The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-08-13
FORMER GOV. BLEASE
ADDRESSES BIG CROWD
TALKS TO THREE THOUSAND IN
GREENVILLE COUNTY.
Speaks ON State and National Topics.
Thinks Congress Should Be Con-
vened-ReceiveS Ovation.

community picnic IN tie grove at Old
Hundred settlement, in Greenville
county, on Saturday, August Z, as re-
ported by staff correspondent of the
Anderson Farmers Tribune:
Former Governor Blease, who was
present by special invitation, was
presented by Chairman R. H. jenkins
after the congressional candidates mad
finished their addresses. Governor
Blease was in splendid form and held
the closets attention of his audience
from the opening sentence to tie close
of his address, synopsis Of which
follows:
Tue former governor expressed his
appreciation of meeting with the peo-
pie of the great and prosperous coun-
ty of Greenville as a plain citizen,
seeking no Office and no political ia
vors at the hands of lis fellow citi-
zens. For four years was your
servant, and I think that while I was
governor of South Carolina there is
not one who will say that I was not
the governor. Possibly l did things
that some will not agree with. The
Saviour Himself did not satisfy all
when He was on earth. did not do
anything while I was in office that l
said would not do, and 1 did not
leave undone anything which 1 said l
would do.
Hoped Some Got Is Cents.
Last year you were told that if
you would re-elect Senator Smith you
would get 15-cent cotton, and that
McAdoo had billion dollars up there
in Washington that ne was going to
send down South for the relief of the
cotton farmers. 1 hope that you peo-
pie who voted for Smith have got Is
cents for your cotton and that mis-
friend McAdoo has sent you some of
that billion dollars.
Good Thing For Him Not Elected.
stYou know it is really good thing
for me that I was not elected to the
senate last year. Under the methods
pursued by our government at Wash
ington these nard times were bound
to come, and had I been elected the
newspapers and the bankers would
have said tie hard times were caused
by Blease's election and that Wilson
and McAdoo refused to help you be-
cause you voted for Blease. There
were many good, honest people mis-
lead last year by the promise of
higher price of cotton and that money
would be sent into the South to move
cotton, And now see what the same
newspapers which were telling you
last year you would get Is cents for
your cotton if you elected Smith are
saying:
Papers Tell Different Story Now.
'The Columbia Record on July 26,
in an editorial headed Too Much Cot
ton Planted says: The farmer is in
part to blame for his own condition.
He has planted too much cotton. He
assumes great airs and thinks he has
done wonders becadse he has reduced
his acreage from 20 to 80 per cent.
Mans memory is so short Now you
people know this paper would not
have dared say that last year.
''The Columbia State of July 2Sth
said editorially: The State at
dis time risks no prediction on cot
ton. The man who has not de-
pended on cotton solely, the man who
mas not been a slave to one crop, the
man of the stamp of George Sease,
about whom Mr. Haltiwanger wrote
in Tie State yesterday, will not "go
broke" if cotton sells for eight cents,
but that price will leave little or no
profit, and spells hard times" for the
farmer whose reliance is cotton-who
can't get away from cotton. There are
so many of them, too
do you thing The State would nave
printed that during the last senatorial
campaign?
"And then, listen at this editorial
expression from the same paper in an
issue of very recent date:
"'In the address of the Lee county
farmers to the president, this express
sion is of uncommon significance:
"'. if our staple field crop, cot
ton, should sell for twelve cents per
pound, there are millions of US in the
Southern States that would not realize
a net wage of two and one-half cents