The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-03
Acknowledging The Light.

We can not see WY Mr.. Blease
wants to criticisc or speak dlsparaS-
ingly Of the Manning boys who nave
enlisted in the army. They are 10 De
commended, and Gov. Manning has
right to be proud Of them. II they
have secured Offices so much the bet
ter for them We do not blame any
of the boys for getting an Office if he
can in the army. OF coul,e there
have to be priv;ltes in order to make
up an army, but there is no just right
for the criticism Of any boy for secur-
ing an Office if he can. He is rather
to be commended, and an office does
not mean that he is immune from
danger, because if he be an othcer
worthy the name CT an officer he
should lead his men, and if he does
not VIC imagine that he will not long
hold the Office. We t:y to be fair and
| just always. and to give every one
credit for what he deserves. And we
can't help saying this about the Man
ming boys We do not know them but
ii is a great privilege to have five or
six boys to respond voluntarily when
the country calls and we congratulate
Mr. Manning because we believe this
is race to be run by twos and twos
and not by ones and ones.
The foregoing is an editorial from
the Newberry Herald and News. That
paper is edited by Col. Ebert Fl. Aull,
who has always been faithful friend
and supporter Of Cole L. please. One
of his sons is Blease's publicity man.
ager by reason of his connection with
the Charleston American, while one
son and two sons-in-law are in the
| United States army. Probably Col.
Aull thought rather of his sons in the
service OF his country than of his son
in the service Of Blease when he
wrote his editorial.
Mr.. Aulls sense of~fairness and
decency, as man and as the father
of a son in the service, would not per-
nit him to remain silent in the face
of the cruel. vulgar and vicious as
sault made by Blease on Governor
Manning's sons. We do not believe,
either that Mr. Aull would endorse
the Pomarja and Filbert speeches.
This rebuke to Blease, this repudi-
alton of the fundamental bestiality OF
the man, which he cannot long con-
ceal or keep in the background, how
ever much he affects to purr on occa-
sion. though mild in it's terms, takes
added force from the circumstance
that It is administered by one of his
most ardent supporters. There have
been numerous defectlons from
Blease's ranks, of men who were once
his staunchest aides, but who, sens
ing eventually the manner of man he
is inwarlly, have left him.
AS Mr. Aull says, lit is great
privilege to have five or six boys to
respond voluntarily when the country
calls and we congratulate Mr.. Man
ming, because we believe it is a race to
be run by twos and twos and not by
ones and ones"
Not so Blease. Out Of the foulness
of his stomach he spews insult at the
man who has six sons with the soul
and urge of loyalty in them to fly TO
the support of this righteous wal
i which BIease opposed until he saw
, plainiy that the people whom he at
tempts to boss and lead around by the
nose would not stand for his obnox-
ious doctrines.
For we are we'll assured that the
great majority Of the plain people OF
the State, including those to whom
Blease looks for support, will take the
view taken by Mr.. Aull. We are we'll
assured that by far the great ma
jority of them do not deserve the
stigma and the stain that are involv-
ed in the name "Bleaseite." They,
are loyal people, standing by the ma
ton. to whom, if one proposed the
sentiments of please as expressed at
Pomaria and Filbert, they would spit
them out Of their mouths. They are
merely deceived in Blease. Once they
could see the real inwardnesS of the.
man they would cast him aside with
scorn and disgust.-Columbia Record