The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-01-12
WILL NOT RUN
FOR The GOTERNORSHIP
McLendon Will Accept no Political
UIfice, Although Temptation is
Great-he stands for Blease and
Against hickedness,

Bennettsville, Jan. 4-The Amerl-
can correspondent, having heard that
quite a number OF influential gentle
men in this State, leaders in the re-
form faction, as We'll as men OF other
affiliations, for some time had been
endeavoring to induce Evangelist B. F.
.McLendon TO make the race tor gov
ernor next year, Mr.. McLendon was
S en- yesterday and interviewed re-
garding the rumors.
1t is known tnat Mr. McLendon is a
self-made man, that he was born and
reared a poor Scotch boy, his father
for years was a tenant and Mack is
familiar with the ups and downs OF
life, hard places, and is a sincere and
profound sympathizer with the poor,
unfortunate and destitute. Since his
boyhood he has always taken lively
interest in politics, and before his CON-
version his aid and influence was
sought in this county by candidates
and politicians. Mack" could go ou.
into the country districts and round
up more votes for his favorites than
any other worker in this section. He
has always loved his friends and open
ly worked for them without fear or
favor, but after his conversion and
call to the ministry he has not taken
an active part in politics. During the
past several years Of bitter factional
political controversies, when good
men lost their heads and their en-
thuiasm ran away with their judg-
men, Mack" remained conservative,
but always openly voted for the men
of his choice Since 1912 Mack" has
quietly but earnestly supported Hon.
Cole l.. Blease, which fact has brought
him in disrepute with a certain high
err element in his church-this and
nothing else. Mack says that had
he been an anti-Bleasite, fought
Blease in the pulpit and out of it, and
been extreme and bitter against the
ex-governor, that these same men,
VIII" are endeavoring to injure his
influence, in this State, as an evan
gelist, would "pat him on the back
and endorse such a hypocritical attl-
tude." In reference to the runor
"that certain influences were being
brought to bear, to induce him to en-
ter politics"-he answered, "Yes, that
good men, strong men, from the Pied
mont, low country, in Columbia and
elsewhere, for some time, have been
working hard on me to induce me to
make the race for either gove ernor or
lieutenant governor in 1918"
He was asked if he had carefully
considered the proposition and had he
determined upon his course of action.
He replied: "Yes, I want you to say
to the people Of South Carolina, for
me, through The Charleston Amer
ican, that the proposition coming from
so many and from such an influential
source, at first tickled my vanity, that
the prospect of becoming a great man
in civil life, when I might, perhaps,
be of service to the poor people and
the State love so we'll. was truly
temptation. But God has called me
to preach his eternal word to a dy-
ing and sin-cursed world. and that l
will not be candidate for any poll
tical office, but will in the future do
my utmost to storm the citadels Of
sin and wickedness, and glorify my
Heavenly Father
Mack is unalterably opposed to
the liquor traffic, and never loses an
opportunity to do effective work in
bIhalf of temperance and prohibition