Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-07-09
The Mccormick Meeting.

News ana courier.
Mccormick. July 5.-Robcrt a.
Cooper, candidate for governor, at the
state campaign meeting here today,
stamped us "unqualiliedly false" any
ntimation or suggestion that he would
support Cole l.. BlcaSc for any office.
The statement OF Mr.. Cooper followed
the speech of John l.. Mclaurin, an
other candidate for governor, who
stated that Cole L. Blease had stated
In the presence Of John q. Richards
and Attorney General Thomas II.
Peoples that during the 1916 campaign
while lying in the bed ut Bennetts-
Vile. Mr.. Cooper had said that his fol-
lowers would go TO Governor Blease.
Il don't care to call his name" fur
thcr stated Mr.. McLaurin, but have
always understood that Mr.. Coopers
campaign manager had some kind OF
an understanding with Alfred Richard
son about how the Cooper and the
Bleasc fullowings were 10 so in the
second primary.
During his reply Mr.. Cooper asked
NJ. Richardson. Il candidate for rail-
road commissioners. who WAS present,
III any person representing me stated
to him on my authority that the
Cooper vote would go to Blease in
second primary between Blease and
Manning"
II am sorry to be drawn into tho
controversy about any race except my
own" replied Mr.. Richardson. "and
have nothing to do with any race eN-
cept my own. but, since my name Is
mentioned. here is what happened: K.
+. OTIS told me that, as his opinion,
if there were 4 second primary be-
tween Blease and Manning he believed
the majority of the Cooper vote would
go to Blease, but he did not tell me
that Mr.. Cooper authorized him to
make this statement"
During his discussion OF the Nc
l.aurin- Blease-Aull controversy Mr.
McIaurin said. referring to the state
ment that Mr.. Cooper intended to use
the Aull letter IL he was attacked by
the ex-senator: What did Mr.. Cooper
cxpect me to attack him about? How
could any one attack such gentle,
sweet. immaculate gentleman as Mr.
Cooper and why was he showing TINS
letter? Let me tell you what l think
il was and 1 may be mistaken. In
1916 the rumors were flying thick ana
fast everywhere and doubtless some
of YOU people heard it of this combina-
ton between Cooper and Blease. l
know that Blease told me in the pres
ence Of Major Richards and Tom
Peoples that lying on the bed at Ben
nettsville Mr. Cooper had said that
his followers would go to Governor
Blease." 1t was here that he intro
duced the name Of \. A. Richardson.
Mr.. McLaurin said that Mr.. Cooper's
entrance into the 1916 campaign came
near causing the defeat OF Governor
Manning and that It was the main
cause Of much OF the present chief ex-
ecutive's unpopularity. He also stated
that Mr.. Cooper's entrance into the
race prompted Governor Manning to
give up his support of the warehouse
system, because he was between two
fires and the insurance trust used Mr..
Cooper's candidacy as a club.
| Il am done with the matter unless
Mr.. Cooper wants to continue and II
he wants to do that we will start on
the second chapter" stated Mr.. NC
Laurin.
| Mr.. Cooper replied that Mr.. NC
Laurin did not assume responsibility
for his statement and he was glad OF II.
II have heard Of that malicious rumor