The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-08-04
BLEASE'S CONDUCT TREASON
DAVID II. COKER AND GEORGE
B. CROMER DENOUNCE Ut
TERANCES OF COLUMBIA
ATTORNEY.
State Council of Defense Plans to
Arouse Patriotism in South Caro-.
lima.

government to the point of personal
of a high order will be
preached in every hamlet and school
district of the State. The State Coun-
Gil Of Defense at a meeting held here
today decided that the first step in
putting South Carolina on a war ba-
Sis was thorough campaign to
arouse the latent patriotism of the
people, to educate them to the dan
ger Of a sluggish interest in the war
and the disastrous results to the
country Of failure to give a full meas
ure of support to all governmental
measures.
BY the same token the eradication
of seditiOn and treason in their in.
cipient stages. the estoppel-by the
Kid glove method, If possible, and il
not. by the iron hand-of the uttering
or fostering Of sentiment designed and
calculated to hamper the nation in
the prosecution of the war: this Is
one of the dual lines which the cam
paign will pursue.
Cole l.. Blease, Esq, recognized as
the most conspicuous example of the
latter group by virtue of his conduct
since the war. which Characterization
of him has been accentuated by his
recent speech at Pomaria. was held
up to the scorn of the 800 or more
men and women who filled the ball
room of the Jefferson Hotel. Chair
Man d. r. Coker read q short clip
ping from the account of the speech
of Mr.. Blease and blistered it's author
in phrases which smote with the pow
er Of truth. II understand that even
more reasonable things than these
were said." said Mr.. Coker. "we must
not allow such treason to grow up un-
checked"
Mr.. Coker put the former governor
In the class with Tom Watson, of
Georgia, and the long haired Varda-
man, of Mississippi" as a trio "who
are deluding themselves into think
ing they can ride into Office over the
dying patriotism of the South"
DR.. George B. Cromer, of Newberry,
reused his hearers to high degree
of enthusiasm as he challenged some
of. the utterances made by Mr.. Blease
in his Pomaria speech. though he did
not mention the name of their author
Il hear that some men say that Con-
gress and the President plunged this
nation into war;" said DR.. Cromer.
THAT is an untruth. Congress and the
President were forced by the acts of
the Imperial German Government 20
recognize that a state of war existed. |
When our property was ruthlessly de-
and when our men, women
and children were ruthIessly drowned
on the high seas without warning be-
ing given. Congress and the President
were without alternative in recogniz-
ing that steps must be taken to pro-
tect the rights of a sovereign people,"
Some men tell us tn ''e are
fighting the battles of Lance and
continued DR.. Cromer. TT
is lie. Let us tell our people that
France and England for three years
have been fighting our battles
France until she has been bled white |
and England until she is exhausted"
Speaking further with reference to
that class which has opposed the
draft and which is seeking to frus-
trate other measures for the prosecu-
tion OF the war, DR.. Cromer said: |
THE man who is trying now to |
shackle this government and render
It's efforts futile by preaching the doc
trine of No cause for our going into
war is in effect attempting to shoot
my boy and your boy in the back as
he marches to the front"
DR.. Cromer's speech was followed
py an ovation which lasted for many |
Gov. Manning in short address
struck the same note which Mr.. Coker
sounded in opening the meeting and
which later was to be repeated in the
utterance of DR.. Cromer.
The hour has struck in South Caro-
lima when there can be no divided al
egiance-no difference of opinion.
Ihere is no time for disloyal words
and deeds" The governor urged that
men or women having knowledge of
4uasi-treasonable acts report same to
agents or the Department of Justice
ana swear out warrants for the Of