Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, January 24, 1913, Image 1
I?WEEEL^ %
l.K. GRIST'S sons, p?bli.h.r.. [ % #inilg 3}tu?gapei[: cjfor thi| promotion ojf ihi[ political, Social, g-grieultural and Commercial Jnterests o ( thit P?opl<. { c^
ESTABLISHED 1855. YORKVILLE, S. C., FRIDAY, JANUARY a4, 1913. . NXxT.
? -I ** **? ? I ^AtlPBilABlA IMtllAllflftl
? THE AMERICA
I
By ETTA W
I
[ CHAPTER XV. I >
A Thunder Clap. j i
Mercy sat at her work-table in the 1
morning sunshine, leaning one dimple*,
elbow upon it, and absently drawing
, fine lines with her needle along its old
? cover.
"What shall I do for a weddingdress?"
was the burden of her thoughts
and a pretty serious one it was for a
girl who had, in spite of her hard, repressed
life all the instincts of her sex.
"What shall I do? I have nothing but
an old alpaca, frayed at the seams. I
cannot be married in that."
Humble as her condition wa3, the
little bride-elect had plenty of pride,
and that dilapidated alpaca was as gall
and wormwood unto her soul this morning.
Presently the bell of No. 10 rang
briskly, and a moment after she heard
Miss Affry calling her name from the
hall below.
"Mercy! Come down at once. Here
^ is something for you."
W - Mercy flew down the stair to receive
W from M!ss Affry a common envelope,
closely sealed, and bearing these words
in pencil:
"A gift for Mercy Dill."
Wondering greatly, she tore it open
and drew out a roll of crisp bank notes
?fifty dollars in all.
"There must be some mistake?It
can't be for me!" gasped Mercy, helpless
with astonishment.
"A lad brought it," said Miss Altry,
"an ordinary errand-boy. He said, 'Give
this to Miss Dill'?all as plain as print.
I don't think he has had time to leave
the court yet."
She ran out of No. 10 and Mercy
followed; but no boy was In sight Returning
to the sitting-room, the two
examined the envelope, the bills, but
> without any clue to the giver.
"It must be that some of the ladies
of the Aid Society sent it," sctd Miss
Aflfry at last; "maybe they have heard
that you are to marry Val; but- no!
that's not possible, since you only decided
that last night. Well, at any rate,
the money's for you, my dear, so thank
the Lord, and don't look so dazed
about it"
Yes the bank notes were for Mercy
?there could be no mistake. Some one
had kindly remembered her in her hour
of greatest need, and the gift was none
the less acceptable because its donor
chose to remain unknown. Mercy need
sigh no longer for a wedding dress.
When Val Black appeared at dinner
and heard of the anonymous present
and looked in Mercy's delighted face,
as she crept shyly downstairs to show
it to him, his own rugged countenance
grew very grave, indeed.
"Is your mother in the house?" he
asked, abruptly.
"No. She went out early this morning
and has not yet come back," answered
Mercy.
He opened his mouth for another
question, but on second thought shut
it again. Something told him that
Mercy Dill knew nothing of the acquaintance
betwixt her mother and Jacob
Phillips, and that it would be bettor
not to mention the matter?at least.
for the present.
"You think It Is quite right for me to
keep this money, do you not?" asked
Mercy, gazing a little anxiously Into
i her lover's solemn face.
' "Yes?of course," he answered. And
so the mysterious roll of bills bought
Mercy's wedding-gown.
For the next few days a perceptible
ripple of excitement stirred the moldy
quiet of No. 10 Seedy Court. Miss Affry
put by the secret anxiety which
had oppressed her for the last few
weeks, and entered heart and soul Into
her laddie's happiness. Val was in
the seventh heaven of beatitude, and
Mercy, In her little back chamber,
stitched away, not at the Aid Society
sewing now, but upon her own marriage
gown.
On the morning after the delivery of
the anonymous fifty dollars at the door
of No. 10, Moll Dill walked Into her
daughter's presence washed, combed,
dressed in a decent new gown, with a
clean, new shawl pinned across her
bosom and a respectable bonnet tied
under her chin. It was plain that she
had not been drinking. Her face was
colorless, her manner cool and collect
ed.
"Mother! what has happened to '
you?" cried Mere} in amazement.
"I've turned over a new leaf," answered
Moll, with a short laugh. "You 1
don't believe that, do you? As for these 1
clothes, they were given me by an old
friend. Come say good-by, Mercy; I'm i
going out of the city to work at a farm- l
house till the harvest Is over?the mis- 1
sion folks told me of the place. I want 1
country air, and I want to give you a i
little peace, girl?It's most time, isn't i
it? When you're married and settled,
I'll come back and talk with you. Mean- :
while you needn't fret about me; I
shan't drink at the farm, and if anything
happens that you want me?small
fear of that!?but if you should, the
mission folks will tell you where I can
f be found."
She was gone before Mercy had time
for a word. Her altered appearance, her
voluntary departure from her old
haunts and associates, filled Mercy with
new hope. Surely the long-looked-for
reformation was beginning at last! Her
mother had been the one* black shadow
upon her new joy, and the removal of
that shadow, even for a little space
was like the lifting of a heavy load
from off the girl's heart. For the first
time in al her short, dark life she was
happy; she had a future to look for
ward to, a snare in tne nope ana giaaness
of the world. She sang no longer
with the sadness and pathos of old?
"Cover my defenseless head,
With the shadow of Thy wing."
An earthly arm was now stretchetd
out to shield her; never would she
stand alone and unprotected more.
"I have had a hard, dark life," said
H Mercy to herself; "but it never can?It
never will be so again!"
Alas! all the while over her fair devoted
head a tempest, blacker than any
she had ever known, was gathering to
overwhelm her.
One morning Miss Affry, in descending
the stair from Mercy's chamber,
with a part of Mercy's wedding-gown
hanging ovei her arm, blundered headlong
against a person who had just entered
from the court, and was snatched
up in his two strong arms and set
promptly upon her rheumatic feet. As
_ 1 j 4U/v ?laoaaa
soon as sne couiu aujusv uic
upon her defective eyes she saw that
Signor Discordo stood before her, as
swarthy, as elegant as smiling as ever.
"What! are you back again?" she
cried, in vague dismay, for Val had
commanded her to dismiss this lodger,
and Val's word was her law.
"Yes," answered the signor, doffing
? his hat and showing all his white teeth:
"my pupils keep me much away, do
they not? I hope I haf ze pleasure of
seeing you well, madame? I hope your
household has prospered in my absence
?vour nephew and ze charming Mees
Dill?"
"Oh, yes, they are quite well." said
Miss Affry serenely smiling; "on
Thursday next Miss Dill and my nel
phew are to be married, you know, and
of course we are all very happy and
very busy just now. sir."
He gave a tragic jump backward.
"1 know? Married?so soon! My
r.od, how cruel!" cried the signor, incoherently,
and staring at his landlady
as if she were the Gorgon's head.
"Yes. certainly. Oh. dear! are you
ill. sir? Whatever is the matter?" answered
Miss Affry, aghast.
