The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-08-19

tween Blease and Tillman to deceive
the ignorant and furnish a bludgeon
to the vicious.
II do not believe Gov. Blease ought
to be sent to the United States sem
ate, because he is not worthy of the
honor, and so believing l would be
recreant to the people of South Caro-
lima If l did not say so. But do not
misunderstood me. 1 speak as a citi-
zen merely and fully realize and rec
ognize the right of the humblest man
In South Carolina to differ with me.
A mans ballot is his own and no
other man has right to criticise him
for using it as he chooses.
II am too near the grave to tell
any lies, if 7 ever had the inclina-
tion to do so; have nothing to gain
by speaking; hence there is no selfish
ne's in my utterances. But love the
state which has honored me so long
and in such marked degree and I
want to warn our people-those who
Will listen to me--before it is too late.
repeat, there is absolutely no ele-
ment Of personality or selfishness in
1T. All my ambitions-and I thank
GOD they were all worthy ones-have
been satisfied. Therefore, l speak, as
were, from a mountain top, look
ing down upon my fellows, who in
few years must follow me to the
grave. II ever mans utterance
ought to cause the people to pause
and listen and think, mine should,
For all essential purposes 1 speak as
one who is dead. If I allowed sell
f1shness to influence me, would quiet
ly work to have Blease sent here be-
cause there Is nothing more certain
than this: While Woodrow Wilson is
president Blease will get no recognit
ion in the way of patronage whatever.
nave had little or none, but 1 would
have it all hereafter with Blease as
collcage. If a Republican should
follow Wilson, Blease might in a way
duplicate or repeat my attitude to-
wards Cleveland, who did not recog-
nize the Tillmanites in South Carolina
as Democrats at all. If the unhappy
adherence among our people in South
Carolina shall continue and Bleaseism
becomes the dominant factor in the
State, Blease might in time play the
role of Malone in Virginia All signs,
however, point 20 the triumphant re-
election of President Wilson and the
continuance Of the Democratic party
in power.
There is one striking thing about
Gov Blease as q leader and a states
man to be very seriously considered.
1t seems to have been lost sight of up
to this time. He has been in public
life since 1890. He came to the front
the same year I did. If he is such a
great leader now. more worthy to be
followed than Tillman, more worthy
Of admiration and trust, how has he
succeeded all these years in hiding it?
What has he ever done in a construc.
tive way to benefit the people of South
Carolina? Let those who are his
sponsors answer. have demon,
strated my craftsmanship and ability
to lead in a dozen ways. Without
even mentioning what l have done in
Washington as senator, have many
monuments to my credit in South
Carolina Clemson and Winthrop in
an educational way, the constitutional
convention. which relieved the peo-
pie Of the State of the menace Of ne
gro domination by the organic law
under which we live, the primary
system Of choosing candidates and the
despised and slandered dispensary,
which only failed because the cor
rupt politicians in the legislature got
hold Of it and the anti-Tillmanites
spite Of all their machination and
cunning, it still survives locally in
many counties. All these are largely
my handiwork. In Gods name, let
those who were formerly Tilmanites
but now Blease shoutcrs, show what
Blease has done of a similar charac-
ter. They can not do it and they owe
it to themselves to pause and analyze
things and recover their rcason-if
they can. They can undo some OF
the wrongs they have perpetuated
| and restore the States good name
which Blease has made a byword and
Kissing. The 25th Of August will
tell the story and l watch the result
with confidence"