Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-06-07
President Won't Interfere
In State Political Affairs,
He Tells Senator TGlImG11

valuable assets and that none of them
ought to be needleSsly sacrificed?
Il will be obliged if you will deal
with me frankly so l may lay all the
cards on the table and let the people
Judge whether your patriotism and mo-
tiyes are entirely above suspicion.
Il do not want to do any injustice
and that is why | am writing you thus
and l hope you viii deal with me with
equal frankness. ,.... -. .-. e..
"A prompt reply will be appreciated
Your truly,
"B. r.. TILLMAN."
Governor Manning Replies
.. Columbia. S. c. June /. 1918.
Hon. b. r. "Tillman, Senate Chamber,
Washington, d. c.
Dear Sir:
"Your letter dated the Esd of May and
postmarked the 27th, has been received,
and | am replying thereto promptly.
In the first place, l resent your i'm
putation as to my patriotism and mo-
tives but my respect for your years
impels me not to notice further this
part of your letter. This is a time,
however, if l may remark it, which
demands self-abnegation and the sub
ordination of selfish or ambitious aims.
You have been quoted by saying that
L SnalI answer your inquiry with
entire frankness. as 1 have nothing to
conceal. though l do not admit your
right to question me on this matter.
your health was such as to preclude
the possibility of your making a county
to county campaign in your race for
the senate, and from what ] have seen
of you l believe that this is true. With
Blease an announced candidate for the
United States senate, my opinion was,
and is, that il is imperative for him to
be met in debate at every meeting, so
as to keep the true and vital issue of
the war, and loyalty to our country
and government, before the people
that, as you could not make the cam
paign and meet Blease in debate, and
keep the true issue fully and forcibly
before the public. someone must be
In the race to do this; that we in
South Carolina could not take a chance
on the issue; that it was a state and
national duty to see TO 1T that South
Carolina was represented in the United
states senate by one who was. and is.
loyal TO the United States, and a strong
supporter of President Wilson and his
ADMINISTRATION Blease does, not fiji
these. requirements. . ,r ......
The announcement of your .eandi-
daey in your present state of health has
caused deep concern to many earnest
men in this state, since it is plain to
all how dangerous our position would
be if your physical strength is insult
ficient. I was one of large number
who wrote Mr.. Lever to enter the race
My reasons for this action are stated
above, but I am not responsible for his
announcement, since l am informed that
he sought advice of men in. every quar-
ter of the state before making his de-
cision.
81 believe that you have been loyal to
the president. and sound on the war
issue, but I know that the national
peril is such that we must have men
who are not only loyal, but men who
are active In the senate as, well. 1t is
also Imperative to put'"bef0re' the people
the exceeding danger to our nation, and
your plan for conducting a front porch
or newspaper campaign will fall far
short of meeting the situation. Our
people are most influenced by the
spoken word, and that you have long
emphasized in your political career.
know that il is most important to in
form our people face to face about the
war. in order that they may know the
whole truth. .' 49,.
me Lever is a man of responsibility
and judgment, and he would doubtless
resent the suggestion that he is the
candidate of any man. Hls- loh6. an!
prominent service in congress, makes
him worthy of the consideration OF any
man in this connection. -.. 49,. -.-... L.
az stated my views with entire frank
ness to the president, and also to POST
master General Burleson, and stated 10
the latter that he was at liberty 70
tell you what 1 said. My views woula
have been available to you with equal
frankness had you sought them, but !
did not feel justified in volunteering
advice TO your. Yours very. truly
RICHARD l. MANN1NG' =.
Governor