The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-08-01
hlraSc Il Teacher of Violence.


ing TO some 1000 voters at Woodside
mill Friday night, said among other
things:
He told the men to watch the men
ut the polls and in case they counted
the votes wrong or called out the
wrong name that if one Of his follow
ers hit the man on the head that
upon application TO Judge Bramlctt a
pardon would be Immediately tele-
graphed to him."
whenever men resort to violence to
correct wrongs, then the strong have
their way over the weak. That is
why we have law and require all men,
strong or weak alike, to obey it. 1t
is the only protection Of the humble
classes, without wealth or power. In
a self-gOverning democracy main
tenance of law is simply the founda-
ton Of ALL
Every officer Of the government is
sworn to support the constitution,
that is-the law. In particular it is
the duty of the governor to seek to
maintain the ''peace and dignity Of the
State" The humblest citizen Of South
Carolina can we'll understand all this
and every citizen of :;ood motives and
purposes cannot but expect that the
governor of his State shall try con-
stantly to preserve peace and order.
Yet the governor of South Carolina
tells 1000 voters to resort instantly
to violence, if they think they detect
any sort of fraud against him. There
need be no inquiry into facts, no trial
of the suspected election officer, but
simply knock him down and out on
the spot.
Further, the solemn matter of par
doning an offense against the peace
and dignity Of the commonwealth is
treated as if it were a mere private
privilege of the governor to use on
demand Of political friends.
Do you realize that such advice
| from the chief executive of any State
to its citizens is a gross betrayal Of
the constitution, viz. treason against
the State. 1t is exactly that thing
1t is recklessly using the high powers
Of the sovereign State to push private
political ambition, regardless of the
deep and eternal welfare of the peo-
pie.
Such teaching from the very one of
all, who should be teaching our citi-
zens the duties and responsibilities of
citizenship, is the most amazing fea-
ture of this strange campaign.
If sober, Woodworking men, de-
string no office themselves, but only
the lasting good of themselves, their
children and their State, can approve
such leader as the above quotation
reveals, what evil times are ahead
of us!-Spartanburg Herald
Two Strong and Good Men.
TO keep the record straight, we re-
mind the people that neither Mr.. l..
ID. Jennings nor Mr.. w. p. Pollock
have uttered any criticism Of the
governors private life and actions.
They have confined themselves
strictly to criticism of his public acts.
They have not even gone into his
public record before he was governor,
SO far as we recall.
To say that Mr. Pollock and Mr..
Jennings are not worthy of notice is
merely ridiculous Both are men of
character. While they are not rich
men, they have property that makes
them responsible for any slander that
they utter against the Governor or
again any other man. The record
that the governor does not defend
from them is the public record Of his
acts as governor.
The people of Chesterfield and the
people of South Carolina know Mr.
Pollock. He has served in the lesis-
laturc and has had the endorsement
of the majority of his county for con-
Sress. Mr.. Jennings is now the maynr
of Sumter. Both are men of euua'Iy
high standing in South Carolina with
senator Smith or with other mcr i'm
public life. Their records challenge
examine ton.
Sometimes in political camp liors
some of the people reach that stage
OF excitement that they can neither
see nor hear nor understand the .rut,.
There are men i'm South Carolina to-
day who believe that President Will
son. Mr.. Bryan and all other men
except perhaps two or three candi-
dates in this state are evil and con
rupt. Their mental condition is, for
the time. hopeless. All rational m"n. |
men VINO keep their heads, men who
dare to think, laugh at the clowni"h |