The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-08-07

rr1Ja5:y the largest crowd which as
semb.es in South Carolina to hear
discussion of isues It Is impossible
10 estimate with any degree OF acc
racy the size OF the crowd which as
samblcd there today. There were Ue
tween 5000 and 10000 People on the
grounds. The speech OF former Gov
t~a2r Biease was the center of inter-
est. {Ie today answered the criticism
q. the T"esday meeting OF the State
council OF defense in regard to his
" famous Pomaria speech. which
US first published in Sundays Char
lesion American. He denounced
Chairman Coker of the State council;
Governor Manning, DR.. George 3
Cromer, of ewberry. and dared them
to allow the people to pass upon this
issue. Reiterating the remarks which
he made at Pomaria, he said that any
man saying he was not loyal Amerl-
can citizen was contemplate liar,
that he had been opposed to this coun-
try entering the war and thought that
it ought to be brought to the speediest
successful conclusion possible.
Hand Primary.
He took a hand primary, as he did
at Pomaria, upon the request whether
his audience would have voted for the
declaration of war and would now
vote for peace. GAIL of you who would
have voted for war. hold up your
hands" he asked. A couple OF hands
went up, but those who raised them
told him a moment later they had mis-
understood his question. "All of you
who would have voted against the
war. and would now vote for peace
hold I'D your hands" he asked. There
was a. spontaneous raising of hands
all over the big audience.
"The Worst G0YernOr.
Mr.. Blease discussed State politics,
end denounced Governor Manning IN
bitter terms as the worst governor
South Carolina has ever had. Through
out his address, the speaker aroused
enthusiasm among the crowd, All
was given a splendid reception. the
only other speaker during the morn
ing was Congressman Stevenson, OF
the Fifth district.
The meeting was presided over
bv Mr.. John E. Carroll, county super
intendent of education.
The first speaker was Mr.. Steven
soa, who gave an account OF his stew
ardsbip. He said he was not going
TO talk politics today, that ne was
going 10 talk business and he enter
ed UPON the discussion and explana-
tion of a number of measures before
congress and their relation to the
South. He devoted considerable por-
ton of his address TO the status ol
cotton, and the necessity for measures
which would insure to the southern
cotton farmers correct grades upon
government standards and a price
which would be fixed by the real val
ne of the cotton.
He believed that hereafter the gov
ernment would be prepared to SEND
cotton to any nation OF the earth. III
the government in 1914 had had the
ships.s he said, "you wouldn't have
had any trouble with your cotton The
high seas" he urged, must be made
as free to American ships as IS the
road from York to Glover for bug
gies and automobiles.
No Nation Shall Dictate.
Neither England nor Germany nor
France nor any other nation shall in
the future dictate to the United States
In this regard. The man who sent
torpedo into an American ship was
sending a torpedo into American ter
ritory just as surely as if it were hrea
into this crowd today. We are al
war because the very foundation o.
American independence was threat
ened" he said at has got to the
noint where we had to defend Our
rights, or tamely submit like China
and be wiped out from the nations oi
the earth that amount to anything.
Whatever happens, we must all
stand for America and sustain the
armies and the government, but ne
was not here to say that every act
Of the government had been or "ouAa
bo rioht He was applauded when ne