Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-07-19
John G. Richards of Liberty Hill,

JOHN VI
candidate for governor, before an Oco-
noe county audience OF about 700 pco-
ple here today in the auditorium OF the
Walhalla graded school. declared ms
preference for Cole l.. Blease for the
United States senate and stated that
he would vote for the former governor
in the August primary.
The declaration of Mr.. Richards was
the result of an exchange between
him and Lieut.. Gov. Andrew ]. Bethea,
another candidate for governor. who
was attempting TO get his opponents
either to indOrSe or to repudiate the
reputcd utterances of Blease at Po-
maria on July 81, 1917, in which y
former governor is quoted. as saying
that the blood of the American SOL
diers slain In France will be on the
head Of President Wilson and the
members OF congress who voted for
the war, as an unwarranted sacrifcc.
At the commencement Of his speech
the lieutenant governor requested Mr..
Richards to rem; in on the stand as he
had some questions to ask him. Fol-
lowing a few preliminary remarks he
read the the ekceeffpt- II afi s 4Sks
ed II ask Mr.. Richards II he indorses
the sentiments Of and the words ex-
pressed by Cole l.. Blease in his
speech at Pomaria on July %, 1917"
The question OF Mr.. Bcthea was pre-
faced on the assertion Of Mr. Rich
ards that the war Is not an issue. Mr.
Bcthea said that he had not made
the issue. but II had been raised by
Cole l.. Bleasc and by him alone and
II was an issue.
l.
rectly or infercntially," asked Rich
ards. that | am disloyal to my coun-
try?" Mr. Bcthea said that he merely
asked the question to bring out the
Liberty Hill mans attitude on the
published uttcrances OF Blease and
certainly did not charge nor suggest
anything against his loyalty.
Il believe every man in South Caro-
lima" said Richards. 'is loyal to his
country and believe If necessary
every one of them, including Mr..
Blcasc. will bare his breast to the
enemy. | do not believe there Is a
traitor in South Carolina. If you
want to bring up this kind of qucs-
tion you should go to the right forum,
the race for the United States senate.
defy you to do 1t and you know you
won't" With these words richards
took his scat.
Repeating his former querry, Bethea
said that Richards had not answered
his question. Richards then jumped to
his feet, pointed his finger at the lieu
tenant governor and said: 81 want to
tell the lieutenant governor that
have one son and three nephews in the
service who have offered their lives
to their country. The lieutenant
governor is in the military age and |
want to ask why he has not donned
the khaki?"
Stating that he would not stand for
the insults and insolent questions OF
the lieutenant governor any longer,
Richards left the stand and advanced
down the side aisle. As the ueuten-
ant governor turned again to the
audience and stated that Mr.. Rich
ards had not answered his question
yet. r. T. Jaynes, a Walhalla lawyer
asked Mr.. Bethea If any Of the candi-
dates for governor espoused the cause
OF Cole l.. Bease. The lieutenant gov
ernor said that he did not know, but
read an account published In the
telling of the Blease meeting at Wag-
ener last Friday in which Mr.. Blcase
was quoted as indorsing the candida
there was tumultuous applause when
Major Richards stated that the former
governor would be elected to the
United States senate. Nr. Bethea.
stating that he took that as an in
dorsemcnt of the candidacy of Cole
l.. Blease by Major Richards, said.
However. there Is Major Richards:
let him answer your question" What
is wanted Of me now?" asked Rich
ards as he came back on the stand.
Mr.. Jaynes wants to know II you in
tend to vote for Cole l.. Blease for
the United States senate" replied the
governor
81 don't propose to let such person
as the lieutenant governor or any
other man force me to declare my
self, but If the audience wants to
know 7 shall tell them," said Richards.
There were several calls from the au-
dience that they wanted to know how
Major Richards stood. When Chair
man J. E. Hopkins put the question a
Major Richards told them he would
declare himself. He prefaced his
statement by saying that Bethea was
a defeated candidate for governor and
he wanted to injure Richards and
bolster himself with such tactics. He
stated that he had Joined the ranks
of the Reformers in 1890 and had
stood unswervingly by those princi-
pies ever since. He believed that the
government Is drifting from the mass
es OF the people where 1t belongs and
is becoming dominated by the classes.
IT Believe Cole L. Blease Is the
friend and hope of the poor man
OF which I myself am one." he con-
land between Mr. Blease, Mr..
Dial and Mr.. Rice In the race for the
United States senate, II God spares
my life I intend to cast my ballot for
Cole L. Blease on August 81" AS he
turned to leave the stage Mr.. Betbea
reminded Major Richards that his
original question had not been ans
wered. II don't propose to answer the
questions put by any such
thing as you, sir" thundered Mr..
Richards, as he shook his fist at Mr..
Bethea. who flushed up at the retort.
Richards then left the stage.
II don't blame Major Richards for
n0f answering NV question" MI,