He seized her rheumatic arm and
N COUNTESS
PIERCE. |
?
KK>-rc?iy?x.lC'?yjiy*<K>?
3ragged her into the little sitting-room,
rhere he sank into a chair, beating his
breast in a high-tragedy fashion, and
giving unmistakable signs of great
physical or mental anguish. Miss Af'ry
stood over him, remembering with
profound consternation, that she had
lelther mustard nor Jamaica ginger in
.tie uuuse.
"Madame," said Discordo, hoarsely
ind suddenly, "you see zat I suffer?do
fou ask why? Ah, Heaven! you are
loo rood, too kind to blame me for
vhat I could not help. You know how
air she is?your beautiful, your ravishng
blonde, Mees Dill. I haf looked too
nuch on her?she haf smiled too much
m me, madame!"
Very slowly Miss Aflfry comprehend>d
his meaning.
"Smiled on you!?Mercy?" she cried
n amazement
"As ze angels smile, madame?out of
jure goodness of heart. I love her?I
idore her! and I entreat you to keep
ny secret. Let her be happy with your
lephew. As for me, I go away at once
?I cannot stay under this roof another
lour; ze sight of her bliss would kill
ne. Behold how unfortunate I am,
nadame! I lay my heart open before
'ou?my hot, southern heart, zat canlot
keep silence like colder natures."
Aunt Affry was greatly shocked and
istonlshed. This Italian music-master
oved Mercy?he was inconsolable at
he thought of her approaching marriige!
Was this the secret of Val's dislke
for the man? Well, she was glad
hat he was ready to leave Seedy Court
vlthout being asked to do so. Half
rexed, half pitiful, she drew out her
ihabby purse.
"I'm sure I never dreamed of such a
hing," she stammered; "I'm very sor y
for you, sir. A trifle is due you on
he room?here it is. Indeed the best
hing you can do is to go at once."
"And you will promise to c\y nothing
>f my consuming passion, either to ze
lappy bridegroom or ze beauteous
jride, madame?" implored Discordo.
"Good gracious?no, indeed!" cried
\.unt Affry. "I should not like to have
fal or Mercy know that you had spok?n
to me of the matter. Would you
ike to take your luggage from the room
it once?"
With a mighty sigh the signor arose,
le had never had any luggage at his
Seedy Court lodging beyond a common
land-hag; nevertheless, he promptly
iscended the stairs to the second floor
'ront.
Mercy's door stood open, for the day
vas breathlessly hot, and Mercy hertelf
sat at the work-table of the dingy
jack chamber, sewing and singing,
linging and sewing?the same, yet with
l difference. The signor's step was so
lolseless on the landing, or, perhaps,
ler own thoughts were so absorbing,
;hat she did not hear, neither see, the
lark-visaged apparition that paused a
noment at the head of the stair to gaze
n upon her with eyes that might have
tightened a stouter heart than hers.
Vnxious. for once, to avoid rather than
ittract her attention. Discordo slipped
>y the door, entered his own room and
fathered together a few sheets of mulic,
a few books, a few toilet articles,
vhich he had scattered about there,
jimply to give some semblance of realty
to the character he had assumed.
\11 the time he was doing this Mercy
Dili's heavenly voice pouretf through
:he thin partition that separated the
:wo chambers, in a flood of silver sweet
?ong. More than onpe he stopped to
isten, and his dark, wicked face put on
l look scarcely good to see.
"Sing while you can, little bride," he
vhispered to hiriself, with a shrug;
'sing your pious little Gospel songs,
jetite?it Is good to be merry. And you
:hink to wed ze red-haired clown? Bah!
:at will never do. I cannot consent. And
:e day is set? No matter, my beautiful.
Tou are not for him?no, nevair! I
(wear it!"
When he descended the stair with his
'ew possessions Mercy's door was closed.
So it came to ^ass that she did not
?ee him, did not know he had been in
:he house, until two or three hours la;er,
when, in the presence of Val, Miss
kflfry. with studied carelessness antounced
tthat the second floor front
vas vacant, and that Signor Discordo
tad delivered up his keys and departed,
to return no more?a bit of information
which both Mercy and Val received
in silence.
One by one the days wore on?the
tiappiest of her life, Mercy used to
think, in the strange after-time.
It was the evening before her marriage,
dark, rainy, dubious. But inside
11? t-Pnnrt fhroo
me luugwife-nuuoe ai otcuj
hearts, at least, cared little for the
weather. On Mercy's bed lay a gown
of soft gray cashmere garnished with
ribbons and a ruff of white lace. This
was the wedding-dress. From her own
meagre purse Miss Affry had added to
the little bride's store a gray wrap to
match the gown, a hat of the same
quiet shade and a whole heap of pretty,
inexpensive lingerie. Val's gifts lay
beside his aunt's?useful things, befitting
the humble position of this very
humble pair of lovers; a warm shawl
for the approaching autumn, the dainty
wedding gloves, a few toilet trifles?all
of which Val had purchased at Miss
Affry's practical suggestion, fuming the
while at his own poverty and fervently
wishing that he could give his beautiful
darling, velvets and brocades and diamonds
instead.
As the supper hour struck, Miss Affry
called from the foot of the stair:
"Mercy, we are waiting for you, my
dear?Val will not taste his tea till you
come down."
With a fresh ribbon pinned at her
white throat?with her golden hair
shining and curling all about her pearly
temples, Mercy went down to sup
with her lover on this night before their
marriage.
Never had the old sitting-room looked
more picturesque and cozy, or Miss
Affry's table more tempting. Val's rugged,
unhandsome face told its own
story?he was simply in Paradise. He
laid his evening paper, unopened, unread
upon the shelf?on what slight
hinges of circumstance do our destines
turn! Had Val read that sheet, according
to his nightly custom, Mercy's
whole fate might have been changed
But what did he care for news upon an
evening like this? what did he care for
the outer world? He had enough In
that plain little room to think about
In a few hours Mercy, beautiful golden-haired
Mercy, would be his own forever.
The three had lanned a very quiet
unobtrusive ma/riage?had decided
that Val should go 'o his work on the
morrow as on all other days, and when
it was over, Mercy, with Aunt Affry tc
attend her, should walk with him tc
the house of the preacher at the mis
.....11 bnnn,n nil thf
Siuil, \rs ityj was v% ?-i? nuun it vu ui>
trio, and there the ceremony should bt
performed. Leisure for joy or sorrow
is the privilege of the rich and prosperous
only. With Ms slim purse and increasing
burdens Val could afford nt
more than this, even though the occasion
was to be the very happiest oi
his life.
After supper the three sat in the olc
living-room and talked of the morrow
and Val drew the marriage license fron
his pocket and flaunted it teasingly before
Mercy's abashed eyes.
"You are a pair of foolish youn*
folks," said Aunt Affrv, fondly; "and ]
hope?I only hope you may be as happj
as you deserve."
"And you are sure you don't begrudg*
me Val?" whispered Mercy, shyly.
"Yes, I am sure. How could I? foi
you are the thing he covets most in al
the world," answered Miss Affry. with 1
a smothered sigh.
