Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-05-24
BLEASE MAY enter LISTS
Former Governor Says, That.;iit Is
Entirely up TO Friends.
TALKS ABOUT PRESENT CONDITIONS

ed 1900 There are Still Some in the
Penitentiary Who Should be Out
Believes in Proportionate Burdens
for the Rich and Poor.
(By Staff Correspondent
Columbia, May 23-Will Cole L.
Bieasc. so-called fire eating governor
of South Carolina" who served in the
gubernatorial chair of the Palmetto
state for four years undertake to
come back?
Maybe so. Maybe not.
The former governor says that it is
up to his friends-if they want him
to get into politics again he'll do it;
but personally he doesn't care anything
about it. He has served his state as
governor for four years and in so doing
has achieved his life's ambition. Per-
sonally he is willing to go on to the
end Of the lane practicing law in the
state capital.
The former South Carolina chief ex-
ecutive, one of the most spectacular
and best known figures in the public
life Of the state and the nation hasn't
lost. any of the old time vim and pep
so characteristic of him In the days Of
his gubernatorial campaigns when
Carolina politics was so hot that the
atmosphere fairly seethed and both
'Bleasites" and anti-Bleasites often
toted a gun on each hip, each waiting
for the other to start something.
Blease, claimed by some to have been
political child of che late Senator
Benjamin Ryan Tillman of South
Carolina {Pitchfork Benz "out Tillman-
ed" Tillman.
No political figure in the history Of
the state has ever had more loyal
friends and more bitter enemies than
Blease.
Twice Elected Governor.
He was twice elected governor on
his famous platform: Il Stand by My
Friends"
When he dies he says he wants
carved on his tombstone: Here lies
Coleman Livingston Blease-He Stood
BY His Friends
The former governor, who has been
out of office for eight years now is a
little grayer than in the palmy days OF
political peppering. He still wears his
famous gray beaver hat and red neck
ties and gray, loose fitting clothes-a
handsome figure of a man.
Hc: was in fine fettlc when his in
terviewer visited him and he talked in
characteristic manner of affairs of the
nation and Of the state.
"You ask me-" said he, "if did not
pardon or parole a great many people
while governor of South Carolina?
Talks of Pardon Record.
"Yes, I did to the extent Of about
1900 1 presume, and ninety-nine out
of q hundred Of them were poor men
who did not have the money to fight
their cases through the courts, that is,
to a final finish. And they did not have
the money to pay anybody to look after
their interest or care for them after
they went in the penitentiary.
why my dear boy, there are some
in the pen right now that should be
out; because if they had been men OF
means they would meyer have been put
there. And not wishing any office by
false pretenscs I will say that should 1
ever again be governor all such cases
will he carefully looked into and relief
granted wherever in my opinion in
Justice has been done my fellow man.
hc nc black or white, native or
foreign"
Want No Bolshevists.
Discussing national affairs Former
Governor Biease said: This country
has had series Of crimes which
should be stopped. We do not want
any Bolshevists. We want law and
order.
I'VE want to get back To our good
old selves, where every mans home is
his castle and where lie has the right
to protect it. We want conditions OF
living where equal justice is done to
n, alike; where the man Of money has
no advantage over the poor man in the
courts of Justice; condition where
corporations and rich men shat pay
their share Of taxes.
We want n condition w,:c"r 4 rich
Ebankcr who steals from his bank the
depositor's money shall be put in the
Epenitcntiary just as is done with the
Door man who steals The rich mans
auto or other luxury. Money does not
make citizenship Neither should it be
allowed. to shield thief.
Need to Love God.
4 What the people OF this country
need is to get back to where we love
our God and the laws of our country
and obey both; where the best that is
in all Of us shall be given for the SER
vice Of state and nation; useless offices
labolished; waste and extravaganza
done away with and all things run
with the most competent officials and
efficient service given"
Five days before Governor Blease's S