The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-10-18
Frauds are Charged and Voters Asked
to Regard Blease as Actual Nominee
In General Election.

ecutive committee, which nominated
X. !. Manning. and therefore he will
not likely make statement. ..But
the voters are not bound by anything
but the oath to support the nomi-
nee," The Ssimitar says. land a ma
jority has The right to say who is
the nominee"
Following Is the ballot published
by The SciInitar. with the caption,
"Our Ticket" For governor. Cole
l. Bloase; for lieutenant governor.
A. J. Bethea; for attorney general.
Thomas III. Peoples; for secretary OF
state. w. b. Dove: for comptroller
general Carlton w. Sawyer; for
State treasurer. 8. T. Carter: for
adjutant general w. w. Moore; for
superintendent of education. j. T..
Swearir gen; for commissioner Of
agriculture. commerce and industries,
f. J.. Watson; for congressman,
Third district. Fred H. Dominick: for
solicitor. Eighth circuit. II. s. Black
well." The scimitar appends Q. foot
note: ITO those below the name Of
Blsase this admonition: "Silence Is
golden and also Take We no heed
for tomorrow. FOR tomorrow We may
die" 5f.t
Tho s'cimitar carries also a leading
EDITORIAL article, headed "A State
ment which = IN Yellpws: s
csl ths * /! essys Az
beoun b SHOW if6rsnfdAhls bropor.
tions the supporters Of Manning at
tempt TO play upon the honesty Of
opponents, to head 1t of. Papers
are now saying good things about
Blease nnd his followers that three
weeks ago PLACID us all. and Blease
as the head devil. In the category of
thieves. scoundrels. gamblers, blind
tigers, red light habitues and other
riff-raff Of society and thanked God
that South Carolina is redeemed ;
And what Is oil this for? And why
do they claim that Mr.. Blease must
announce himself a candidate before
he can be voted for In the general
elections That is not true, we can
vote for any man we choose,
whether he is candidate or not
Mr.. Blease as far as we know will
make no statement at all. There is
none that he should make.
He entered the primary at the ur-
gent solicitation OF the leading Re-
form Democrats all over the State.
His pledge as a candidate binds him
to abide by the decision Of the execu-
tive committee. All he could do was
to offer his evidence of fraud and
abide by the result. He did that and
the committee treated with contempt
refused to act. If the people also
lay down and submit to such treat
ment that Is usually accorded to ne
groes. then there is nothing for Bleasc
to do but submit also.
THE question is altogether a moral
one. and one of individual conscience
Blease Is bound by his pledge to sub
NIT to the findings Of the committee,
and can not--for that reason--offer as
candidate before the general cleo
tion. But the voters are not bound nv
anything but the oath TO support the
nominee. and a majority has the right
to say who Is the nominee.
therefore IL you honestly believe.
as most OF us do. that please was
counted out and Manning fraudulent
ly nominated. we. the voters. are not
bound by anything. because q breach
Of the contract by one party releases
the other party to the contract, and
1t Is as though II never existed.
Upon that basis we call upon the
Reform Democrats to vote the ticket
published. and headed by Cole L.
Blease as the regular nominee of the
late Democratic primary.
Let time servers and towards
cringe tO power. but brave, true men
will act with courage"
The Scimitar publishes three letters
which 1t says II has received Tho
signatures are omitted. The first.
dated Orangcburg. October 2, says
that If the Blcasc convention "rcsults
I'm movement to defeat II. /. Man
ning at the general election. you will