"It Is strange that he cares so much
for me, Is It not?" the girl breathed,
softly. S
"No?not In the least strange," said
Miss Affry.
Mercy was leaning toward her In the
lamplight, toying nervously with her
betrothal ring. A faint blush colored C
her cheek; her violet eyes were wide ?
open and full of lustre?even the prosaic
ofd spinster was startled by the
picture she made. Poor she might be, C
low-born she might be, but what patrician
bride could rival her matchless
dower of beauty?
Presently Val's ring slipped from her
hand and rolled away over the floor.
"A bad omen," said Val, lightly; and J
In a moment he was down on the worn I
carpet, searching along Its surface for|
the little golden band. Prom a remote n
corner he brought It back to Mercy at q
last, demanding from her, In spite of .
Miss Affry's presence, prompt pay- 11
for his exertions. d
"R. A.'" said Mercy, bending her con- i
fused face low over the letters engraved
on the Inner side of the ring?'1
have often wanted to ask you about ?
those initials, Val. Do they mean your
father's name?" n
Aunt Affry looked up quickly, but y
before Val caught her warning glance tj
he answered: ,
"Yes." t(
"But Black does not begin with A.,*' g,
said Mercy, smiling.
He seemed rather disconcerted for a
moment w
"True. Thereby hangs a tale. I'll tell Bi
you about it some .time, darling. This t(
ring Is too large for your slim fingers. w
You shall have another tomorrow, to tj
keep It In place." ia
The evenhig wore away. Outside the B,
rain fell fast, and, driven by fitful gusts t(
of wind, it tramped up and down the w
dark court, making now and then - ?
frantic rush at the door of No. 10, like B
some person in breathless haste?like 0]
a bearer of great news. Never would w
either of the three forget this evening b(
?it was destined to remain printed 8,
upon the memory of each in characters 0j
of fire. And yet nothing occurred to c)
break Its profound quiet. Mercy went b(
away at ten o'clock. Ascending the ^
stair, lamp in hand, she looked back Dl
over her shoulder at Val Black, who ?
stood watching her In the hall below? &
looked back, with a smile on her lips .
and the red light falling on her golden V
hair and striking deep Into the shady b(
violet of her eyes.
"Mercy," he said, with the insatiable 0]
vanity or nis sex, "are you sure you o
love me, darling?" n
"Very sure," she answered. t.
"Suppose something should happen
this very night to separate us?how
long would you be faithful to me, dar- :
ling?"
"As long as I lived." h(
He watched her ascend the old stair
like a fair spirit. ,
The pearly face, the golden hair, the
shy, sweet smile receded slowly from ,
his gaze?vanished at last Into darkness.
Thus he remembered her for many a G
long day after.
All through the silent hours of that
night ugly, confused dreams crowded
upon Mercy. She stood on the brink of
an abyss?she was falling over Its j
black edge?there was no one to help
her. In vain she cried to Val?he was ?
gone?he had left her alone to perish. '
Bathed In a cold sweat, and with a
smothered shriek on her lips, Mercy t,
awoke to find the morning light
streaming into her chamber?the light
of her marriage-day. As she looked at _
it a strange, superstitious chill ran
over her. t(
"Something is going to happen," she d
said to herself: "I shall be separated j
from Val! I feel as If some one was
walking on my grave!" *
The next moment, however, she n
laughed at her own folly. d
knnrvAn 9 To nnt nvnrv.
>? iitti can . AO uv w vt _
thing' ready? Even my mother could
not part us now. Am I growing ner- tl
vous? Fie! That's a disease which t
only fine ladies have."
The day was very much like all tJ
others In the old house. Mercy break- .
fasted with Val and his aunt, and then t
went away to her humble room to put j
the finishing stitches to her pretty
dress. Meanwhile in her own domain
below stairs Miss Affry hobbled about, ^
setting all things in order and compounding
various dishes with which to
make tempting the supper table. q
Strange memories crowded upon her .
as she worked, memories of places and G
persons very far away, but over and f
above everything else arose one f
thought: b
"She is good and beautiful, and she is
Val's choice. Like his father before
him, he will have his own way in a J
matter like this. I couldn't keep him
from marrying her if I tried ever so g|
hard. She'll be a daughter to me, even
as he is a son, and ten to one, we shall t(
live on here taking lodgers and pinching
and contriving all our natural lives. ^
I am content with the girl?yes, I am
content!" 8(
Tne nours new on. ?oun imne ?nu ^
passed. The sun was shining in the
court, the sky hung blue and cloudless
over the city roofs?Val's marriage ?
evening would be fair.
Miss Affry made the tour of her sit- '
ting room for the last time, removed ^
every suspicion of dust from the window
seats, the round table, the cozy,
chintz-covered chairs and then came .
to the hanging shelf on the wall, where ^
Val's books reposed.
Far up the stair Mercy Dill was singing
one of her brave, sweet, Gospel
songs. Angel-sweet her voice floated E
down to the old woman as she worked.
Mounting a wooden cricket. Miss Affry
began to take down the volumes
and brush them carefully, one by one.
While doing this something fell from
the shelf to the floor. She stooped and .
picked it up. It was the evening paper
which Val had left unopened on the
preceding night. None of its pristine ,,
creases were yet disturbed.
With that quick thrill of interest
which the sight of a newspaper had for
the last few weeks stirred in her heart,
Miss Affry adjusted her glasses and
opened the sheet. As she let her eyes
run along its columns, the first thing
on which they rested was this notice: f
"INFORMATION WANTED?Of the :
son of Robert _Arbuckle of Deepmoor, ^
Lincolnshire, England, or 01 a woman
called Affry Black, formerly a house- t
maid at Deepmoor Hall. Said Affry is
1 known to have sailed from England c
with Robert Arbuckle and his wife, ?
Christine Black, twenty-five years ago, and
is supposed to be still living is Bos- ](
1 ton or vicinity. Any information that t
will lead to the discovery either of her
' nephew or herself, will be liberally re!
warded. Call or address Peter Finch ?
Barrister, at the office of the British .
Consulate, 68 Devonshire street. Bos- ?
' ton " J
, (To be continued.)
C
1 FOUND QUICKER PROCESS. ?
i c
1
Inventor Finds Answer While Mathe- v
maticians Waste Weeks.* _
, A story is told of a certain famous s
I inventor, who is fortunate enough to *
s be able to employ a large staff of en- ?v
i gineerB and mathematicians to aid him ?
> in the solution of knotty problems, t
> says Engineering News.
Some time ago the inventor desired t
i to find the cubic capacity of a certain F
? uomoI nf nnsvmmetrical Dronortlons. '
' and asked his mathematicians to solve *
the problem. *
As the story goes, the mathematl- *
) clans spent weeks of time filled whole e
books with their calculations and final- t
" ly presented what they said was a close f
approximation to the true result. ^
1 Thereupon the famous inventor placed 1
. the vessel on a platform scale, filled it t
i to the brim with water, obtained its r
weight when full and when empty, and 1
in a few minutes he had a result as f
r good as the mathematicians?for that >
1 particular vessel.
r ? . t
?
