The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-09-23
issues STATEMENT no People.
senator TilIman Asks That Faction
} alisn Come. to an End.

he following;
70 the People OF South Carolina:
The election is over Manning is re-
dominated, ald Blease has missed the
bird term he coveted so much. l hope
hat will not be misunderstood il
rs your old and trusted servant, L
make few observations and give
some advice.
There are approximately $1,000
south Carolinians who wanted Blease
or their governor despite his record,
Ind / am convinced that $4,000, or
more of these voters are good men
Ind true. They voted for Blease be-
,ause they honestly believed he was
he better of the two candidates. L
inow they were mistaken, wofully
mistaken, but they would have been
ecreant in their duty to the State
lad they, not voted as their con-
ciences dictated. There are too many
yoters not alive TO their duty as citi-
ems, and they were easily misled
~ selfish demagogue. Lack of
hOught, not vieiousness, was respon-
ible for the hold that Blease got on
he people. They did not stop to an
,lyze the, difference between demagogy
md statesnanship. Being honest and
straightforward themselves, they did
lot, suspect Blease. His striking per-
onality, his ability as stump speak
r. and his genius for organization
we're too much for them. When he
proclaimed himself the heir Of gilman
md the Reform movement, these 45,-
00I good men took him at his word
nd followed him. History is full OF
ike instances.
It grieped me to see so many of
ny old friends bamboozled by Blcase.
tut know their hearts are right and
hat in, time they will see the differ
nee between true Tillmanism and
alse-the kind that Blease teaches.
he old RefOrmers were Blinded and
nisled, but. at the same time, their
,rdent and >unselfish support of what
hey thought were the principles +
aught them long ago excited my ad-
niratiOn, respect and affection. In.
heir splendid loyalty to true democ-
acy as they see it lies at once the:
promise and the hope of good gov
rnment in South Carolina. Let a real
tatesman, arise. and these men viii
'e even-more loyal to him, than they
we're to Blease--and as they always
we're TO me-.
Fefz {, = In a1rts r. tllfur
ieutenants have nothing but scorn.
md contempt. McLaurin. Talbcrt,
srowning and others of their kind
new In their hearts that Blease was
horoushly bad. but they followed him
because they thought they could thus
urther their own selfish ends. They
believed it was ground swell" like
hat of 1890. and wanted to get on
he band wagon" as SO many men
lid then--"dr "driftwood," i called them,
you remember >. :. ..
Now that the election Is over, look
almly down into your own hearts
am speaking to the $4,000 patriotic
Slease men--and see If your position
vas we'll taken. The heat of the con-
lict is past, and you can now see
clearly. Ask yourselves-nobody need
now you are doing it--why all the
in-horn gamblers, ali the blind tig-
RS, all the red light habitucs, all the
criminals and ear-criminals--those
Who have been pardoned and those
lot yet caught and convicted-were
or Blease. What have you in COM
mon with these men, these vicious
PARASITES on the body polite. Moth
ng; for you are good men and they
ire bad.
There are those who have said that
or Bleaseism. 1, as the leader and
organizer of that revolution, deny the
charge. The Reform movement had
certain definite, constructive aims in
view: 1. To teach the people the
power of the ballot and thus free
the State from an oligarchy which
had ruled it for a hundred years. 2.
TO provide means for educating the
enlarged electorate. 8. To safeguard
the State. as far as possible, from
negro participation in politics. "By
their fruits ye shall know them" /
point to the primary system of clec-
uons, to Clemson and Wia,hrop col
leges, and to the Constitution of 1895
as the fulflment Of the purposes OF
the Reform movement. The positive
ness of 1890 never could have nro-