The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-08-26

upon you, my fellow citizens, you
who know and claim to want better
and higher things, to broaden your
sympathies. Stop prating about law
and order and treat your next door
neighbor with little more consid-
eration. Though he live In hovel,
though he never saw the inside Of
school room. he has the same right
to vote for Blease that you have to
vote against him, and you have no
more right to question his motive
than he has to question yours. Learn
that great truth, act on 1t to he ut
termost and my word for it, Blease-
ism will disappear-and it will not
disappear until you do learn it.
"Then too certain class of our
fellow citizens have been very UNI
just and unreasonable in their deal
ing with the poorer people, treating
them with no consideration what
ever and showing contempt for
them. This is especially true with
regard to those who work in the cot
ton mills. In many communities the
people in the mill villages are class
apart, looked down upon and not as
sociated with. No wonder Socialism
and the l. w. w. are getting a foot
hold among these citizens Of ours. 1t
was not so once, and 1t ought not to
be SO now. We all should address
ourselves to the remedy lest 1t bring
dire disaster upon the common
wealth, for in the last analysis white
unity is absolutely essential for the
continuation of good government. If
these poor men are trampled under
foot as they have been taught to be-
lieve they are, they will point with
any movement, no matter how radi-
cal and ultra, to get revenge. This
is the secret Of Blease's hold on the
people who work in the cotton mills,
and We ought by every means In our
power break that hold by showing
the same respect and consideration
for the mtnat we do for others.
"Maliciously Ignorant
"As for those who compare Blease
the man with Tillman the man, they
+, l may call maliciously ignorant
!, Blease and Tillman are both popular
j. idols and there the resemblance ends
had definite ends to accomplish; my
! personal character and private life
:, were always above reproach and my
] integrity was never questioned save
by a few slanderers who merely as
serted without attempting to prove
There is just enough similarity be-
tween Blease and Tillman to deceive
the ignorant and furnish bludgeon
TO the vicious.
II do not believe Governor Blease
ought to be sent to the United States
senate, because he Is not worthy oi
the honor, and 30 believing would
be recreant to the people Of South
Carolina If did not say so. But do MOI
misunderstood me- speak as citi
zen merely and fully realize ant
recognize the right of the humbleB
man in South Carolina to differ with
me. A mans ballot is his own ant
no other man has right to criticist
him for using 1t as he chooses.
II am too near the grave to tel
any lies, II I ever had the tnclina
tion to do SO; I have nothing to gair
, by speaking; hence there is no sci
fishness In my utterance. But low,
the State which has honored me 81
long and In such marked degre,
and I want to warn our people-thos,
who will listen to me--before It Il
too late. repeat, there is absolutel!
no element Of personality or selfish
ness in It, All my smbitions-and
thank God they were all worthy one!
have been satisfied. Therefore,
speak. as 1t were, from mountair
top, looking down upon my fellows
who in few years must follow N,
to the grave. If ever q mans utter
ance ought to cause the people t.
pause and listen and think, mine
should. For all essential purposes
speak as one who is dead. II allow
ed selfishness to influence me,
would quietly work to have Bleas,
sent here because there is nothinf
more certain than this While Wood
row Wilson Is president Blease will
get no recognition In the way or pat
ronage whatever. / have had littl,
, , or none, but I would have 1t all here
after with Blease as a colleague. i
Republican should follow Wilson
Blease might in way duplicate OF
repeat my attitude towards Cleveland
who did not recognize Tilimanites T.
south Carolina as Democrats at all
II the unhappy difference among oul
people In South Carolina shall con
tinue and Bleaseism becomes tn,
dominant factor in the State, Bleast
might in time play the role of Ma
hone In Virginia. All signs, how
ever, point to the triumphant reelec
tion Of President Wilson and the con
tinuance OF the democratic party II
power
There Is one striking thing abou
GOV. Blease as a leader and states
man TO be very seriously considered