; .try Most of our disappointments are (
due to our belief in that hoary old bit f
p of philosophy about a bad beginning c
1 making a good ending. t
ILLMAN REPLIES TO BLEASE
tn
enator Avails Himself of Permission *
To Put Message In the Records. *
ENATOR DENIES GOVERNOR'S CHARGES
fo
Charges that Blease Stole Telegrams
_ Al
Through Hia Friends, and Claimed
That He stood Honestly Neutral Up t0
Until the Last Week of the Late "jj
Campaign. t i
The following reply of Senator Till- | w?
lan to Governor Blease's Tillmanlonzales
message, was given out to ^
tie papers from "Washington on Mon- it,
ay: , bu
'o the General Assembly of South
Carolina: W)
lentlemen: as]
I have Just read Governor Blease's
lessage sent to your honorable body
esterday, and have been Informed
lat both houses did me the Justice f
) order publication in its Journal) .
> be suspended until my reply could1 t _
0 along with it For this consider-. ^
tlon, please accept my thanks. of
What Governor Blease's motives t
ere, are very evident in the mes- .
ige. He desires to continue the bit- ?
'mess engendered last summer; and h
ishes to be revenged on me; but m,
le primary object he has in view
1 to keep the minds of the people
Jrred up and not allow the waters
> clear sufficiently to let them see ?V
hat sort of man he really is. Catine
among the Romans, and Aaron j
urr among the Americans, are the ,
ily other men I have ever read of f
ho were equal to Blease in bam- _
aozling the people. He has per- t
jaded thousands of good South Car- .
Ilnians, honorable, clean, patriotic t
Itizens, into believing that he is their .
est friend and that Tillman's mantle f \
as fallen on his shoulders. He ! a .
elst master in the arts of a dema- .
ogue. He knows full well that when t
ie angry passions of the masses are ?
roused, they lose their reason. He '
esires to come to the senate, as he _0J
wasted he would do at Richmond in a |
lecemDer last, ana reeis u oDiigaiory t
n him to aggravate conditions In
outh Carolina as much as possible. h
Whether this Is the right way to eleconeer
or not, .will be shown by the
isult of the next senatorial pri- ?
lary. If the South Carolina news-' Jr.
apers do not help him by abuse and '
ilsrepresentatlon, he will never get he'
ere.
His charges against me boiled down ,
p0 *
1st. With writing "secret letters *h<
tabbing him In the back." T1,
2nd. Hypocrisy. ,
3rd. With conspiring with W. E. j"
onzales. !
4th. Jealousy. t .
5th. Feebleness of mind. Jt
6th. Having lent myself, which could
nly be expected of an imbecile, to
Ign my name to an article dictated by
imeone else whom he designates as *.
A. statesman without a Job," and "This ^
stute Big Ex." ,
I will take these charges up serla- p
m:
If ever a man wanted to be hands
ft In a political contest, I was that E,.,
jan last summer. Time and again I *
'as importuned to. take a hand and ?
> come out for law and order and
ecency. But I steadfastly refused.
received hundreds of letters first '
nd last urging me with intense earn- ^
stness to come out and announce
ly preference as between the candiates
who were running for govern- .
r. But I was unwilling to do so.
After Mr. Sims wrote me and made
ie appeal that I should answer certin
inquiries which he propounded ji.
1 defense of Tlllmanism I wrote him ? '
ie letter I did. Immediately a phrase ? 1
i it was seized on by the newspapers J?
> proclaim that I had come out for
udge Jones. The headlines mainly
rere used to deceive the people and
llsrepresent me. I felt called on to '
ike notice of this and wrote the article
f August 12th which Governor Blease ho
uotes. * . ou
Right here I desire to call attention 80
j the evidence going to show that Pe
fovernor Blease and certain of his
rlends were in a conspiracy; the tn
rlends to write me pretending to aP
e my friends, draw me out as to m(
ly attitude towards him, and then 8^
how him the letters. Otherwise, Mi
ow did he come into possesion of ?y
o many of my letters marked "per- wl
onal and confidential?" Pa
I have the original letters at Trenin
to show that perhaps one hundred <n<
len wrote me along the same lines, co
'hese letters came thick and fast and
iy answers were always marked "per- a"
onal." It is very evident that Blease I
as seen many of my letters which a"
ere marked personal and the reclplnt
asked not to show them to anyone. !
'hus It can be seen whether they were nil
ecret or not. Some of those corre- J"1
pondents who were Blease's friends
astened to show them or to send him
oples. They were In no way the "se- mi
ret letters" he would have the people cr<
elleve, but letters which ought to hav
een secret as far as the public was 25
oncerned and as far as Blease him- ?a
elf was concerned. ?
But I am not concerned about the tei
(lease conspiracy with his friends as ur
luch as I am about clearing myself wl
f the charge of hypocrisy, and of *B1
writing secret letters for the purpose of wl
tabbing him In the back.
The charges of hypocrisy can best de
e answered by pointing to my public
nd private life. If there Is any tri
ice in human beings that I despise, it m'
5 hypocrisy and double-dealing. It is, th
ext to cowardice, the most despicable ag
f human traits. N?
Governor Blease stresses the point all
f secret letters, and, with great cun- it.
ing, picks out sentences from pri- Fc
ate letters which I had written to 00'
iy friends or men who represented 00
hemselves as my friends, to prove Ka
hat I was not frank. He stresses the qu
Clma moo not hla frtpnrt be
nd is delighted to find I had writ- wl
en one letter to a man not a Blease- ne
te. I do not believe many people in wt
iouth Carolina will accept his theory wl
hat I am a hypocrite and a double- 8ti
ealer because, in writing personal re
stters and marking them "confldenlal,"
I explained to these men who wj
/ere Blease's friends and who claim- vo
d to be my friends what my real be
pinions were. Because I said I would he
ie "hands off' did not mean, nor is it th
easonable to claim that it meant, I be
vould be dumb. mi
3rd. The conspiracy with W. E.
ionzales is not conceivable or believ- co
ible by anyone except a man who in la'
lis desperation, made that charge in gli
irder to fire the hearts of his fol- li\
owers. The people of South Carolina th
veil understand the relations between a
he Gonzales brothers and the Till- is
nans. The feud is of long standing wi
ind all well informed people know re
vhat provocation the Tillmans have la
lad and with what relentless energy di
nd with what ability the Gonzales wl
irothers have prosecuted their side of
t. I do not wish to stir the embers of to
his feud anew, and I have no such C<
>urpose in calling attention to this oil
ong standing quarrel. Governor Blease ce
mows that he did not believe, when he ex
vrote his dodger last August, that I ca
lad entered into any conspiracy what- so
iver with W. E. Gonzales. I have been lei
o!d that the Gonzales brothers voted fa
or me in the primary last August, pr
iVhether this is so or not, I do not lei
enow and do not care. But I know ce
hat I never saw Pat McGowan or
ead Gonzales' private telegrams to or
ilm which some of Blease's friends fo
itole off the wires; and if I had it nc
vould not have influenced me at all. I
Right here, I will ask Governor Blea&e nt
o answer point blank, how did he get sv
opies of Gonzales* telegrams to Mc- lie
3owan? He is such a stickler for the bj
orms of honesty in others will be hon- ar
>r honor bright and tells us who stole ar
hem?
