Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

mLUI ISSUES FJIIIEWELL WIRIDNE Says That He Will Retire From Office at End of Present Term POINTS OVT mRTINCTlONH BETWEEN TIILLMANISM AM) BLKAKK I AM AMU SHOWS HARMFUL EFFECTS OF ELECTING KXECT rrVE TO 8KNATE?-BKLIITH IN PHOPLE AND Til Kill HI LM, ' FOR THEY WILL CORRECT M 1ST A K KS. Washington. Auf. 14.?Senator B. K Tlllman, today announcing that he. would not again become a candi? date for the eenate. gave out the fol? lowing signed statement: "Tellow Cttieens. "1 was 17 years old the 11th day S>\ August and felt like sending all of you a greeting. I served you as gov? ernor four years and have been your senator In Washington 20 years. When my term expires March 4, 1919. If I live so long. I shall have held the highest offices in your gift for 28 years. An old man desires to thank you foe your generous support all this long while. May he not. with? out boasting, but In sincerity and ear neatness, say that he has done his very beet for both South Carolina and the nation* Constituted as I am, 1 could not have done otherwise. One of the first lessons my good and noble mother taught me was, 'If a thing 1* worth doing at all, It Is worth doing well.' While 1 was governor therefore, I was governor, as every one In South Carolina knows, not of tan Tillmanltes alone, but of all the feaple. And since 1 have been sen? ator I have tried to be as good a sen gtqff a* there was In Washington. "Sldce August. 1886, when I made my first speech at Bennettsville, I hav? been one of the most prominent figures, and since 1890 the most pow? erful political factor in South Caro I Man. From the very start I won the love and confidence of a large major? ity of my fellow cltisens and It was because of the genuineness of my De? mocracy that 1 wsa so hated and bit? terly opposed. Many good men be? lieved I was un office seeking dema? gog uo and could find no language strong enough to express their hatred and contempt. ' Two years ago when s test of my patriotism came, I demonstrated to ? those wwo had ale/ays opposed me that I was net the selfish politician they gad Judged me to be. No one knew better than I the risk I ran In making the Ferguson letter public. I knew It jeopardised my reelection but 1 would rather have been beaten than to have remained silent. My frank? ness, straightforward openness of speech and honesty of purpose?I de? spise hypocrlcy above all other vices ?have thrown me Into many a briar pw*ch when a more cautious man would have avoided, but I never have lost sight of the Ideals which opened before me at Bennettsville tud the welfare and uplift of the masses have always been the guiding star which led me on. Tour faith, fellow clti? sens. sustained me. and I greet you in this farewell address with affection and confidence. "This Is my good-bye to public of? fice. I shall not be a candidate again. Two years ago when I asked you to rostect me that I might 'die lu har? ness' I fully expected to die very soon; but ths good l.oni has seen tit to pro? long my life and by teaching me to live rationally has enabled me to re? gain somo degree of health. Should I live to the end of my term. I shall be 72 years of age and I now serve notice upon alt who ? re Interested that I shall not try to sn.ceed myself. If I live until Msrch 4. 1919, I shall die out of and not In harness, as I havs always wanted to do. Hut 1 ? shall not worry. Death awaits us alii and la Inevitable. I go the way of all my fathers, and 1 try to say In all humility and sincerity, "Lord. Thy wilt ha done." "For four years tit least many men .In Mouth Carolina have had their eyes on the sest I held This Is natural because of my Illness and th? expec? tation of my early death. There has boon some discussion of it in the newspapers, wht'-h was to be expect ?4L Ifow curious, fantastic and cruel ?a human selfishness; but withal how natural a thing It Is. It is the only element of human nature which is universal. I do not complain at It, and I earnestly hope that the nun who ts chosen will serve the people as faithfully as I have. You may find a man with more ability than I possess; you can not find one who will bring to bis work greater earnestness and honesty of purpose. ' t'nder the peculiar circumstances which now exist in South Carolina, I hope I may be permitted t,, say a few words about the present situation |g our State without being misunder? stood. It gives be deep roneern. 