The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-11-07
RORMER GOVERNOR BLBAsE
DISCUSSES POLITICAL SITUATION
Has Had Nothing to do With Dlstris
button Of Tickets-Every Man
Must be Governed by Dictates
Of His Own Conscience
Mpecial to Tho Herald and News.

Special to The Herald and News.
Columbia, Nov. 5.-In view Of the
distribution OF general election tick
ets. with the name Of Governor Man
Ring eliminated, and the name of
Former Governor Cole L. Blease print
ed thereon as a candidate for govern
Or, Mr.. Blease was asked today, Just
before his leaving for Walhalla, where
he will be engaged in an important
murder case which will be called for
trial on Monday morning, for con-
else statement OF his position in re-
gard to the political situation at this
time. especially in reference to the
general election to Le held on Tues
daE. The former governor made plain
the fact that he had not sent out any
tickets, nor had any passed through
hia hands, nor had he authorized the
sending out Of any ballots. $50 far
Ga the State ticket is concerned" he
says. every man VINO participated in
tae primary was sworn to support the
man who received majority Of the
votes cast in that primary, and whom
ever his conscience dictates to him
as having received the honest majori-
ty. he should support" Mr.. Blease
made it plain that he Is not at this
time candidate for any Office.
In regard to the national ticket, he
eoptends that if a man is National
Democrat he should support the Will
&on nominees; that If he Is Nation
ai Republican, he should support the
regular Republican electoral ticket
that there is no halfway ground"
His statement, in full, is as follows:
'You ask me to define my position
in regard to the political situation at
this time. In 1890, when the Haskell
movement was at its height, General
Matthew Calbraith Butler said: There
is no middle ground in this State
no halfway house. A man must eth
er be Democrat or a Republican.
That statement at that time sized up
in very few words the political sit
uation. The same situation applies
today. So far as the ProgressiYes are
concerned, they are bastard political
association, comprising few men who
are disgruntled. So far as the Adams
and Tolbert fight is concerned, it seems
to be hybrid fight, with neither side
having the slightest chance In regard
TO the popular vote, but which may
possibly, il Hughes Is elected, result
in one or both faction having a voice
III the distribution of Federal patron
age. If q man believes In the prin-
ciples Of the National Democratic
Party-if ne is Democratic should
vote for Wilson electors. If he is g
Republican, he should vote for the
regular Republican electors.
$50 far as the State ticket is con-
earned, every man who participated
in the primary was sworn to support
the man who received a majority of
the votes cast in that primary, and
whomsoever his conscience dictates
TO him as having received the honest
majority, he should support Person
ally, I presume / shall not be a.
Of voting, because ! will not be 6
home on the day Of election, ha' ng
important legal business which CT
me away, in the interests Of clien.-
charged with serious crimes.
81 have not, for myself, taken any
interest in politics since I was DELHI
erately and -bloodedly robbed on
the 18th day Of September, in the So
called Democratic primary. I am not
now, and will not, so far as I know
now, be candidate for any Office. +
have not authorized the sending out
OF any tickets with nay name on them
None of them have passed through
my hands, or through my ohace, or
through the hands of anybody author
lied by me to use them.
Each man must abide by the decls-
ion Of his own conscience. still
stand where stood at the beginning
II would prefer to be in my position
than Mr.. Manning's. II: he is elected
he knows, and his friends know, that
ne will have been elected by fraud,
perjury, coercion and intimidation,
backed up by the most fraudulent and
corrupt election that has ever been
held in this State. II man can re-
ceive any honor from holding an Office
when his nomination has been gained
by such methods as that, he is vel
come to the honor"