I know and assert on my honor that y'
alone wrote the Ferguson letter and C
at no one else had anything to do v
Ith It, or anything else I have writ- 1
n or signed. hi
The following statement has Just t<
ien handed me by Mr. A. M. Car- n
nter, of Anderson, South Carolina, P
Uing how the Ferguson letter came B
be given out and how the statement le
hlch accompanied it was made up
r the press: ,r
Carpenter's Statement. la
About 6 o'clock In the afternoon of 81
jgust 23, 1912, I met Senator and r(
rs. Tillman at the north entrance 171
the Capitol building. They had 171
arted for home, and had stopped B
id were talking to Mr. J. M. Baker, lr
ie of the officers of the senate. Sen- ai
or Tillman stopped me and said he al
anted to ask my advice. He stated r<
at at the beginning of the gubernarial
campaign in South Carolina he 78
d declared he would take no part in ra
and had tried to follow that course, ?'
t that during the two or three weeKS .
.a ? i t u. j J A k.. tr
i previous ne una reueivea ? iiumuer
letters from people In the state ?
lom he thought to be his friends, >n
king his opinion of Jones and Blease, tfl
d that he had replied to these letters
inkly that in each case he had made se
plain to his correspondent that be P*
is writing in confidence, but he had dc
and that in some cases his confl- J?
nee had been betrayed, that the let s
were being misrepresented, and
it he had been placed in the position
doing secretly, things he was afraid C.
do openly. He said he had been placin
a false position before his friends er
d his enemies, and that he felt that
ought to give out a newspaper state- "W
>nt explaining his position fully,
s. Tillman said she did not want
n to give out the statement, and he w
Id he would not do anything against lo
r wishes, but he felt very strongly er
it he should make a public statement dl
justice to himself and to his friends so
the state. We discussed the matter or
some little time, and Senator Till- T1
m finally said he would not decide m
the moment what he would do, but ha
rited Mr. Baker and myself to come to
his rooms at the Dewey hotel that
fht, when he would have his mind
lly made up. th
[ went to the Dewey hotel about 8
lock that night, and found in Sena
Tillman's room, Mr. Baker, Mr. T.
Daniel, of the Spartanburg Herald j0
d Mr. Wyche, Senator Tillman's ste- to
grapher. Mr. Murray of the News aa
d Courier came in a little while la- ln
'. After a few minutes of general
ivereation Senator Tillman told us ar
had decided to give out a statement, ..j
d began dictating It to his steno- w.
ipher. The dictation occupied perps
fifteen or twenty minutes. During dc
i time of it Senator Tillman stopped hc
ce or twice to weigh a sentence, but cj(
finished It without interruption and
thout suggestion from anyone pres- r
t. After taking the statement in b
arthand, Mr. Wyche wrote it out on
typewriter and gave it to Senator m
llman. who read it aloud to us. He
ide, as I remember, but one change
the draft, and that was a minor one.
the phrasing: of a sentence. He then
d his stenographer to give copies of
to the different newspaper men.
A.fter getting through with this Sen>r
Tillman drew a long breath and
5n laughed. "I feel that I have sim- M
r discharged a duty," he said, "and M
w I feel better. I am off the fence."
[ walked from the Dewey hotel to
street in company with Mr. Daniel
d Mr. Murray. They had been im- ia
essed, as I had been with Senator
llman's force In dictating the state- B)
>nt. One of us remarked that while Q?
nator Tillman had had a severe 111S8
It had not Impaired the vigor of
i Intellect, and this was heartily
reed to by the others. Senator Till- SI
in's statement was filed in the teleaph
office on F street for transmis- &
>n to the South Carolina papers that
rht. I know that Senator Tillman to
ve out the statement against the ad- te
:e of Mrs. Tillman and some of his th
isest friends, and certainly It was tl|
stated when nobody was present ex- of
pt those mentioned above, and with- si
t suggestions of any kind from any cl
them. st
lgned) A. M. Carpenter. of
ashlngton, D. C. in
January 17, 1913. d?
rhe South Carolina newspapers had 8t
unded Governor Blease so continu- m
sly during the campaign, had been
unfair in their opposition, that the ^
ople of the state had lost abso- 1
tely all faith in their honesty or SJ
ithfulness. When the statement
peared In the newspapers Saturday h<
)rnlng, I received a number of tele- 1
ams asking if It was authentic. 81
my of my friends had been misled ??
Governor Blease to that point ot
lere they doubted not only the news- re
pers, but also doubted me.
The 4th charge of Jealousy is so rl- te
julous that I cannot bring myself to th
nsider It seriously. Ben Tillman 'n
ilous of Cole Blease! It is unthink- Cj
le and, were I to answer It seriously. W
would be convicted In the minds of
sensible people in South Carolina th
the next charge:
5. Feebleness of mind. Whether my tfc
Ind is feeble or not the people will n<
dge for themselves. I am willing to e*
ive It to any Jury in South Carolina 01
easeites or others, whether Ben Till- E
in is feeble-minded or Cole Blease is P<
azy. vi
The Blease circular issued on August
th, which he republishes in the mes- n<
ge, says?and he prints it in capitals Ju
"I have never seen the Ferguson let- th
r. and did not know what was in it,
itil I saw it in the newspapers, and n<
len Gonzales says I did, and that hi
lease will fight Tillman' he wired M
lat was wilfully untrue." w
Notwithstanding Governor Blease's w
nlal I know that he did fight me in
are counties than one and that his th
asted lieutenants were very active in as
irshaling his followers, many of ni
em once my best friends, to vote to
ainst me on the day of the primary. e\
sws to this effect came to me from ui
I over the state, and the vote shows th
I have no doubt whatever that the sc
rguson letter caused me to lose 35,- d<
0 votes, while it gained me about 10,- st
0. This was what I expected when I ai
ve it out but I could not remain bi
let after my confidence had been so P<
trayed. The "midnight stab" of fi<
lich he complains?meaning the late- m
ss in the campaign when the letter tv
is given out?was attributable to my w
fe's Influence. She begged me to te
and by my oft-repeated promise to m
main hands off. hs
1 was elected in spite of him, and he b<
is elected in spite of me. I got more
tes than he did and feel that I am a
tter representative of the state than
f will ever be; was a better governor
an he has made; and have made a
tter senator than he can possibly
ake.
