Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-07-02

ported" With this knowledge and 9th.
er matters connected with Mr.. Nc
Laurin's political life familiar To the
people OF the state, | did not reear,,
him as factor in the race and did
not care to stultlfy my manhood Inv
striking cripple. did feel. how.
ever. that the people ought TO know
OF Mclaurins efforts to lead the stntc
INTO the Republican party in 1916 os
| alleged In the Aull letter and conferr.
tu WIN MI Crum and other friends
as to the course | should pursue.
| | have never supported Blease nor
nave | entered into or considered any
combination with Blease. Bleasp. Nc.
iLniirin and all the Blease leaders
KNOW this. / supported Governor
Manning In the second primary I'm
1914 and in 1916, and so announces
myself in the press OF the state i'm
ihcdiately after the result of the frs,
primary was known. The effect, there
Iorr, TO ali gif me with Mr.. Blcasc is
thought. ''"'
The statement furnished me bv "
j. Cormack to show how | came into
possession OF the Aull letter is as fol.
lows: "-' '''
Although vocationally and pcrson-
aiiy ! am disinclincd to be involved in
Il political controversy of any kind
yet. In the interest OF truth md to
Keep the record straight. feel con.
strained to make the following state
mcnt:
In his address to the "People Of
south Carolina" published this morn.
ing. former Senator John Lownds Nc
iaurin unintentionally wrongcd both
Robert A. Cooper OF Laurcns and CoI
JOhn Anil nF Tn1,,.tI.
assumed that the Aull letter. on which
ne based his statement, was handed |
ar. cooper by its author. II was not |
Mr.. Cooper received the letter from
me. When l read Senator McIaurin's
article this morning. I i'm
mediately rang him up from Columbia
on long distance telephone and in
formed him Of the circumstances nm
der which Mr.. Cooper got the letter.
They were:
Shortly before the opening OF the
for state offices, Mr.. Cooper
was IN my office at Columbia discuss
ing the coming campaign. Incl.
uentaiIy told him OF the Aull letter, n
sopy OF which | let him read. When
received 1t was released" for pubIi-
cation by the author and was thor
public property and is now. For that 4
'eaSon i gave Mr.. Cooper q CODY.
The circumstances leading up to nv
possession or n signed copy OF m.
>nll letter. which I still hold, were:
during the session OF the last gen
'ral assembly the Anderson Tribune ,
contained the following:
VINO? All OF the newspaper re-
,orters OF the State. the News and
,ourier and the Charleston American !
vhen the Hon. W. w. Moore and tho J
Vould-be Hon. Henry T. THOMPSON G
lad lad tight In the adjutant generals
nlce, or u not asleep they were too
owardly to publish the fight. Jf I'll
ad been n fight between some good C
1"n II would have been published I'm 7
lg headlines. so why hide II for the '
wo quarter backs?" \
Parenthetically. I might state that d
ne causes OF the suppression of the n
lleged fistcuff were: First, II was of {,
oubtiul news value, the publication n
winch would have necessitated e
latement from the participants: sec. IT
No. heraiding 1t to the world would C,
ave menaced a policy Of state which m
as and is OF paramount benefit and .
ifety to the people of South Carr
ma, and perhaps would have opened
interminable controversy OF LITTLE -
ews value, OF doubtful interest to the
eople and OF probable embarrasss
ent to the principals; and, third s.
le matter was thoroughly considered n,
conference between Governor "a
aiming. the reporters OF the Colum. W
a papers and the correspondents OF sc
le out OF town papers, at which n ri
as deemed wise to let the matter re- re
ain quiescent- Mr.. Aull. being cog I'll
zant OF these facts and Knowing the tn
lderlying causes Of suppression. was en-
ry indignant at the STORY" which al
'peared In the Tribune. He wrote m
refutation OF II, sending the letter sc
the editor and publisher of the az
fbune. furnishing signed copies of n to
r. n. McMaster Of the Columbia
ate, Governor Richard L Manning We
d me. 1t was released for immedie jJu
publication. but the newspapers TT
various reasons, decided not TO uae er,
The letter signed by Mr.. AuiI fol- OF
Columbia, 8. c.. Jan. IS, 1918. Gr;