The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1915-08-25
BLEASE ANNOUNCES
FOR GOVERN ORSlIIP
Also Denies that there has been u
Deal Between Him and II. A. Cooper


berry Herald and News yesterday, Ex-
Governor Cole l.. Bleasc denied that
there has been any deal between him
and Mr.. r. A. Cooper, Of this city, over
and announces definitely that he will |
be in the race for governor himself |
next summer The letter Of the form
cr governor, which was written to the |
editor of the Scimitar, newspaper
published at Abbevi1le. is as follows:
"In your issue Of August the 18th.
under the caption, Have Bease and
| Cooper Traded? you state: There
is an understanding between Governor
Bleasc and r. A. Cooper to the effect
that if Cooper will run against Man
ming next year Blcase will not. but
, If Cooper don't run, Bease will
"I desire to answer your question in
order that you and your friends may
have no misunderstanding in refer
cnce to the matter In the race for
governor last year Mr.. Cooper on the
stand throughout the State would
preach law and order and pcace and
harmony. On the railroad trains and
i around tho hotels he would denouncc
Blcasc and Blcascsm in more bitter
language than any other candidate for
governor on or off the stand. Some Of
Mr.. Coopcr's friends went among my
friends and told them that Cooper was
a Blcascitc; that Bleasc had helped
him to be elected solicitor and was
supporting him for governor. and
many of my friends were led to vote
for Mr.. Cooper from that statement,
as can be easily verified, if it is neccs-
sary. | do not charge Mr.. Cooper. per-
sonally, with his friends action but
do charge his friends with carrying
the message and thereby gaining him
many votes from my friends, which he
would not have otherwise gotten.
However. I think it due my friends
to state, since you have raised the
f., issue. that Mr. Cooper has never been
!; a political friend Of mine and possibly
never will be; and | presume it en-
tirely unnecessary for me to add, that
under no conditions or circumstances
[ will | ever vote for any man who
s fights me, nor will | make any trade
q with him. | will remain private Cit
izcn the balance Of my life and die and
: be forgotten by all OF my friends and
/ my family before | would trade with
: any man politically, or with any fac
s ton politically, and thereby prove
= traitor to those who have stood by me
in my political fights and for whom
II am still fighting. Some people h,
i been elected to Office by one set Of
) men and after they got in Office be-
. traycd their friends by selling out to
I" the other side, and today, while they
still hold Office, are looked upon as
the most contemplate traitor to his
people and his principles that ever
L disgraced South Carolina His old
. time friends view him with contempt
and his ncw-madc friends CD laugh
- at the mention. of his name, which,
c however, assure you will never be
II my fate. My enemies may rejoice Al
q my being a private citizen, but neither
they nor my friends will ever be per
/" mtted to say that Bleasc went bach
on them or failed them whenever the!
- called upon him. And, therefore,
" will never make any trade with any
lc man in this world who has not beel
Y true to the peoples cause through
!, thick and thin, through defeat as wei
as in victory.
lc GAS between Mr.. Cooper and tn
rs present governor, II is not necessary L
N say which ono | would vote for, hut
/, certainly would not advise a Blcascit
to vote lOr cllncr.
Oh "As to the latter part OF your arti
I'd Gle, permit me to state, so there ca1
be no misunderstanding. that | hay
50 received letters from all parts of tn
- State Some asking me to run an
IL others demanding that do run TO
es governor next year, and people frol
or every part of the State have been I
me and requested me to run hav
said to many of them that they let IN
ch rest and lets all agree upon anothc
es man. Their reply, to the man, ha
IN been: you are the only man who ca
get our party back together and to 20
and YOU alone are we looking" 1t
10 for these reasons that I have take
lis the position that have with rcfcronc
10 the campaign next summer. In OF
,io der that there can be no further mi!
:. understanding about the matter,
" now, to YOU, for you to make such us
MS Of az YOU SOC fit, announce that wi
be candidate for governor in iol
" unless my friends throughout y
=, state change their present attitud
- which have not the slightest idt
nc' they will do.
Ice "AS said whenI left the governor
ith office and have since repeated, pc
o., Sonaliy am not q candidate Tol go
crn0r. but my friends have made Il
demand and | do not propose to 70
is sake them in defeat any more than
t. would betray them in victory.
90 "At the first campaign meeting
~ "