The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-01-16

The other elections will be taken
up on Tuesday night.
Thus you will see that we lost only
Chesterfield and Bamberg, and that
Chcraw, in the same county with
Chesterfield, and a most convenient
point for a company, took Chester
fields place, entailing no loss to the
people of that section in the matter
OF military protection, and no loss to
the militia, and that Bamberg was
readily replaced by another company.
There were also present at the con-
ference representatives Of the COM
panies which I had been re-
quested to muster out last
spring, but which, after the
reinspectic nad been held, as shown
by the correspondence, were shown
to be in condition not entirely salts,
factory to the Federal government,
ba: in sucl, condition that under the
rules they were not recommended to
be mustered out. The representatives
of these companies showed a most
gratifying enthusiasm in the matter
of bringing their companies up to the
highest standard, saying they were
going to work with this end in view,
and from my knowledge OF these men
who compose their companies, l am
! satisfied that these companies, at the
next inspection, will make showing
second t. none.
/ Therefore, you will see, gentlemen.
that instead Of mastering out the q
companies which l was requested to
muster out, and the one Charleston
: company, which was not included in
the regular army service, but which
company made the 13 here spoken of
and was also saved to the State-in-
stead Of mastering out of the service
these 13 companies, and going down
to an organization with only two reg
iments, and losing many of our most
| eficient officers, including one colo
mel, we have stirred up the waters,
muddied them possibly, temporarily,
but as a result we retained every one
of our companies, our three regiments
and our officers. and today l think
can truly say, that it will be concurred
| IN by all those who are in position
! to know, that the volunteer nlilltl2
of this State is in the best condition
that it has been in in many years.
do not claim all the credit, gentlemen,
for doing this; l would not be so ego
tistical, but I do claim that | was
right in my fight, and that l have won.
The newspapers and others of my po-
litical enemies, it seemed-many OF
them-wanted me to lose my fight.
They were willing to hold up South
Carolina and South Carolina's militia
men in ridfcule, to be laughed at and
scorned by the citizens of other States
who did not know the situation, just
in order to try to get something
against me personally and in a polltl-
cal way. But 1 was never doubtful,
gentlemen. I knew my ground, and
l knew | was right, ard the outcome
has proved that it paid me and the
militia for me to fight for them. In
stead of having been held in scorn and
ridicule by certain elements of the
nress of my State, and having been
opposed in this fight by people who
should have had a pride in their State,
they ought to have joined hands with
me and helped me- But since it is ali
over 1 do not regret that they did not
for if they had they would nave been
entitled to a part Of the credit for t4e
victory. AS it is, the victory belongs
to Blease.
In this connection | beg to direct
your attention especially to the OPT n
ion of the Hon. George E. Downey,
comptroller of the treasury, which
herewith attach and make part OF
CONTINUED ON PAGE ~.