The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-07-05

who operates under cover of dark
ness and behind a mask of hypoc-
crisy; and to prove further that
Cole l.. Blease is a traitor to the
Democratic party and would sell it
for money price-as he was and is
in spirit a traitor to his country.
1 entered this campaign as a can
didate for governor of South Caro-
lima with the intention of rendering
three distinct services to my state.
No personal ambition could have
tempted me. But there was. work to
do, and no other man who was
able to do the work would put His
hand to the pillow.
First, l desire to perfect and am
plify the state warehouse system
that I gave to South Carolina.
Second, I desired to rid the state
of useless expenses, and to lower
taxes that have become unbearably
heavy through the carelessness and
folly Of those who have been the
power behind the state government.
Third, / desired to strip the mask
from Cole l.. Blease, expose him be-
fore the people as a self-seeking de-
magogue without scruple or honor,
and. disbar him forever from the
councils of a free, clean and intelli-
gent Democracy.
Unihtentionally, and through the
lack Of wisdom and fairness that
should be the possession of every
man big enough to be governor Of g
state, R. A. Cooper has precipitated
My EXPOSURE of Blease and in so do.
ing expressed his own real character,
When this campaign began, Coop.
ef announced on the stump that he
would not criticise another candi.
date and a few days later said that
he would not have the Office if he
HAD to win it by he faults of his op'
ponents instead Of his own merits.
This was a high and fair senti'
.heht and he gained credit by it
but it was hypocritical. It was 6
mask to cover the real man.
For since that time, while appar
emily friendly with me, he has beer
slipping around behind my back ant
showing to some Of his supporters s
letter given him by a weak and bit
ter man, inputing to me a crime Of
which l am not and could not b
guilty.
I am informed that the lettel
given to Cooper by John K. Aull, o:
Newberry, WHO is the chief lieuten
ant and advisor Of Cole L. Blease
charges that I endeavored to sci
out the Democracy of South Caro-
lima in the fall of 1915 for the sun
of forty-fve thousand dollars.
If Cooper had been a man, and i
he had delivered this charge to b.
true, he would have faced me befor'
an audience of South Carolina PEG
pie, pointed his finger in my fac
and said, "That man tried to sci
this state to the Republicans" II
that case I would have called him
liar if it had cost me my life. Blu
lacking the manhood to do this, an
knowing that it would damage m
if he could circulate it secretly, h
slipped behind my back and hid hi
sneaking treachery with a smile.
On its very face the charge is
lie. No man who knows me-an'
the majority of the people Of SoutI
Carolina do know me-would sus
pect me of selling my honor at an,
price. I am not a money grabbe
and I do not need more than I have
This letter has been shown to
number of men who loved decenc;
and fair play, and several of then
have written me about it. MI. Ken
nerly Mayfeld, of Denmark, was tn
first to tell me of its existence. H
had been informed by MI. Crum,
supporter of Cooper, to whor
Cooper showed the letter. Coope
told Mr.. Crdm that he would no
use the letter openly until after tn