While what he says about the May G
nvention and the Southern railway
wyers may be true, he could not wrlg- ai
e away from the fact that Ben Abney ei
res in the executive mansion, al- fc
ough it is the people's house and not F
hotel. I am informed that his salary
greater than all other Southern rail- F
ay lawyers in the state. He is the F
al octopus which strangles the legisture
and persuades it to do his bid- b]
ng, and has conferences with Blease rt
henever he sees fit. le
Governor Blease asks me specifically ir
- ? '1 T in fVio no mOQ C\t R
say wny i uiaggcu ?ii tu? uiiiuvw ?. )lonel
Abney and Hon. Sam J. NichIs,
and if I did so voluntarily," etc. I F
rtainly did, and I ask him again to F
plain why no one In South Carolina
n get a pardon unless he applies to b;
me of Blease's lawyer friends. Un- lo
3S all Information obtainable by me is
lse, no man in South Carolina need di
esent an application for pardon, un- B
ss one of his pardon mongers has re- m
Ived a fee for it. la
Blease is too good a lawyer to think w
believe that Ferguson's affidavit will ol
ol anybody into believing that he had ni
>ver seen my letter to Ferguson. While ii:
know nothing about Ferguson, and
ver saw him, I do not believe he di
rears to the exact truth. A man can gi
> by suppressing the truth as well as bi
r telling it directly, and a man with c<
i easy conscience can swear to almost ni
lythlng. m
While I am discussing railroad law- pi
era and their influence on the Sow
arolina general assembly It is just i
ell that I should make public all thi
said on the subject Governor Bleai
as quoted only a part of it In a le
sr I wrote to Mr. P. B. Bailey, at Bl<
ey, South Carolina, August 16th, r<
lying to a resolution adopted by tl
lease club at that place relative to n
(tter to Mr. Sims, I said:
"That the railroads are getting a ho
i our state again I know. The legii
iture ought to compel the railroads
Ive us the right, on any system <
>ads anywhere in the state to carry i
lany people as we want to on the san
illeage as is done in the north. Bi
en Abney and the railroad attorney
i the legislature have been too ven
nd corrupt to protect the peop
salnst the railroads, and as I have a
ady pointed out, Blease is in closi
uch with them than Jones; and Bleai
on record as saying the Southei
Lilway will have a friend in me
ected."
I think it is well that the people <
le state and the general assembl
lould know what I think about tl
fluence the railroads have exerted 1
ie legislature.
The 6th charge of having lent m
i!f to signing my name to an artic'
epared by someone else, whom h
islgnates as a "statesman without
b" and this "astute big Ex," mear
g thereby, I presume, Ex-governc
>hn Gary Evans, is shown to t
Ise by the following affidavit froi
G. Wyche, one of my secretaries,
in of Hon. O. T. Wyche, and a broth
of Hon. C. C. Wyche, of Spartan
lrg:
ashlngton City,
District of Columbia,
Personally appeared before me C. C
yche, who on oath makes the fol
wing statement: I am a stenograph
in Senator Tillman's office, and h
ctated the letter to Harrison Fergu
n, of Spartanburg, S. C., to me. N
ie was In the office except Senate
lllman and myself, as well as I re
ember and I know that no one ela
id anything to do with its dictatlo
me.
(Signed) C. G. Wyche.
Sworn to and subscribed before m
is 17th day of January, A. D., 1913.
# R. B. Nixon,
Notary Public.
Governor Blease's charge that I al
wed someone, "this astute Big Ex,
dictate to me makes me willing t
k him if Colonel Abney assisted hii
writing this message.
His anxiety about honesty ispathetl
id reminds me of Hudibras* couplet:
*o thief ever felt the halter draw
ith good opinion of the law."
Being a low type of man himself, h
tes not realize and cannot conceiv
?vv aiiyuuc ewe uc nuiiuidui'
pan and above board.
I will say-in conclusion that I hav
ad the bill introduced by Mr. Rem
srt and heartily approve of it. I hop
will become a law for it is nothin
ore than just that a newspape
lould give a citizen who is attacked i
i columns the opportunity to rep]
rough the same channel.
(Signed) B. R. TILLMAN.
RHAME AND JONES.
easages Dealing With Power of Re
moval and Finances of Governor'
Office.
In two messages sent to the senai
st Monday night, Governor Bleai
;alt with his attempted "firing" <
ank Examiner Rhame and the f
inces of his office. The message
How:
MESSAGE NO. 8.
Ate of South Carolina,
Executive department,
entlemen of the General Assembly:
I do not know that it Is necessar
r me to call the matter to your at
ntion, and do so merely in orde
iRt If vou so desire, vou rnnv fnves
gate it. As the result of derelictlo
duty on his part, and what I cor
dered gross negligence in the die
targe of his duties, I notified til
ate bank examiner, B. J. Rham
his removal from office, and name
his stead H. W. Praser, who I ur
irstood. had been indorsed by tfc
ate bankers for this position. Th
atter was carried to the supreir
urt. The court did not pass upo
ie merits of the case, as to whetlu
was right in removing Rhame, bt
mply passed upon the legal ques
on of my right to remove him, an
sld that he could not be remove*
hold in my possession the bank ea
niner's reports on the Lexingto
ivlngs bank, which, along wit
her facts leading me to attempt t
move Rhame from office, I will t
ad to show to any of your commit
es. I would advise that you ha\
lis matter thoroughly investigate
order to save the state of Sout
arolina and the county of Lexingto
om losses in that Institution.
While a number of able lawyers too
ie same view of the law I did, I sha
>t criticize the majority opinion <
ie court which held against that vlei
^withstanding the fact that the wrii
of the opinion went considerabl
it of the record to hold that I was n<
ngland's king. I might remark I
issing, however, that this fact, I
ew of the information before me, ur
?r the well-settled rules of logic, w?
)t unknown to me even before it wt
idicially and laboriously evolved t
le learned writer of the opinion.
I did not know Mr. Rhame, and i
it know him now. I have never see
im that I know of. I had only see
r. Fraser once and did not kno
hat his politics was nor did I care,
as simply seeking service.
I would like for you to look inl
le matter and pass your judgmei
i to whether I was Justified in r<
ovlng Rhame. Whether you see 1
i go into this matter or not, how
rer, I would respectfully suggest ar
ge that it is important, in view <
le decision of the supreme court, tht
ime change be made in our law. Ur
;r this decision, even if an offic<
lould prove a drunkard, a gamble
i embezzler, or anything else covere
r the criminal statutes, there is r
>wer which could get him out of ol
:e until the general assembly shoul
eet and request his removal by
vo-thirds vote. This is a conditio
hich I submit, is not for the best ir
rests of the state, no matter wli
ay hold the office or by whom he ma
tve been appointed or may hereaft<
? appointed.
Very respectfully,
COLE L. BLEASE,
Governor.
Columbia, S. C., Jan. 20, 1913.
MESSAGE NO. 9.
entlemen of the General Assembly:
At the last session of the generi
ssembly, appropriations for the go\
nor's office were made, in part, t
illows:
or the enforcement of law
and order $5 000 (
or contingent fund 5,000 (
or stationery and stamps .. 350 (
I beg leave to Inform your honors
le bodies that out of these sums,
turned to the state treasury, <
ave therein unexpended, the follov
ig amounts:
or enforcement of law and
order $2,993 !
or contingent fund 1,586 1
or stationery and stamps .. 50 (
Hence, you will see that I have n<
y any means used the amounts a
iwed me by that body.
