The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-07-05

H~SA
of the United States, is such that no
honest-thinking man would give ere
dence to any statement which he
might make in reference to my at
tempting to bolt the Democratic
party, in view of my service to the
party in the past, and in view of
the further fact that every friend
that I have within the State OF
South Carolina knows that I dis
couraged any effort at a bolt in 1916
and no man can show a line that !
have ever written, or honestly re-
peat a word that I have ever spoken
encouraging any bolt on that occa-
sion. This was SO. plain that even
you yourself wrote an editorial, in
which you stated in your issue OF
October 10, 1915:
"Weeks ago The State expressed
unqualifedly the opinion that ex-
Governor Blease would not lead a
bolt from the Democratic party in
the State in the approaching general
election. The State adheres to that
opinion.
"The great mass of Bleaseites are
honest men who would scorn the
suggestion of repudiating their oaths
to support the nominees of the par
ty, State and national ). There
will be no bolt in 1916 with the
sanction Of the Bleaseite organiza-
ton. -. A few. disgruntled per-
sons may vote against MI. Manning
and against President Wilson but
there is no likelihood that Mr. Blease
will lead a party mutiny."
And the Greenville Piedmont, the
editor of which is a very close friend
of Mr.. McLaurin, said ~editorially in
his issue of November 8, 1915:
"Just as The Piedmont predicted,
the regular Democratic ticket in
South Carolina was elected yester-
day with practically no opposition,
though some hot-headed friends of
Ex-Governor Blease did not listen to
him and distributed tickets on which
his name appeared as a candidate
for governor instead of that of the
regular nominee, Richard l. Man.
ming. There was lots of talk Of a
bolt, but it ended in talk. The Pied
mont felt sure that it would so end,
because no bolt in this State has
ever come from the class of peo-
pie who furnish the bulk of the
strength Of the Bleaseite faction, and
because the suggestion Of a bolt re-
cei7ed no encouragement from Ell
Their Blease or any Of his lieuten-
ants" ...s '
AS to the transactions between
Mr.. Aull and Mr.. McLaurin on their
Washington trip, MI. Aull reported
this matter to me Immediately upon
his return, for the reason, as he
stated, that he felt that it was due
me that I should know, and he told
me then that he was going to resign
from the warehouse commission and
have nothing further to do. with it,
which he did. I saw Mr.. Aull very
seldom while he was Mr.. McLaurin's
secretary, and he has never yet said
one word to me in reference to the
personalN public transactions Of
Mp1McLaurin as warehouse commits
i%sioner, except when he told me about
the Washington trip and said he was
going to get out Immediately. And
there isn't a man in South Carolina
who knows John Aull but knows
that he is too honorable a gentleman
to betray any trust reposed in him.
He served the old Eighth circuit as
court stenographer for eight years,
and has been made court stenogra-
pher of this circuit, a position Of
honor and trust, and I know that he
would be willing to leave his repu-
tation for square dealing in the
hands of the members of the bar
among whom he has worked, and
with the supreme court and circuit
judges who have presided over the
many courts which he has reported.