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

Ser Of OLss-.-.ilileat ne 3, charge
that I endeavored to sell out the Dem
ocracy Of South Carolina in the fall @
1916 for the sum Of forty-fivc thou
sand dollars.
he had believed this charge to be true
he would have faced me before an au
dience Of South Carolina people
pointed his finger In my face an,
said: THAT man tried to sell thi.
state to the Republicans" In that case
would have called him n liar II Il
had cost me my life. But lacking the
manhood to do this, and knowing
that 1t would damage me II he could
circulate 1t secretly, he slipped be-
hind my back and hid his sneakine
treachery with q smile.
On Its very face the charge is a
lie. No man who knows me-and the
majority OF the people OF South Caro-
lima do know me-would suspect me
or selling my honor at any price.
am not a money-grabbcr and | do not
need more than l have.
This letter has been shown to n
number OF men who love decency and
fair play, and several of them have
written me about 1t. Mr.. Kennerly
Mayfield Of Denmark, was the first to
tell me Of Its existence. He had been
informed by Mr.. Crum. a supporter of
Cooper, to whom Cooper showed the
letter. Cooper told Mr.. Crum that he
would not use the letter openly until
after the close Of the campaign. so
that | would have no opportunity to
reply and defend myself.
/ love a fight with a brave enemy
who will face me in the open. III
iespise an assassin who knifes me in
he back under cover of darkness. III
Will now tell the story of that letter
rom the beginning. and expose the
'rookedness and rascality that
brought II into existence.
In 1914, when | was serving in the
tate senate and Blease was serving
lis last term as governor, l introduc- |
d the bill providing for what has
ince become famous as the South /
'arolina state warehouse system. I
new the great good this system
;ould do. I had to make the fight for
single handed, and I knew that
ould not win unless / made conces-
Ions to the Blease faction. In order
win this support. and prevent the
eto OF Blease, / agreed to the selcc-
on OF John K Aull as secretary IL
lie bill went through. The bill pass
!, and /, as its author, was elected
l kept my bargain and
ppointed Aull secretary. He was ef-
Client and did his work well. III
fought him a friend.
In the spring Of 1916, Blease came
me In person and also wrote me
king me to support him for COVER
'r against Manning. l told him that |
would not do it-that Manning had
en standing behind the warehouse
Velopment, and that I had faith in v
Awnings future support OF this in r
tuition. n
From that date / noticed a differ +
ce In the attitude and conduct OF v
I'll. and before long l was morally g
rtain that he was in my office as 4
tool and spy Of Blease. knew. al C.
that Blease would from that time II
use any means to get" me. d
welcomed the fight. for I had al o.
10y determined that 1t was my duty
show him up before the people and b
we MIN out OF South Carolina poll a
5. Later, Mannings attitude on the p
urance matter forced me to SUD- al
It Blease, against my will to pro- al
{ the warehouse system. ki
After the second primary of 1915 to
en- Blease had been repudiated by
people, he told me q number OF G.
les, as he told others. that he would b
before the people at the general nj
ction as an, Independent candidate. tn
new that he would not do this. for III
Is not fool. But I said nothing AZ
discourage him, for was begin. tn
g to outline In my mind the plans ay
a trap that would catch him. te
little later he asked me to run M da
independent candidate. or course ga
sfused. ma
[e- came back again with another 19
position. asking me to put up the ag
hey to finance an Independent tick fol
and Of course ! refused this also. wi
y this time ! saw that he would Tt
:ainly bolt and attempt to set up tn,
party II he could find Nc
money to finance the scheme. and 81
to him that he might be bo
to get the money through John tn,
ers, who was high In the coun- be,
OF the Republican party. This was
lrd. but Blease apparently took fri
bait, and In order to lead him on tod
equently called John Aull to take Bio
ton for letters ON this subject Be.