The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-04-21

Let encampme::l come and | will take
care OF political side.
(Signed) Cole H. Blease,
Governor.
He called me up over long distance
telephone this morning. and after he
and | had had conversation, I wired
your department, April 1StA, 1914: as
follows:
Columbia, S. c., April 1Sth, 1914.
"The Secretary of War, Washington.
D. C.
"In response to request from Con-
gressman Byrnes, l wire you: have
no objection to encampment being
neld in this State. This has been my
position all the time, as the true rec
ord will show
(Signed) Cole L. Blease,
Governor"
Now, you say further in your mes
sage, "Unless l receive from you an
unequiXocal withdrawal from the po-
sition hitherto taken by you in this
ma ter, and an invitation tha place
the camp at the Isle of Palms in your
State, II am constrained to place the
camp at some o.her place than in the
State of South Carolina"
l assure you, sir, that the people OF
South CAROLINA would be pleased to
nave the encampment, at least many
OF them would be, but l do not believe
that there is one who would want it a;
a sacrifice of the dignity Of the COVER
nor of the State. l stated in my let
ter of the 9th that considered that l
iEad not been treated with the proper
courtesy in tae matter. Under no
conditions or circumstances on eartD.
would | withdraw tina: statement, be-
cause | still think that | was not
treated with the proper courtesy. 1
have never objected TO the encamp-
mens being held in this State, on the
contrary, | wired, as my Rock Hill
message shows, not only that | want
ed it in the State, but that | would do
what | could to make it successful.
| am sill of the opinion that | was
not treated vita che proper courtesy
in the matter, and | will always say
50 until you, as secretary Of war, say
that you did not intend 10 treat the
governo. Of South Carolina with dis
courtesy. When you say tnat, Will
be pleased to accept your statement.
Until then, | will maintain that |
should have been consulted before the
final order was issued in this matter.
AS to the other statement Of yours,
AN invitation that l place the camp
at the Isle of Palms in your State,
will, under no conditions send that in
vitation. There are otner cities III my
State ;hat want this encampment, and
for me to take sides with one would
not be treating the o;ners with prop
er courtesy, and would be taking a
political position which no man, who
knows conditions in South Carolina,
would think o. doing, and which he
would be fool to take if he did So
1t seems to me that | have per
feet right under the conditions to pre-
sumo taat political enemies of mine
are endeavoring to persuade you not
to lel the encampment be held in this
State, in order that they may say l.
was Blease's fault, and thereby en-
deavcr to injure me politically. GER
tainly consider ii a discourtesy that
YOU have not consulted with me in the
matter and can only understand it up
on the ground that I have been ma
liciously misrepresented to you.
Pardon me for taking up so much
of vcur time, but l have seen it stated
that "Blease objected to the encamp-
ment being held in South Carolina.
There is no record that shows that
| have, and, in fact, nave not. also
saw it heralded to the world this even
ing. in large headlines,-'B!ease must
come down, as he did once bsfore.
says Garrison
Blease is not coming down, and he
did not ccme down before, as the re-
cords show. and I can hardly believe,
sir, t.. at a man holding the 2igh posi-
ton tha you do would aaye used this
slang attributed to YOU and I must be-
lieva tha; you have been misrepresent-
ed by the reporter who sent out this
statement.
This is the entire transaction; the
official history