From these amounts should be d<
ucted a small amount due W. ]
eard and P. H. Corley, appointed t
le under sections 658 and 659 code <
,ws of South Carolina, 1902, Vol.
hich are sections 721 and 722, coc
laws of South Carolina. 1912, Vol.
aper volume, but which I do not fir
i the bound volume I, 1912.
These gentlemen were appointed ur
?r these sections which you will s<
ave me authority to appoint ther
ut were refused their pay by tf
jmptroller general upon some imag
ary technical ground. In order to ar
Dy me. These claims have not bee
aid by the comptroller general, and
io lurniaii a ucriuiuaic n um i??v ?v>
lectmen of the town where he resided
ie that he was "of quiet and peaceable
n, behavior and vlvlal conversation."
ie That the selectmen might exercise due
1- care In signing such certificates, they
)- were liable to a fine of $25 In case the
>n candidate turned out otherwise than
I was represented.
ta respecuuny request your commiiiee on
els claims to provide for their payment,
at The comptroller general, in his report,
se says that other claims of Mr. Corley
t- have been paid. If so, then why did
i- not the comptroller general pay this
e- one? He paid claims for Mr. Crelghie
ton throughout the entire year of 1911,
iy but after he fell out with me after iIkj
session of 1912, he refused to pay
id Crelghton's claims until they were
b- Itemized, which were displayed with
arret a t hao/lllnaa In fha nonrona rvara
of thereby not only trying to reflect upon
is me. but hampering me In the enforcele
ment of the law by exposing to the
jt world that Mr. Crelghton r/as working
irs in that capacity.
al Neither the claims of Corley nor
le Beard have been paid, and I, therefore,
]. respectfully request that you make
sr provision for their payment.
je I have already called these matters
n to your attention In my annual meslf
sage, and would not refer to them
again except for the report of the
}f comptroller general,
ly I notice he calls special attention to
,e the fact that he refused to pay a claim
n out of my contingent fund that was
for an. advertisement In regard to my
iy not vetoing an appropriation made by
fe the general assembly for free antlie
toxin. In this, he was exactly correct
a ?the only time I have .known him to
i_ be so In the discharge of his official
,r duties since I began my admlnlstra- .
,e tlon as governor, and I wish to pay
n him this acknowledgment My former !
a secretary, Mr. Rowland, in some way.
when this bill was received from the
Record Publishing company, made the !
claim out against the state, and It was
handed to me with & bunch of other
claim*, which were signed and passed 1
, on through the office, without my no,
tlclng, at the time, what the claim
covered. When I was Informed of the
matter, I took It up with Mr. Rowland <
>e and immediately wrote the Columbia
" Record a letter.
0 (The letter Is embodied In the mes!r
?age.)
I paid the News and Courier, and
e other papers, out of my own pocket, i
n for publishing the same article, and
this letter shows what my intentions
were towards the Record Publishing !
e company. I am sorry Mr. Rowland
made this mistake. It Is the only one !
of its character that he made that has
come within my knowledge, in refer- .
1- ence to payment of claims, and I think I
during the rush of the campaign last
:o summer, that if this small amount was
n the only thing overlooked in the transactions
of the campaign and the gov- |
lc ernor's office, that we all should be <
complimented for our efficiency, and
not held up or attempted to be he'd
up, to ridicule, for political spite, by a
ie bitterly prejudiced comptroller gencre
al.
e, I am perfectly willing, and would be
crloH for VAiir fwA hnnona to annA<n? a
C,J*? ?V? / WUI fc" V tfVUHVO kV B
e committee to Investigate thoroughly
i- every transaction In the comptroller
?e general's office, and every transaction
g In the governor's office, and report to
>r the general assembly which of the two
n Is more efficient in the discharge of
y Its public duties; and, if the governor's
office should be, in the minds of that
committee not more efficiently managed
than the comptroller general's department,
I will pay, out of my personal
pocket, the expenses of such investigation
with a great deal of pleasi
ure.
>t I am very sorry to have to call this
matter any more to your attention, but
the comptroller general's report was
:e headlined, with big type, In the news- 1
ie papers, calling attention to this mat?
ter, while my report has not even been
1- printed in said papers at all. It, there,s
fore makes It necessary for me to call
these matters directly to your attention,
in order that the records may be
kept straight.
There is now In the governor's office
a new and complete, and perfectly
y handsome outfit; waterworks have
been installed; ice water is kept; new
\r carpets and new furniture put In; the
walls of both offices painted, and I
n pride myself in saying that I do not
believe that there Is another governor's
office In the union that is more neatly
ie kept or is more neatly furnished, with- :
e out extravagance or without attempt
(j at luxury, than the office of the gov- ;
ernor of South Carolina.
ie When I came Into the office It was j
ie in a deplorable condition. At a very 1
ie small expense, the change has been 1
n brought about, and I would be pleased
,r for you to come down and Inspect It
Trusting that I have not unduly lm
posed upon your time,
d Very respectfully,
a. COLE L. BLEASE,
Governor.
n
h FERGUSON REPLIE8 TO TILLMAN
[f Spartanburg Man Says Ha Bumad
re Bait Lattar Immediately.
d Harrison Ferguson, of Spartanburg,
h says Senator Tillimn has done him a
n grave Injustice In th? reply to Governor
Blease. He denies emphatlcaJly
>k that Governor Blease saw the famous
11 antl-Blease letter, or that anybody
>f was permitted to copy It. On tho conv,
trary, he claims to have burned it, and i
t- he calls upon Senator Tillman to make
ly amends. Immediately after reading
>t Senator Tillman's letter, he wrote the
in senator aa follows:
in Spartanburg, S. C., Jan. 21, 1913.
?- Senator, B. R. Tillman, Washington,
D. C.
is Dear Sir: I have read your refer y
ence to me in your "frank message" to
the general assembly of South Caroll
>0 na, and noted carefully what you had
ih to 8ay about "My letter to Ferguson,"
n and your insinuation that, in your
w opinion, I am not believable: also,
1 that I did not swear to the actual
truth, and another subtle Insinuation
that I had suppressed the truth; also
"and that a man with an easy conscl|*
ence could swear to almost anything."
K Now Senator Tillman, I want to say
r" that I am a young man in ordinary
l(J circumstances, and, you might say,
" Just entered upon my business career.
lt You have used your dignified position
to besmirch my character for telling
5r the truth, and having manhood enough
to swear to it, and for which I hold
you responsible.
'? I have no knowledge whatever of
' how Gonzales got the information as
1(5 to the contents of your letter, for I did
a not furnish it, nor did I show it to
n Governor Blease, or allow anyone else
to?and can furnish witnesses to the i
10 fact that I burned the letter without
y ever letting it leave my possession be!r
fore seeing Governor Blease, after I 1
received it.