1 am morticed and disappointed that the prlmar> system, has failed to de? velop In th# people sufficient political Intelligence to enable them to escape the wiles and tricks of demagogues. Audacity and aptitude In repartee, coupled with a striking personality, have made the people an easy prey. Instead of candidates heing compelled to discuss public questions and poli? cies, they have been allowed to make appeals to prejudice, and the people, blinded by these arts, have followed and made heroes of men who are wholly unworthy. I have been and still am accused of inaugurating this method of campaigning. I challenge the production of a single speech of mine wherein I departed from the discussion of public Issues or indulged in unparliamentary language until forced to do so by unfair opponet.nsn forced to do so by unfair opponents. The more bitter enemies of the re form movement began the vitupera? tion and abuse that have marked South Carolina politics since 1890. They answered argument with invec? tive; they greeted truth with show? ers of mud and filth; and they, not I. must bear the responsibility. "Two years ago I lamented the same thing, and said I doubted wheth? er I had not made a mistake in giv ir- the people the ballot and teaching them how to use it. But I was impa? tient. I here reaffirm my confidence m the people?all the people col? lectively. I believe that the judg? ment of the whole people??ich and poor, educated and ignorant, high and low?in the surest and truest guide to political action. Their mistakes w ill be fewer and will be more quickly mend? ed than will be the errors of any one class, be It ev??r so enlightened. I be? lieve this so religious;:' that I would rather have a bad governor or a bad senator elected by all the people than a good one elected by any one class. The whole people correct their blun? ders; the rule of a class tends to the growth and perpetuation of abuse. I have implicit faith that all the peo? ple of South Carolina are going to stamp out Bleasslsm sooner or later. The strongest Bleaseltes will be lead? ers as soon as they are convinced that they have made a mistake. If I did not believe this. I would lose all faith In self-government. "Jefferson's slogan was, 'Teach the people and trust the people.' To this principle all patriots will give cred? ence, and all Democrats will gladly obey. When the demagogue comes along and blinds the people by the glamor of his arts and Instills deviltry and poison into their minds, good cit? izens must not despair, but redouble their efforts; for the truth is more powerful than falsehood and must prevail In the long run. "Again I reaffirm my faith in the people. The battle between privilege and freedom, between equality and favoritism, is world-wide, and ages old. It has brought the cataclysm which we are witneslng in Kuropo today. The people of that continent are struggling to free themselves from the shackles of autocracy and the divine right of kings. It Is a battle be? tween autocracy und republicanism. The contest in South Carolina in 1890 was to overthrow an aristocracy which had come down to us from colonial days. It was a real revolution, in which families were divided, father against son, and brother against brother, showing that principle, and principle alone, moved the people to action. It was my high privilege to lead the movement which emancipated South Carolinians from the thraldom ot sn oligarchy which had ruled the State for a century. That was my greatest work. 1 taught South Carolinians to know their rights and how to obtain these rights, and the State has made mar? velous progress in every way. In edu? cation, In soma of Its aspects, it has progressed more than any of its sis? ter States; for we have t'lemson and Winthrop as model schools, the best of their kind, and, if there were less selfishness and more public spirit throughout the State, the lamentable Ignorance now existing in some sec? tions would soon disappear. Hut our common schools in mans counties are sadly deficient and must be im? proved. A democracy without ade? quate means for educating its citizens |g bound to be shipwrecked. We egg not afford to let our children grow up like weeds. If we do, Ignorance will I choke out all that is best in our peo-j pie and destroy our civilization. The Stato In self-defense, if for no higher reason, will, somehow or other, have to Me?. to it that all the white children get at least the rudiments of an edu I i cation. Compulsory education in a big question, and 1 have never here? tofore favored it, but acute diseases demand drastic remedies, and if a statute can be framed that will force the white children into school and at the same time give the blacks only the kind of training?manual and in? dustrial?which they can assimilate, it ought to be done. Effective compul? sory education will require a great deal of money, but if we are not will? ing to spend money for our children