The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-06-19
T|LlMAN EXC0R|ATES GRACE,
HOW HIS REPLY TO GOV. MAN.
MING WAS PRINTED.
Full Story Told by Senator I'm a Live.
ly Communication to Charleston
American.

man has given out the following open
letter for publications:
Washington, ID. c., June IL, 1918.
Editor, The American, Charleston,
S. c.: l have just seen a copy of your
paper of June 10. 1 had already re-
ceived notice that my article answer
ing Governor Manning was published
in full
That you have scored one and made
a scoop" is granted, but let me see
| whether or not you have dealt hon
estly and as orc gentleman usually
deals with another.
You say "he does rot furnish his
speeches in advance to The American"
| You have a correspondent in Wash
ington. and The State and The News
and Courier have correspondents here
! Whenever either of the newspaper
men come to my office and ask for
news it is given them. Your cOrre-
spondent could, if he wanted to, get
any news item or any speech that
either Of the others get. There has
never been any instructions against
him, and 1 believe he will bear me out
that he has always received courteous
treatment when in my Office. The
Manning article jnst published by you
was furnished McGowan and Murray
for The State and The News and
Courier and when 1 decided to kill
the article notified both that / want
ed it done. You have seen the result.
l notice you justify publishing the
article with the excuse: Had he
treated The American with any con-
sideration and sent it copy it would
have held his statement in conf
dence." Had Cottrell called at my
cifice he would have gotten a copy, as
the other correspondents did, and been
requested by me to kill it, as the 9TH
ers were. Because you have some
subterranean way of getting news
from Columbia you justify this breach
of faith, implied by decent amenities,
and gloat in your wickedness with a
lame excuse. based upon a false de-
duction if not false premise. Poor
vagabond of the newspaper world :.
Representing the anti-war, anti-Wil-
son, anti-patriotic view Of today's trag-
ic conditions; twice debarred from the
:second-class mails for former disloy-
al utterances, you now show the shin
ing yellow Of your conglomerate char
actcr, gloating over filching to pub
lish a newspaper article 1 saw fit tc
withdraw from publication.
l would not answer you at all were
it not to expose your purpose.
In the first place, you are happy
over a controversy between Governor
Manning and myself. You are happy
that Mr.. Lever has been drawn into
the fight with me for the Senate
Why? Because the patron saint of the
modern Reform movement, so-called.
is your candidate for the senate.
You fain would create discord
among the opponents of Blease, with
hope of second primary, and in or
der that that worthy may save his ap-
parent leadership and make a real
contest out of the race this summer.
What care you that an old man.
naturally militant, has seen fit to curl
his tongue in order that friction and
hot politics may be avoided, in the in
terest Of peace at home and war on
the common enemy? Have we no,
enough to do in fighting Germany to
cause all of us to stand steady and
wait patiently, and act frankly in
dealing with one another? Is there
not every reason in the world for
peace in South Carolina and avoid
ance Of factiOnalism? What cares the
| twice debarrcd American How avid
and active you grow in sowing seeC
of trouble, and how you stOop to get
| means of creating more fritcion be
tween Mr.. Lever, Governor Manning
and myself Is now known Of all men
Mark me, so-callcd "Amcrican." ]
want to quote you line or more
from a letter recently signed by tho
governor of SOuth Cnrolino IN ono nj
the United States senator's: This il
a time. If | may remark it, which de.
mands sclf-abnegation and the subor.
dination of selfish or ambitious ends
commend this sentence to your ear
nest consideration. Your aim in filch-
ing this article was to get Blease
votes for the senate. | am Elad to
believe that there is so much real