The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-10-07
BLElsE is NEGao's FRIEND.
is PRAISED TO SKIES BY COLOR.
ED PREACHER AND IN
STRUCTOR.

DSSpe IFOteSt on Fart OF Alumni
Former Governor Makes Speech at
Opening of Allen Univcrsity-Says
| He Has Always Sought TO Give Ne.
gro Justice.
The State.
Cole Il. Blease was the chief speak
or yesterday at the opening exercises
OF Allen university, a large negro
school III Columbia, despite the pro-
test of Tuesday morning by alumni
and former students, who petitioned
President Nance and the faculty that
the invitation be withdrawn, "as it
Will greatly embarrass our wives and
daughters to have ex-Gov. Blease
speak to them, since he has spoken
so harshly in the courts and on the
stump against the virtues of the ne
gro women and the respect and de-
cency Of negroes in general"
Mr.. Blease made no direct refer
ence in his speech to this petition.
but the Rev, W. ID. Chappelle, d. D..
bishop of the African Methodist Epis-
copal church in this State, who in
troduced the ex-governor as "the
strongest white man in the State of
South Carolina" and one whose par-
doning record had removed all sting
in things said on the stump" was
somewhat scathing in his denuncia-
ton of those who presumed ito die
tate the policies of great church"
WHO are they, anyway" Chappelle
asked. Then in answer to his own
query he remarked, ''They aren't
known outside of their own back
yard" The harsh things said on the
stump, the bishop observed, were
only to tickle the ears of the voters
and thereby gain their support.
Ten minutes were consumed by
Bishop Chappelle in his speech of
introduction, generously seasoned
with superlatives.
In asking the ex-governor, he had
sought, he said, to get the strongest
man in the State. He had gone
carefully over the records, careers
and deeds of all governors of South
Carolina, and Mr.. Blease, he said,
easily held first rank. Several par
don cases, where the former goyer-
nor "by single stroke of the pen
set that negro free" were cited. One
of these was that of a IA year old
| negro boy sent up for life. The con-
gressional controversy between the
negro, George Washington Murray of
fsImter and white man. Col. ffofse;
of the same district, was also re-
viewed by the bishop in all it's rami-
fications. Later in his speech Mr..
BleasA reminded the bishop that it
was he (Mr. Blease) who had made
Murray the congressman from this
State instead Of the white man. Mr..
Blease was then a member Of the
| canvassing board and cast the decid-
ing vote. ''If 1 had got justice three
weeks ago and if the board had been
| as honest" he said yesterday, II
would be the next governor of South
Carolina" He had always sought,
he said, to do justice to. the negro,
regardless of his color.
Much speculation had been en-
gagged in by the negroes themselves
| as to the character of speech Mr..
Blease would deliver, but the speak
| II throughout his discourse spoke
| guardedly and with moderation. He
said he had been misunderstood by
the negroes, whom he greeted rs
| my friends" In politics he had al
| ways urged that taxes negroes paid
| should so to the support of negro
| schools. School boards, he said, CHS
| eled the negroes out of their just
proportion when making apportion-
ment for the schools of the two races.
Christian citizenship was earnestly
| commended to the students OF the
school. II don't make much profess
sion myself. 1 have been so hound
| ed, villified and abused that I often
go by my own church, refusing to
enter, because 1 know that there are
hypOcrites and scoundrels at the COM
munion table, who are a disgrace to
/ God Almighty" The students were
told to aim high, tell the truth and
to attain the ends of worthy ambi-
ton honestly, and not by slipping
books under the desks in the eXami-
nation room or copying information
| from their cuffs.
| Referring to the sentiment in the
petition, by inference, Mr. Blease said
he had never insulted "a colored girl"
l