The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-07-02

Ex-senator John Lowndes McLaur-
in has issued q letter "to the people
of South Carolina" which, with the
exception Of the opening paragraph.
is printed below. This paragraph in
substance charges that r. A. Cooper,
candidate for governor is secretly an
ally OF Blease" and accuses Cooper OF
attacking McE4aurin, under cover OF
darkness. It further charges Mr..
Blease with disloyalty to the Demo-
cratic party and to the country. -ae
State does not print it, except in sub
stance, becauseof its harsh terms.
Mr. McLaurin's letter, or address,
was presumably evoked by a letter
written by John K. Aull, dated Jan@-
ary 25,' 1918, and released for pub
lcation January u, 1918. This letter
was given to The State for publica-
ton and copy of it signed by MIR.
Aull has since that time. been in Tho
States possesscn. The release was
never cancelled. The State did not
print the letter. Although the copy
in The States possession purports I'd
show that copies of it were sent to
one other newpaper and one man, II
was not printed by any newspaper SO
far as The State is aware. However,
the existence OF the letter has never
been, so far as The State is informed,
a secret, and the presumption was
and is that it's existence and contents
were known to many persons in polit-
ical circles Certainly it is a surprise
to The State that at this time knowl-
edge of it comes as surprise to any
body. Obviously, in the circumstances,
the existence Of the letter and its
contents could hardly have been sup
pressed and newspapers would have
been privileged to have printed l.
any time if they had cared to do SO.
The State, for various reasons, did
not print it. One of them was that it
had reference to an incident than
The State had already kept out Of its
columns and another was that The
State did not consider it of sufficient
importance, but the letter, according
to The States understanding. has
been public property since the day Of
its release. so far as it's author is con-
cerned. The letter of MIR. McL.aurin
to the people of South Carolina, with
the execution Of the opening para
graph, follows:
To the People Of South Carolina:
entered this campaign as can
tidate for governor of South Carolina
with the intention of rendering three
distinct services to my state. No per-
sonal ambition could have tempted
me. But there was work to do, and
no other man able to do the work
would put his hand to the plow.
First. I desired to perfect and ann
plify the State warehouse system
that I gave to South Carolina
, .
Second, I desire to rid the State of
useless expenses, and to lower taxes
that have become unbearably heavy
through the carelessness and folly Of
those who have been the power be-
hind the State government.
Third, T desired to strip che mask
from Cole L. ,Blease. expose him be-
fore the people as self-seeking dem-
agogue without scruple or honor,
and disbar him forever from the
councils of tree, clean and intelli.
gent Democracy.
Unintentionaliy, and through the
lack Of the wisdom and fairness thas
should be the possession Of man
big enough to be governor of state.
R. A. Cooper has precipitated my ex-
posure of Blease and in so doing ex-