The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-08-05
IN elections, "it was bought"

IN elections, cit was bought" or
"Blease was robbed" and he was.
The most dangerous man, white or
black, in any community, is the man
that will corrupt the ballot boy or the
jury box, and when these two fall,
the foundation of good government
is destroyed, and our country will be-
come a country of rapine, murder
and theft, with no regard for honor,
for man or God. It's nearly there
now, if our governors and board of
charities and corrections reports can
be believed. | thank God that | have
never asked any man to vote for me,
have never paid or authorized any
one to pay for me, any amount OF
money to influence or buy votes at
any election, and in practice of 80
years have never attempted to influ-
ence a juror except by the evidence
presented upon the stand and such
legal argument as 1 might have been
able to make. Of this statement |
challenge contradiction from any
honorable source.
Then, again, l am free man, born
free, live free and expect to die free,
and no man can say that honestly
who votes in a primary election of
today. Why? (See the pledge and
the oath.) I will never again pledge
myself to support man whose NOM
ination has been bought or stolen. If
elected to office will never be
bound hand and foot to support men
or measures that know are not for
the best interest Of my State and my
nation. / am going to be untram-
melled to vote for what measures and
what men I please, and not for those
who profit by theft at the ballot box,
or for measures that I know are not
for the best interest of the people
of my country or my State. Look
at the South today, and the worst has
not come, unless we get somebody in
congress to help us.
Now, if I 60 into the primary and
win, made-up contest will give the
nomination to some Anti that opposes
me regardless of the merit of his
claim. If I am robbed or money is
used to. buy votes, and [ contest, no
matter how meritorious my claim,
this committee will turn me down
and put in their candidate. On the
other hand, if l 60 into the general
election, can make my fight, if there
be one, before the State canvasslng
board, composed of State officials,
and if they deny me my rights, l can
appeal to the congress of the United
States, where men Of both parties,
who have no personal or political
prejudice against me, can pass on the
evidence presented and give an hon
est, square deal.
The Reformers have been treated
worse than negroes, for we have ne
groes holding office under the U. S.
government all over the United
States, and the State government in
South Carolina; and if there is any
Reformer holding one it is for the
reason that he could not be robbed,
and not by appointment from these
sources. 1 know that they claim to
have appointed one or two Reformers
in this State, out let them give the
reason for so doing and see if there
was a bargain for 1920? A paper
published in the 7th District repre-
senting the "anti' idea recently said:
"Watch the Bleasites, if one sticks
his head up, knock it off" Is that
giving us square deal? Is that prac-
ticing, "Return good for eviP', if we
have done evil, which deny? Is that
treating every white man fair, or is
it dealing with white men as white
men deal with the negro and with the
bitterest enemy of the other party?
No, am not going into any primary,
until the rules are made fair to all
and until another set of men are
placed in charge of the machinery,
and I am going to fight for my peo-
ple's rights as long as live. Damn
the offices; can live, have lived and
expect to live on what l make with
my brain, and not from public cribs.
I was opposed to the war, just
temporarily suspended, and have no
apology or excuse therefor; hear the
statements now being made by our
boys that went over to fight for hu-
manity and democracy, and let every
man in this State talk to some of the
It,