The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1914-08-21
FAREWELL
BIDS PEOPLE BEWARE
CONTINUED from page 2.)

anarchy as it would be to say that
Tillmanism caused Bleaseism. Had
my health continued good, 1 would
have taught the people the folly of
Bleaseism two years ago, pointed out
the difference and stemmed the tide
which Jones found himself unable to
cope with. would have guided the
Tillmanites. while Blease on,y missed
them, and all for the qualification of
his own selfish ambition.
Tired of Law and Order"
"a large per cent of those who two
years ago and now are yelling law
and order want law and order of
their own contriving. They are not
ready to admit that, politically speak
ing, all white South Carolinians are
equal. They think themselves divine
ly commissioned to rule everybody
else, and this, not Tillmanism, is the
true cause of Bleaseism. The plain
people saw this resurrected bourbon
ism and, thinking it was the old ring
come to life again, took Bleaseism
a mere symptom. The real feve, is
bigotry, political intolerance and So
cial injustice. l call upon you, my
claim to want better and higher
things, to broaden your sympathies
Stop prating about law and order
and treat your next door neighbor
with little more consideration.
Though he live in hovel, though he
never saw the inside of a school room
he has the same right to vote for
Blease that you have to vote against
him, and you have no more right 20
question his motive than he ha. to
question yours. Learn that great
truth, act on it to the uttermost and
my word for it, Bleaseism will disap-
pear-and it will not disappear until
you do learn it.
"Then, too a certain class of our
fellow citizens have been very UNI
just and unreasonable in their deal-
ing with the poorer people, treating
them with no consideration what
ever and showing a contAmpt for
them. This is especially true with
regard to those who work in the cot
Lon mills. In many communities the
people in the mill village are a class
a;'art, looked down upon ard not as
sociated with. No wonder Socialism
and the l.W. w. are getting Il f,,.
hold among these citizens of ours. 1t
was not so once, and it ought not to
be so now. We all should address
ourselves to the remedy lest it bring
dire disaster upon the commonwealth,
for in the last analysis white unity
is absolutely essential for the contin-
uation of good government. If these
poor men are trampled under foot as
they have been taught to believe they
are, they will join with any move
ment, no matter how radical and ul-
ira, to get revenge. This is the secret
of Blease's hold on the people who
work in the cotton mills, and we
ought by every means in our power
break that hold by showing the same
respect and consideration for them
that wssdo for othfrs.v
MsGciously' Ignorant.
"As for those who compare Blease
the man with Tillman the man, they
are, for want of a better term, what
I may call maliciously ignorant.
Blease and Tillman are both popular
idols and there the resemblance ends.
had definite ends to accomplish; my
personal character and private life
were always above reproach and my
integrity was never questioned save
by few slanderers who merely as
There is just enough similarity be-
tween Blease and Tillman to deceive
the ignorant and furnish a bludge.n
to the vicious.
"I do not believe Gov. Blease ought
to be sent to the United States SEN
ate, because he is not worthy of the
honor, and so believing I would be
recreant to the people of South Caro-
lima if / did not say So But do no,
misunderstood me. I speak as citi-
zen merely and I fully realize and
recognize 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 ever had the inclina-
too to no so: / have nothing to gain
by speaking; hence there is no selfish
ness In my utterances. But love ths
State which has honored me so long
and In such marked degree and l
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
it. All my ambitions-and l thank
God they were all worthy ones-have
been satisfied. Therefore, l speak, as
it were, from a mountain top ,look.
ing down upon my fellows, who in a
few years must follow me to the
grave. If ever mans utterance
ought to cause the people to pause
and listen and think, mine should.
For all essential purposes l speak as
one who is dead. If I allowed selfish
ness to influence me, 1 would quietly
work to have Blease sent here be-
cause there is nothing more certain