The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1918-04-03
MANNING S. c., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 1918

| S"" NC iSt'u ny every man IN South
! Carolina. But these newspapers are
not for the fair thing. They would not
publish it in full then and they will not
40 it now. Their object IS not to give
the truth with reference to me or nv
party, but to hide th.. truth, as it has
always been.
! Az Fllbert, | made another speech
"hlch these same newspa1 ers took
great pains to misrcprcSeiit. There I
. reiterated my Pomaria speech, and de-
nounced Governor Manning. GEORGE
w. Cromer and David r. Coker, who
mad, without justification or excuse.
accented lies that were published with
reference to my Pomaria speech, and
Sald to the Council of Defense in Co.
iumb!1, that had made traitorous ut
tnrancos. may spoken harshly of
theSe men. | have no doubt that
: did. But you must remember what
they had falsely said about me. | did
not mince words in denouncing them
IN the most vigorous terms | could
command, and if | ever have an oD
portunlty to meet any Of them face to
lace on the rostrum, what I said then
will be repeated little stronger, if
possible. But l have no idea that thav
VIII ever give nc the privilege of fac
ing them before the people. In fact,
since, my Filbcrt speech | have not
heard OF their mentioning my name ci-
ther IN public or private. They seem
to have been silcnccd in that regard.
| also have this Filbert speech and il
VIII give me great pleasure to furnish
IL TO the anti-Reform press, which has
hau SO much to say about it, if thew
will publish>it.
At Pickens, on August 25, 1917. in
another speech, which has been mali
sc,lously and falsely misquotcd by the
the anti-Reform press, said:
J Il have stated, and do not hesitate
now to state, that l was opposed to
this war, because l saw no compelling
reason for us to go into it. l am still
opposed to it, for have as yet neither
read nor heard of any such reason for
our gong into it. 1t is true that it is
, said and properly said, My country,
wrong, my Country I say that. and
emphasize it, But it is the duty of our
leaders-those who are in the front
ana whom we send to represent us in
the highest councils of our nation. al
ways to inform themselves thoroughly
and see that our country is right, and
when they fail to do this, the constitu-
ton of this great republic of ours
gives; us the privilege to criticsc them
lor thclr actions in a proper manner,
and to petition them for a redress of
our grievances, and we have that right
ana none can take it from us. And if
they will not listen to us we have y
right to sweep them from office at the
next election, and to send to Wash
1ngton as our representatives men who
40 lsten to the voice Of those they
are supposed to serve, and not to boss.
| NO man wants the United States
TO pack down, or curl it's tail and run
put II we can have an honorable peace
without slaughtcring our young
manhood, who can object? Let each
man INSTEAD of bombasc and billings
gate, answer this question: Are you in
favor of an honorable peace-pcacc
without sacrifice of principle? Let
nm answer that plainly and distinctly
ana then next year we will know how
each man stands. II 3" I believe in
every man doing his duty in this war
emergency, and have made myself as
clear as l could along that line. be-
lleVe IN every man doing his duty
Wherever he is placed and in whatever
situation he may find himself. | have
had men to come to me with the offer
OF fees to test the constitutionalitv of
the draft law have refused to dis
cuss the matter with them, except to
state that 1T is every mans duty to
obey the law Of the land. That has
been the doctrine which | have tried
to preach throughout and it is in thor
ough accord with my desire for peace.
l was consulted in Columbia, a com
mlttee came to me in Anderson, and
To-Day others have seer me in regard
10 employing me to contest the law as
10 conscrlptlOn. | said to all that |
was and am opposed to conscription,
put l advised them and advise them
no" not to contest that law, but to
obey 1T even if it be to the death, for
40 not believe that it would do anv
good to contest it in the courts, be-
cause am of the opinion that no
court, not even the supreme court,
would have the nerve to declare it un-
constitutional in the face OF congress.
You would, therefore, be Wasting your
money and creating agitation for
nothing. Let us ali obey the laws of
our state and our nation. Il am not
a .pcssimiGt. | always look on the
bright side Of life, and console NV
self now with the thought that il has
Deen the history of the world, in ac-
cordance with the slow, but steady
progress of the human race, that the
darkest night is ever followed by the
brightest dawn, and my prayer is that
from the gloom that enshrouds the
land and sea vii speedily emerge q
more splendid day than any of the
days which have gone before, and that
human nature will be softened by the
Dlood That has been spilled and by the
| hat hn,,