God pity us. Whether a general law or local option by counties is the best is a matter of opinion and will have to bs> threshed out by the legislature. "The people two years ago elected a man. governor who has 'run amuck' as it were, and displayed so little realization of his high opportunities that It makes me sad and angry to be told, as I have been more than once, that Tillamnism is the direct cause of llleaseism. All thoughtful and intelligent men know that this is only a half truth, and half truths are .he worst sort of lies. Tillman ism taught the people that they could whip and destroy special privilege with the ballot. That was a good thing, all must admit. Now, is Tlll? man: sm to blame because the people have used that same ballot with which to elevate a demagogue? Yes, I U tight the people that they had a right to govern South Carolina and I proclaim the principle anew. They do have the right, even if they elect a hundred Bleases. 'Teach the peo-1 plo and trust the people.* We will, in the end, have better government at the hands of all the people than we would have If any one class ruled. The people will rectify their blunders as soon as they have become con? vinced of their error. ' "It would be just as true to say that Democracy causes Socialism and anarchy as it would be to say that Tillamnism caused Bleaseism. Had my health continued good, I would have taught the people the folly of Bleaseism two years ago, pointed out the difference and stemmed the tide which Jones found himself unable to cope with. I would have guided the Tillmanites, while Blease only misled them, and all for the gratification on his own selfish ambition. j "A large per cent of those who two years ago and now are yelling 'la ,nd order,' want a law and ordet of their own contriving. They are not ready to admit that, politically speaking, all white South Carolinian!* are equal. They think themselves divinely commissioned l* rule every? body else, and this, no rillmanism, Is th'j true cause of Bleaseism. The plain people saw this resurrected hourhonism and, thinking it was the old 'ring' come to life again, took Bleaseism in preference to it. Blease himself is a mere symptom. The real fever is bigotry, political intol? erance and social injustice. I call upon you, my fellow citizens, you who know and claim to want better and higher things, to broaden your sympathies. Stop prating about 'law and order' and treat your next door neighbor with a little more consid? eration. Though he live in a hovel, though he never saw the inside of a school room, ho has the same right to vote for Blease that you have to vote against him, and you have no more right to question his motive than he has to question yours. Learn that great truth, act on It to the ut? termost, and my word for it, Blease? ism will disappear?and it will not disappear until you do learn it. "Then, too, a certain class of our fellow citizens have been very un? just and unreasonable in their deal? ing with the poorer people, treating them with no consideration what? ever and showing a i >ntempt for them. This is especially true with regard to those who work in the cot? ton mills. In many communities the people in the mill villages are a class apart, looked down upon and not as? sociated with. No wonder Socialism and the I. W. W. are getting a fool hold among these citizens of ours. It was not so once, and it ought not to be so now. We all should address ourselves to the remedy lest It bring dlro disaster upon the common* wealth, for in the last analysis white unity is absolutely essential for the continuation of good government. If these poor men are trampled under foot as they have been taught to be? lieve they are, they will join with any movement, no matter how radi? cal and ultra, to get revenge. This I is the secret of Blease's hold on the people who work In the cotton mills, and we ought by every means in our power break that hold by showing the lame respect and consideration for them that we do for others. "As for those who compare Blease the man with Tlllman Ihe man. they ere, for want of a better term, what I may call maliciously Ignornnt. Blease ami Tlllman are both popular idols ami there the resemblance ends I ha<i definite ends to accomplish; my personal character and private life were always above reproach and my integrity was never questioned save by a few shnulerers who merely as? serted without attempting to prove, There is just enough similarity be? tween Blease and Tillman to deceive the ignorant and furnish a bludgeon to the vicious. "I do not believe Gov. Blease ought to be sent to the United States sen? ate, because he is not worthy of the honor, and so believing I would he recreant to the people of South Caro? lina if I did not say so. But do not misunderstand me. I speak as a citi? zen merely and T fully realize and rec? ognize the right of the humblest man in South Carolina to differ with me. A man's ballot is his own and no other man has a right to criticise him for using it as he chooses. "I am too near the grave to tell any lies, if I ever had the inclina? tion to do so; I have nothing to gain by .