Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-06-14
South Carolina and Goy.rnor Manning

iuiHess q young man whose career was
tull OF promise and possibilities and Of
Tered him as sacrifice to nothing
less than vanity and bullheadedness. II
there are any two persons in South
Carolina who have more cause TO be
grateful to me for services than Gov
Manning and Mr.. Lever, do not re-
member who they are. Neither will
deny what | have done for them noI
attempt TO belittle its value. II they
want me TO specify will do SO.
There Is one striking feature about
Governor Mannings open letter to me
In his egotism and vanity he makes
no effort to conceal the fact that he has
tried to use President Wilson and Mr.
Burleson and create the impression
that Blease Is menace. Just how
far the good people Of the state will
resent this l am unable to say, but
there is a big difference in re-electing
Tillman to the senate and re-electing
Manning governor. This statement
will find its vindication later on.
Mr.. Lever has stated to me and also
to others that he would under no cir
cumstances run against me but would
aid me in every way he could in my
Reelection. After my announcement
knew that General Burleson advised
Mr.. Lever TO declare for my re-elec-
tion. But in spite of his protestations
of personal and political friendship. Mr..
Lever has endeavored to create the
impression in the state that he Is the
candidate of the administration when
he in fact is Governor Manning's cam
didate brought about by deal that
Governor Manning thought he hal
made but the terms OF which could not
be complied with.
Al am amused at one sentence in
Governor Manning's letter. 1t is this:
MY views would have been offered TO
you with equal frankncss had you
sought them. but did not feel justi-
fled in volunteering advice to you"
Yet the governor did feel justified in
advising Mr.. Lever to run against mo.
| will remind the governor that 1t had
been his habit when visiting Washing
ton or merely passing through to al
ways call at the senate committee on
naval affairs TO pay his respects and
exchange views with me. but when he
came on the errand of hunting 4
champion OF the government to defend
fdhd explain our entering into the war
and the necessity for it's vigorous pros
ecution. he never dcigned to call at my
Office at all. In this he erred. When he
came to Washington senator making,
I would have listened to all he had to
say with respectful attention and he
might have saved his face in this con-
troyersy of his own making, as his mes
sage to me through General Burleson
referred to in his letter was never de-
l3trered. How exalted he considered his
tSkHs to be! Instead, he went about
seGftly to persuade President Wilson
kSho cabinet members that Blease
6ns sssBpsssrcde &etnif6d
delen6 the president and meet Blease
on the stump. desire to say here
that neither the president nor any
member Of his cabinet have suggested
10 me that | should retire from the
senatorial race. Thus the people OF
how Governor Manning has with a few
men in Columbia and scattered here
and there over the state endcavored to
name the olliceholders and frame-up n
slate for the senatorship.
am Offering for the senate through
u sense of duty to retain for South
Carolina the influence and prestige she
enjoys today. l have n contempt for
that kind of Judgment and politics
which has taken Mr.. Lever from tho
post where duty should have held him
l3leasr is not a menace TO me and
there is not the slightest danger OF his
election. The recent Democratic state
convention consisting Of delegates from
"a counties contained Blcase delcga-
tons from only three counties. Seven
ty-tive per cent Of the delegates to that
convention were and are for my re-
election TO the senate and the cordial
greeting and the interest manifested
when | appeared before that conven-
tion is a sufficient and complete ans
wer to those who have studioHsly cir
culated the report that | was physical
ly and mentally unfit to discharge the
duties OF senator.
There are many other South Caro-
linians just as capable as Mr.. Lever
to fill the position Of senator. as ac-
ceptably as Mr.. Lever could fill 1t, and
who have been urged to run, but they
have declined taking the position that
they did not want to jeopardiZe the
craftsmanship OF the committee on na
val affairs 80 valuable to the state
and they did not think l should retire
at this time in the nations crisis.
Whether 1t was selfish ambition ol
patriotism that dictated Gov. Man
ning's action in urging Mr.. Lever tc
run for the senatorship, when Mr.. Le-
yer had promised to support me. ant
cndeavoring to secure the support o.
President Wilson and his administra'
ton IN behalf OF Mr.. Lever by ques
tioning the loyalty and patriotism o.
the people of the state, l will leave
TO the voters OF the state to decide.
| b. r. Tillman.
The Americans sang and whlstlec
l"Yankee Doodle" and cheered aS the!
i mant n1-nr the fan wrote q COrre-