
presumed does not pay any salary, but
is one Of honor and here we have an
open defiance Of the law as I conceive
it by United States judge. The at
torney general Of this state has held
that this judge vacated his position
c. : - =