<i?caking; hence there is no selfish? ness in my utterances. But I love the State which has honored me so long and in such a marked degree and I want to warn our people?those who will listen to me?before it i& too late I repear, there is absolutely no ele? ment of personality or selfishness in it. All my ambitions?and I thank God they were all worthy ones?have been satisfied. Therefore, 1 speak, as it were, from a mountain top, look? ing down upon my fellows, who in a few yean must follow me to the grave. If ever a man's utterance ought to cause the people to pause and listen and think, mine should. For all essential purposes I speak as one who is dead. If I allowed sel? fishness to influence me, I would quiet? ly work to have Blease sent here be? cause there is nothing more certain than this: While Wood row Wilson is president Blease will get no recognit? ion in the way of patronage whatever. I have had little or none, but I would have it all hereafter with Blease as a colleage. If a Republican should , follow Wilson, Blease might in a way duplicate or repeat my attitude to Wardl Cleveland, who did not recog? nize the Tillmanites in South Carolina as Democrats at all. If the unhappy difference among our people in South Carolina shall continue and Bleaseism , becomes the dominant factor in tVie State, Blease might in time play the role of Mahone in Virginia. All signs, however, point 'o the triumphant re? election of President Wilson and the continuance of the Democratic party in power. "There is one striking thing about Gov. Blease as a leader and a states? man to be very seriously considered. I It seems to have been lost sight of up to this time. He has been in public life since 1890. He came to the front the same year I did. If he is such a great leader now, more worthy to be followed than Tillman, more worthy of admiration and trust, how has he succeeded all these years in hiding itV What has he ever done in a construe? tive way to benefit the people of South Carolina? Let those who are his sponsors answer. I have demon? strated my statesmanship and ability to lead in a dozen ways. Without even mentioning what I have done in Washington as a senator, I have many monuments to my credit in South Carolina? Clemson and Winthrop in an educational way, the constitutional conventicn, which relieved the peo? ple of the State of the menace of ne? gro domination by the organic law under which we live, the primary system of choosing candidates and the despised and slandered dispensary, which only failed because the cor? rupt politicians in the legislature got hold of it and the anti-Tillmanites egged them on to destroy it. But in spite of all their machination and cunning, it still survives locally in many counties. All these are largely my handiwork. In God's name, let! those who were formerly Tillmanites but now Blease shunters, show what Blease has done of a similar charac? ter. They can not do it and they owe it to themselves to pause and analyse things and recover their reason?if they can. They can undo some ot the wrongs they have perpetuated and restore the State's good name which Blease has made a byword and a hissing. The 25th of August will tell the story and I watch the result with confidence." The enrollment in Clarendon is a little larger this year than the vote of two years ago, notwithstanding the fact that the territory In Balemj cut off and annexed to Williamsburgl carried with it about 40 votes. The, largest vote polled in the primary two years ago was lm io and the enroll? ment this year shows '.'