I feel that you, of your position and
influence, did me a grave injustice, and
that you owe me a modification of
your assertion, and a correction of
your aspersion on my character for 1
truthfulness. You have gone beyond
your privilege as a citizen and a gentleman,
and violated your right to re"
spect from a fellow citizen.
r" Very truly yours,
15 HARRISON FERGUSON.
)0 ?Anderson, July 20: Judge Shlpp
)0 today signed an order transferring
>0 from the state to the United States
i- court the suit of S. P. Taylor against
I the Sovereign camp, Woodmen of the
jr World, for $20,000 damages. The case
r. grew out of the killing of M. Taylor,
son of S. P. Taylor, by Furmar? Bagwell,
during an initiation ceremony
14 during which Bagwell was a candidate.
14
>0 Old-time Election Laws.?American
5t electors were at one time required to
I- possess very high qualifications. In
parts of New England during the 17th
!- century, voters had to reside in "a
P. stone house of the dimensions of 20
?y feet by 16, with one or more brick or
if stone chimney or chimneys." Each
I. voter had also to be certified by his
le neighbors "of sober and peaceable
I. disposition." In Connecticut every
id candidate for the local assembly had
* - ? ?-U tHn ao.
Warm Address to Great Crowd-of
People.
It was the hope of The Enquirer to
print in full today. Governor Bleaae's
Inaugural address delivered last Tuesday;
but having failed In a faithful
effort to get a copy of it in time for ,
this issue, the best we can do Is to reproduce
the following account of the
Inaugural exercises from the Columbia
Record;
The message will be printed in full
In our next issue.
Besides the governor and lieutenant
governor, the following state officers
were sworn in today:
Secretary of state?R. M. McCown
who succeeds himself.
Comptroller general?A. W. Jones,
who succeeds himself.
Treasure: ?8. T. Carter, who succeeds
R. H. Jennings.
Superintendent of education?J. E.
Swearlngen, who succeeds himself.
Attorney general?T. H. Peepres,
who succeeds J. Fraser Lyon.
Adjutant and Inspector general?W.
W. Moore, who succeeds himself.
Commissioner of agriculture?E. J.
Watson, who succeeds himself. This
officer last year was made elective- by
the people. Before It was appointive.
Mr. Watson, as provided In the act
creating the office, took oath on the
first of the year.
Railroad commissioner?J. O. Richards,
who succeeds himself. -H'-w.
Crowded galleries looked down Tuesday
morning on the ceremories incident
to the Inauguration of Governor
Blease and Lieutenant Governor Smith
in the presence of the Joint a?iembly
of the two houses in the hall of the
house of representatives. SeTiaUe* P
L. Hardin, president pro tern of the
senate, presiding over the joint aai 'jmbly.
The Joint assembly stood while the
Inaugural party made Its way to the
speakers stand. Governor Blease
headed the procession walking by the
side of Senator Appelt, and following
Just behind, came Lieutenant Governor
Smith walking by the side of Mr.
ueorge K. KemDert, men me enter justice
and the other state officials. Rev.
N. A. Hemrick, of Newberry, offered
prayer, following which Magistrate
Caskey of Lancaster administered the
oath of office to Governor Blease.
In his inaugural address the governor
said that God had never given any
man more truer friends than he had
and spoke of his well known motto,
"Of what shall a man be proud If he Is
not proud of his friends." While he
was making his remarks concerning
61s friends the governor held In his
ands the Bible which had belonged to
bis father and on which he took the
oath of office.
Charge va Mitohell.
The governor said that hin information
was, that there was a fight between
two of the state colleges, Wlntbrop
and the university, and he charged
that it had been told to him that
the Peabody body, of which former
Governor M. F. Ansel Is a member,
bad about decided to give Wlnthrop
college $90,000, when Dr. Mitchell of
the university, went nort i m an endeavor
to get an appropriation from
mis iuna ana boju uiui u iuv uunwslty
wens riven so much he would be
willing for the balance of the fund to
be used In the education of negroes.
The governor scored the university
president for this alleged agreement
and called on the general assembly to
Investigate the matter. The governor
aid this information had been given
him by President D. B. Johnson, of
Wlnthrop college and he suggested
that President Johnson be called as a
witness and he said as to President
Mitchell's statement, he understood
that Governor Ansel held a signed letter
from Dr. Mitchell containing this
statement He said that if this be true,
Dr. Mitchell has no place in the educational
department of South Carolina.
The governor said that August Kohn,
a university trustee, and Superintendent
of Education Swearingen could
give information as to this.
The governor warned against making
appropriations for state colleges
In bulk or else it would take a twothirds
vote to pass It over his veto. He
warned against extravagant appropriations.
and urged the members to be
ware of lobbyists.
Crooked Elsetions.
"If you want the man lower down
to obey the law, let the man higher up
sustain it," said the governor In referring
to the cry for law enforcement.
In speaking of the primary he
referred to the cry of fraud last summer
and the Investigation by the state
committee when none were reported
and said, "The other side had all the
election machinery and they cried
fraud and didn't And any," and said
that if the legislature desired to make
an Investigation he would give them the
names of witnesses and furnish them
with evidence concerning certain voting
precincts in Spartanburg, Greenville,
Orangeburg and Charleston. He
urged the passage of a law opening the
books of registration in every county
in the state next July and August, so
as to give every man an opportunity to
register and then let the legislature
come back next session and they would
then be in a better position to pass
upon the matter of primary regulation.
He scored "aristocrats" and sail
they would applaud the curse wordi
and vulgar songB of little "Yanket
show girls," but when the governo;of
South Carolina used the word
"hell" they said "Ain't it awful." He
reiterated his well known remarks
about never ordering out a military
company to protect a negro who lays
his hands on a white woman. He
scored the press, especially denouncing
the three leading dally papers of the
state.
The governor advocated the adoption
of some regulation concerning
football and read from clippings of
papers of where certain players were
Injured, quoted a headline about,
"Heyward has a broken nose."
He referred to the prosperity of the
state and as to the race track situation,
quoted the law to show that it
was not a special act against the
Charleston track, but covered also
betting on elections, turkey raffles,
and games of chance. "Suppose you
indict all men who bet on the primary
election last summer, I would have to
get some more pardon blanks printed,"
he said, and then gave his position
on the race track law, betting on
cards, and other forms of violation.
He said that his attitude was to let
some people swear out warrants and
then if the magistrate and sheriff
didn't do their duty, he would see that
the laws are enforced. As to the attitude
of Attorney General Peeples he
said: "Any man who can eat up a
lion certainly can do his duty."
He said that he was not through
pardoning people, but referred to a
request from some legislators asking
for a pardon for one person and the
transfer of another from the penitentiary
to the asylum.
The governor said In closing that he
had wiped the slate clean and held no
malice in his heart against any true
South Carolinian or true American
citizen. He had forgiven what had
been done against him in the past and
called on the legislature to Join hands
with him in doing those things which
will be for the best interest of the people
of all the state. He said that his
highest ambition had been gratified
in being elected governor of South
Carolina and he hoped for a constructive
session and called for co-operation
on the part of the members.
The governor's address wan frequently
interrupted with cheers and
handclapping.
The oath of office was administered
to Lieutenant Governor Smith by
Chief Justice Gary, and immediately
after this the joint assembly was dissolved
and the senate returned to its
chamber.
V