The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-04-22
BLEASE WON'T COME DOWN.
GOVERNOR WRITES GARRISON
ON ENCAMPMENT SITUA-
TION.
At Request of Other Parties Asks for
Camp, But Does Not State Site

Camp, But Does Not State Site.
Columbia, April 19-"Blease is not
coming down, and he did not come
down before" said Gov. Cole l..
Blease in letter this morning to
Secretary of War Lindley NJ. Garri-
son, replying to the latter's ultima
tum over the manoeuvre camp. AT
the request of certain parties I ask
you to allow the encampment to be
held within the State Of South Caro-
lima, but at what point / have no sug-
gestion to make. If this is satsfac-
tory to you, all we'll and good; if it is
not, the encampment will have to be
held elsewhere" says the governor.
Governor Blease insists that he was
treated discourteously by the Secre-
tary Of War in the arrangements for
the manoeuvre encampment, and re-
fuses to withdraw that statement un-
til the Secretary Of War shall disavow
any intention Of discOurtesy and says
that he can place il only upon the
ground that he had been maliciously
misrepresented to the Secretary of
War.
Speaking Of the statement attribut-
ed to Mr.. Garrison that the governor
must come down." the letter of Gov.
Blease says please is not coming
down, and he did not come down
before, as the records show, and I can
hardly believe, sir, that n man hold
ing the high position that you do,
would have Used this slang attributed
to you, and L must believe that you
have been misrepresented by the re-
porter who sent out this statement -
The governor denies that ne has
ever objected to the encampment be-
ing held in this State, or that he stat
ed that he did not propose to have
troops OF other States brought into
South Carolina without his being con-
suited. He says that the only pos
his letter was that the South Carolina
troops could not attend the encamp-
ment without his permission if they
did he would muster them out of SER
vice. The governor declines to select
any site in the State for the en-
campment, only asking that it come
to South Carolina.
The letter lays emphasis on the
statement that it was q proper cour-
tesy for the Secretary of War to have
consulted the governor in the mat
ter and says he was ignored by ev-
lerybOdy connected with it, the Unit
ed States senators, congressman, Sec
retary Of war, chief division militia
affairs. He assures the secretary of
war that the people of the State would
be pleased to have the encampment
here, but Il do not believe there is one
who would want it at a sacrifice of
the dignity of the governor Of the
State" he says. He declines to with
draw the statement that he was treat
ed dscourteously until Mr.. Garrison
says no discourtesy was meant to the
governor.
The governor says that he can only
draw the conclusion that political en-
emies of his are endeavoring to per-
suade the secretary Of war to take
the encampment to some other State
in order that they might say it was
his fault, and thereby injure him po-
litically.
Telling Of the number of kilograms
offering the services Of companies,
one regiment and individuals in case
call comes for troops in Mexico OF
any other nation, the governor says
in conclusion: South Carolina will,
not only in case of war with Mexico,
but in case of war with any other ma
ton on earth, furnish the United
States more than her pro rata share
OF as true, as brave and as gallant
men as ever marched on a field of
battle and If such call is made while
L am governor of South Carolina, the
r-n-chief of her militia
will be found in the front ranks, lead
ing her men, and not sitting back
surrounded with the luXuries of life
throughout the day and feather bed
to sleep in at night AS far as that
is concerned, | believe South Carolina
can whip Mexico by herself.
! PUTS IT UP TO GOVERNOR.