.r., increas? ed by add this to the 40 votes cut off ami gone to Willia mshurg and the increase would have been 72, Then there are h number of voters who failed to comply with the require? ments, these will n<>t be able to Vote. If the enrollment has Increas ed all over the state in proportion considering population, the vole In the coming primary will he consid? erably larger than it \\;is two years ago, Then it was said the boxes wert stuffed and flagrant frauds were prac? ticed, hut should the vote be Increas? ed this year as is probable, some other excuse will have to be found hj the defeated.?Manning Times, MG ATTENDANCE AT OPENING EXERCISES AND MUCH l\ TEREST slluWN. Children Well Pleased with Place and Have Enjoyable Day?Grounds Presented to City b> Mrs, Solomon ?Interesting Talks Made by Maj. Robertson and Knpt, I id mundo. A very Interesting und pleasing oc? casion was the opening of the chil? dren's playgrounds at the corner of Main and Bartlette streets yesterday afternoon, an Interesting crov <l of several hundred persons, over half <?i whom were children, being present to attend the exercises and to show their appreciation of this step which was being taken for the pleasure benefit of the children of the city. Tile exercises were brief, but ap? propriate and were of an lnt< r< ding nature. Mrs. Nina Solomons, as i?r< s ident of the Civic League, made I i presentation of the grounds to the city, and Maj, W. F. Robertson, Citj Manager, made the speech of accept? ance. Prof. s. II. Edmunds in lilting words showed the advantage to the children of having the playgrounds und thanked the ladies of the Civic League for their work in behalf of the children. The 9 exercises were brought to a close by a maypole dance by a dozen of the pretty little girls of the town. At the time appointed for the exer? cises to begin, there had gathered <oi the grounds probably about throe hundred children and two hundred t)f the ohler people <?f the city. Itcv. J. P. Marion of the First Presbyterian Church opened the exercises with prayer, Mrs. Solomons then on be tialf of the Civic League, which had furnished the grounds with apparatus, told of the needs of the children of the city, as seen by the members of the civic League, who had entered lipon plans "for securing money to SQulp the grounds. Several lots had bt <Mt offered bj {? itriottc citizens, but this ?im had been accepted frown Dr. Archie Chine as th< most suitable, in order to secure funds ih< dog and pony show was given ;*nd ihe profits had been exp< nded in provid? ing the uoparatus already installedi which nould be added to from time to 11111? - as tii<- League had money for this purpose. Mr: Solomona pointed out the need oi >ther such play? ground iti the west*, pari of the city, saying that she hoped in time one might l>e established there for the many children in the neighborhood. Maj VV. P. llobertson referred to th? children as the bullders*of the future .-Mate, saying that by right training and educaton they a'ould make this K?lte a l>etter place than it was today. In a few well chosen words he accepted the grounds fur tin- city. Prof. S. II Edmunds was glad of a place where the children might build up their bodies and that such a place l..id i een established for their ? joyment. For the children he ex? pressed his vi:.1 tii'i.tion and the sense of appreciation at this gift from the Civi?- League. The ehildn n showed their appreciation at the close of his 'remarks by their united applause. The exericses were then closed with the maypole dance, s very pretty per? formance. During the exercises, before and after thein the smaller children and some of the larger ones were deriving I .1 great ?t?*:11 of pleasure and enjoy? ment from the various plat appara? tus. The swings were k<;,t going? the joggling boards went up and down* see-saw boards did their part and all of the <-ihcr apparatus were loaded with children, showing their appre? ciation hv their actions .more than . vords could desicrlbe. Congee** Will Adoeurn Soon. Washington, Aug. 17. -Ad.iourr menl of congress may take place i a tew weeks if the strict adminlstra lion program is adhered to, said Pre* ident Wilson today. For You? This bank is a bank for you and every other man, woman and child who wants to save money, or spend wisely what they have already saved. The Peoples Bank "THRIFT' You work hard for your money. Why not put some of it at work for you ? By adjusting living expenses so that the Savings Fund will get its share you will build a surplus that will in time pay you a nice income. Why not start now to Create a Surplus at this bank ? The Compound Interest we pay on your de? posits will help you wonderfully in doing so. The Commercial and Savings Bank,, 'The Bank That Always Treats You Right" The Bank of South Carolina SUCCE SSOR. TO THE FARMERS' BANK TRUST CO. CAPITAL - - - $2(10,000.00 SURPLUS - - - $150,000.00 Interest at 4 per cent compounded quarterly in Sav? ings Dept. 5 per cent on time certificates of deposit. Banking Pure and Simple. Our Lady Patrons Will find that in the arrangement of nur \i'W HOME >rc have mach? special provisions for tlielr comfort, hi addition to a coc> corner of tfic lobby, provided with writing laMes aud fomfOrtablo seats, aye have a special res! room >??? tin.* ladles ami sre cordlall} Invite them to make use of It. 1 The First National Bank OF SUMTKR