The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-07-10
COOPER NAILS Liz.
STATEMENT THAT HE PROMISED
HELP FOR BI.EASE UN-
TRUE.
LaUrcns Candidate and McLaurin En-
gage i'm Controversy Over Story OF
Former Campaign.

Mccormick, July 5.-Robert A.
Cooper, candidate for governor, at the
State campaign meeting here today,
stamped as ''unqualifiedly false" any
intimation or suggestion that he would
support Cole L. Blease for any office.
The statement of Mr.. Cooper followed
the speech of John L. McLaurin, an
other candidate for governor, who
stated that Cole l.. Elcase had stated
IN the presence of John G. Richards
and Attorney General Thomas H.
Peoples that during the 1916 cam
paign, while lying in the bed at Ben.
nettsville, Mr.. Cooper had said that
his followers would go to Governor
Blease." II don't care to call his
name," further stated Mr.. McLaurin,
but I have always understood that
Mr.. Cooper's campaign manager had
some kind Of an understanding with
Alfred Richardson about how the
Cooper and the Blease followings were
to go in the second primary"
During his reply Mr.. Cooper asked
Mr. Richardson. a candidate for rail-
road commissioner who was present,
IF any person representing me stated
to him on my authority that the
Cooper vote would go to Blease in a
second primary between Blease and
Manning?"
Il am sorry to be drawn into the
| controversy about any race except my
own" replied Mr.. Richardson, land ]
have nothing to do with any race eX-
cept my own, but, since my name is
mentioned, here is what happened: r
y. Otis told me that, as his opinion
Il there were a second primary Oe-
tween Blease and Manning he believed
the majority of the Cooper vote woult
go TO Blease, but he did not tell me
that Mr.. Cooper authorized him tc
make this statement"
During his discussion of the Nc
I1aurin Blease-Aull controversy Mr.
McIaurin said, referring to the state
ment that Mr.. Cooper intended to use
the Aull letter if he was attacked by
the ex-senator: What did Mr.. Cooper
expect me to attack him about? How
| could any one attack such gentle
sweet, immaculate gentleman as Mr..
Cooper and why was he showing this
letter? Let me tell you what 1 think
1t was and 1 may be mistaken. In
1916 the rumOrs were flying thick ant
fast everywhere and doubtless some
of you people heard it of this combi
nation between Cooper and Blease. ]
know that Blease told me in the pres
| ence of Major Richards and Tom
Peoples that lying on the bed at Ben
nettsville Mr.. Cooper had said that
his followers would go to Governor
Blease." 1t was here that he intro
duced the name Of A. A. Richardson.
Mr.. McLaurin said that Mr.. Coop
er's entrance into the 1916 campaign
came near causing the defeat of Gov
ernor Manning and that it was the
main cause of much of the present
chief executives unpopularity. He
also stated that Mr.. Cooper's entrance
into the race prompted Governor
Manning to give up his support of the
warehouse system, because he was
between two fires and the insurance
trust used Mr.. Cooper's candidacy as
a club.
II am done with the matter unless
Mr. Cooper wants to continue and if
he wants to do that we will start or
the second chapter" stated Mr.. Nc
Laurin.
Mr.. Cooper replied that Mr.. Nc.
Laurin did not assume responsibility
for his statement and he was glad OF
1t. Il have heard of that malicious
rumor and it is not the first time
have been stabbed in the back" con-
tinued the Laurens candidate. 81
order to set the matter before YOU at
rest, if my A years of life in this
section of the State are worth any
thing, or if my word is worth any
thing. | wish to say that l never at
any time to any person anywhere
ever stated or suggested that under
any circumstances / would support
Blease for any office and any man
who states TO the contrary and states
it on his own responsibility, states
what is unqualiiiedly false 1t was
at this point that Mr.. Richardson in
jected his statement:
Il want to state continued Mr..
...l. a