Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-11-08
BLEAsE REPLIES TO KoESTER.
Challenges Reputable Proof That He

| Tho Grccnvillc Piedmont OF Monday
has the following:
Columbia. s. c.. Nov. .. 1915.
Mr.. Geo. r. Rooster.
Editor The Piedmont.
Grcenville, s. c.
Dear Sir:
noticed in an editorial in your issue
of November /. you state:
Headers of The Piedmont know that
! ! have long been disgusted with tn"
brand Of politics we have had in South
Carolina. While my sympathies are
wholly with the toiling masses who
hav" supported Blcase. I have always
voted a"ainst that politician and used
my influence to help defeat him. But
h" has on several occasions given pub
lie expressions Of his thanks for the
| fairness with which Tho Piedmont has
always treated him. While have al
ways voted a:."inSt Blcase I.havc nov
or hecn proud of all eh" company I
| have h"d in so doing and have never
CUndunCh some OF thu methods used to
defeat him. even though ] was un-
rcScrvcdly. in favor of keeping him a
| private citizen. The blind tiger or gam
bier who had supported Blcasc was new
or aS evil an influence upon the citizen
ship and government of our state as the
| good citizen OF respectable personal
conduct who contributed money TO buy
votes to defeat Bleasc. | know that
many mSn of standing. some OF them
friends of mine. Influenced by the dew
! lis doctrin that tn" end justified
the means. have done the thing ] con-
denim. but that does not make il any
less the wrong. We cannot cleanse
South Carolina politics. If we remove
the filth from only one side. He VIII"
demands equity must do equity. So
we who want BlcasSm purified must
sec to il that we are Just as earn
est and sincere in our efforts TO puri-
ry our own side of the South Carolina
| Democratic household"
| These are some remarkable admls-
Sions as to what has been going on
during elections on your side even
amon: good friends" of yours and
desire to ask if you do not think II was
the duty of tour newspaper to expose
"or r,iption from whatever source. nj
the time it was known to you. rather
than wait until the corruption had
wrought its work.
| am now a private citizen, to which
do not in the least object. and II II
bc the will of the majority of my
| follow citizens. il will neither disap-
point nor pecvc me if ] should never
again hold public office. SO have
nothing TO complain of with regard 10
YOUR always having helped TO keep me
a private citizen. Thanks. however.
To Il large majority of the people ot
my state. you have failed to keep me
from obtaining the highest ambition
of my life. which was to be govern
or of South Carolina.
As to your-expression. "the blind
tiger or gambler who supported
| Rlcasc," desire to state that 1t is well
known that in 1915. 1916 and 1918,
some of the hest blind tigers of this
state not only supported my oppon-
cnts. hut contributed money to my de-
| feat, that is. to corrupt the ballot box
of South Carolina. This was not con-
fined to the little blind tiger but men
who were making money selling
whiskcy wholesale in South Carolina
were called upon to and did contn-
butte funds in order to encompass my
defeat. Proof OF this ! have be-
yond the shadow of n doubt. and YOU
admit that some of your good friends"
on your side contributed money to buy
votes against me. This Is not the
first admission of that kind have had.
The truth will out.
Personally have never received one
cent Of campaign funds from any
source. Good friends of mine nave
come and offered INC money for use III
nv campaign. but in every instance
I have declined saying that would
not use the money to try to buy votes
or purchase an office. While there
may have been some none!
uScd ivmy friends in my behalf in flcc'
tions. il did not come to my know
ledge. and | have always discouraged
any such methods. standing for free
ballot and fair count.
| do not consider it any honor to
hold an office which has been bought.
as YOU admit in your article has been
done for some of those now in office
and some who are soon to come into
office.
Your future reference. I'VE cannot
cleanse South Carolina politics if we
remove the filth from only one SIDE
is n gross injustice TO what you call
"Blcasism." II there has ever been any
filth on that side of the house. | most
assuredly have never been able TO hnd
il, and I challenge you now to produce
any testimony from any reputapie
citizen that have ever furnished one
cent of money. one drop of whiskey.
or any amount of either, or used any
undue influence. TO or upon any human
being. living or dead. in any political
contest for the purpose OF buying
votes or otherwise influencing the re-
suit of election in which have ever
been engaged. thank God that | can
truly say that since | have been at the
practice Of the law for upwards
of thirty years. have never at
tempted to corrupt the jury box. and
that since | have been in politics. hold
ing office almost continuously from my
2lst birthday. ! have never attempted
to corrupt the ballot box. l have al
ways held that 1t is an honor to hold
any office when majority Of your
fellow citizens. of their own volition,
cast their ballot for you. but | have
also held. and stated time and again.
in private life and from the public ros-
trum. that any man who obtains an
office by fraud, bribery. perjury or
corruption. Is the most dangerous Cit
izen that any state or nation can have