Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-08-06

doing heretofore, II Will not De d great
while before they will have no rights
to look after.
Abuse of the Governor.
South Carolina has always been a
warm state politically, and the out
look is that she will always continue
warm, and while sometimes we are
inclined to the opinion that there Is
too much politics, at other times. we
are not sure about that.
OF course, If it were a settled fact
that all the laws were being enforced
with strict impartiality and justice,
and every individual was getting all
that was coming to him under the
law, we could all afford to rest quietly
in the pursuit Of our respective occu-
p~ations and leave matters go at that.
But this condition Of affairs has not
existed, does not exist, would not be
satisfactory to everybody If 1t did ex-
list, and all talk Of extended political
calm now or hereafter, is little more
than Sc much moonshine.
Every once in a while somebody
rises with the exhortation to drop
politics" for a eason and let's attend
to business; but that does not COM
mand much serious attention. There
are plenty Of people who for various
reasons are willing for a ~surcease;
but these never constitute a majority.
Some who, for the time being. think
they have all they want, would like to
keep it at that, and hence they advo-
cate peace; but the majority, always
hoping for something better, is not
willing t. accept any extended truce.
During the four years Of the admin
istration Of Governor Blease the state
was in a continual turmoil. If it was
not too frequent exercise of the par
don power, 1t was refusal to grant
acquisitions. If it was not a row with
some alleged delinquent official, 1t was
a question Of speeding an automobile
in the city Of Columbia. If it was not
a row over an appropriation for the
common schools, 1t was dispute about
the regularity of a bill. If it was not
a squabble at the hosiery mill, then IL
was a shake-up at the asylum. But
whatever it was, it was a row all the
time, and the biggest kind of a row.
Then commenced the administra-
ton of Governor Manning. From
what had been said there was reason
to suppose that this would be quiet
and %peaceable. In a way it has been;
but after a little more than seven
months there has developed the same
kind of strife, though 1t has not been
SO loud or SO fierce. There have been
paroles and pardons, just like those
Of Governor Blease, but not so numer-
Gus, and they have made less fuss.
There has been ousting of alleged un-
fit officials and there have been differ
ences about that. There has been
trouble in connection with the asylum
that has pleased some and offended
others. The action Of the governor In
asking for an appropriation for legal
assistance other than that provided by
the voters, and employing an asylum
superintendent at twice the salary au-
thorized by law, is in fairly close par
allel with the action Of Governor
Blease in refusing to act with other
state officials on the sinking fund com-
mission, and With advancing money
to send Confederate veterans to Get
tysburg.
When Governor Manning vent into
office last winter, he was hailed by
the opponents of Governor Blease as
a %deliverer, as a man called to uplift
a down-trodden and suffering state
from degrading humiliation and the
like. Now, already before the first
year is half gone, we are hearing
many Of the same people who hailed
Mr.. Manning as a savior, denouncins
him as a misfit, an incompetent, a
failure, and declaring that even for
mer Governor Blease could beat the
stuffing out Of him next summer, not
withstanding the fact that he will have
been governor only a single term, and
the former governor has already had
two terms.
The Yorkville Enquirer is no parti-
san of former Governor Blease or of
Governor Manning, or Of anybody else
for that matter; but it does not take
any stock in the agitation that some
of the governors former supporters
are trying to stir up against him..
Governor Blease has his shortcomings,
has Governor Manning, and so have
the rest of us: but that is not nearly
the point.
From what we have seen Of Gov
Manning up to this time, he has
honestly and sincerely been trying to
do his duty. He has handled some
things differently from the way we
think they should have been handled,
and so did Governor Blease: but what
has that to do with it, If either or
both have done only that which they
thought best?
But why have Mr.. Manning's
Friends" or so many of them gone
back on him? Has it been because
he is wrong or because he is not doing
what they want him to do? If it is
because he is not doing what they
him to do, is it not reasonable
to assume that the only reason they
supported him instead of Blease was