The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-24
IS BLElsEID|sL0YAL.?
DIR. OLdN SAWYER ASKS QUES.
TIONS ABOUT BLEASE.
Has Not Blease Already Decided i'll
Germany's Favor?-Should Not
Man Be Sent to Washington VINO
Believes in Country and President?
To All Reformers:

Believes in Country and President?
70 ALI Reformers:
In Justice to myself and the cause
Of my country in this war, and all
those who have asked me by letter
and otherwise if it is true that am
not supporting Ex-Governor Blease
for the sentae, my emphatic answer
is that I am not, but that am DONG
all I can to elect Mr.. Dial to the SEN
ate.
When T cast my first vote in 1894
which was for the late Senator I'LL
man. I was Reformer, and am
stiu a Reformer But such State po-
iitical questions as those SINK INTO
insignificance before the most serious
issue that ever confronted our peo-
ple-the war.
I have supported Mr.. Blease vlgor-
sously in every campaign since lSlV'
for he always runs, and always WILL
reckon, but would not support my
own brother if he had STUDIED TINS
war question from every standpoint,
az Mr.. Blease said he had, ana hao
taken the position, expressed the
oninions and held the views that Mr..
please has on the war, President
wilson and the members OF congress
who voted for our country to go 10
war. -.
7 think Mr.. Blease is sincere IN MS
onnosition to the country going 10
war. his wen known hatred OF Presl-
dent Wilson and his convictions that
the members of congress were wions
in voting for war. Els conversations,
h;s speeches and his entire course anu
attitude show it all along. Then ne IS
conscientiously and constitutionaily
wrong on the whole war question, ana
that makes his. candidacy for the SEN
ate more serious menace to the peo-
nle of the State and nation, at least
until Germany is defeated and treat
les are made with her and her aliles
that she will not consider scraps Oh
paper. -.
In an open conference called by
mfr. Blease and held in Columbia May
IA. 1871, along with several otners'
made emphatic speeches declaring our
absolute loyalty to the country ana
to the support Of president Walson
and his administration in this war.
and I stated among other things tnat
did not see any honorable way tnae
we could have ignored Germany 5
insults and kept out Of the war; tna1
did not see what else Germany
could do to make US fight unless the
kaiser had come over here and slap
pd the presidents face. We were
speaking to loyalty resolutions which
were passed, both Mr.. Blease and Mr..
John P. Grace voting for them.
Then, just before adjournment, Mr.
Grace arose and made a very bitter
anti-war. anti-Wilson and what I
think, measured by true American
standards, would be considered pro-
German speech. The speech brlstied
; with about the same sentiments and
spirit that Mr. Grace's editorials In
the Charleston American did along
then. as reference to the files of that
paper viii show. When Mr.. Grace
concluded Mr.. Blease arose and with
characteristic emphasis said: $50 Tar
as this war is concerned, I endorse
Mr.. Grace's position. don't know
what we are fighting Germany for,
and don't think the United States
had any business in this war" The
papers carried reports of the proceed
ines of that meeting the next day.
/ came home and wrote state
ment of my feelings and convictions
on tho war situation and our great
president which the News and Cou-
rier cna The State published on May
20, 1917.
Sometime later in June in a discus
sion OF the war question Mr.. Blease
said that every congressman and SEN
ator would be swept out of Office at
the next election for voting for this
unnecessary war. That this talk Of
making the world safe for democracy
was foolish That we had nothing
to do with the governments of 9TH
er countries That France was a
decadent nation and not fit for any
thing but fddling and drinking wine.
and that England had always been
proud and self conceited and DOOM
ed to failure. That the trouble with
Woodrow Wilson was that he wanted
to be king himself That if he were
in the senate he would introduce a
Joint resolution authorizing and di-
recting the president of the United
States to bring every one Of our
ships away from over there and place
them along the Atlantic seaboard and
wait until Germany came over here
to attack us.
I have not seen or heard anything
from Mr.. Blease to show that his at
titude and convictions on these Sc
rious war questions and President
Wilson and his administration have
changed one particle HiS speeches