Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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s SPECIAL El CHESTERFIELD, S. C., SA' Mush and Sob Stui Defense of Ble \ Chesterfield County has just been treated to the spectacle of an ordained minister of the gospel hiding behind the pulpit for respectability while defending the indefensible pardon record of Ex-Governor Blease, who is now seeking election for the mira time to that office. The Rev. Baxter McLendon has not refused to use the methods of a shyster preacher in his efforts. He has overlooked the most important facts in the case and has Dlaved on the sympathy and emotion of his readers to carry over his point.. He admits in the outset of his article that the great Methodist Church had to freeze him out. In his own language,4'they gave me the Klondyke look, the cold stare, and the frosty hand. They are as cold as a pawnbroker's heart toward me." Cole Blease pardoned 1,743 criminals?turned them loose on the people to again commit their pet crimes. This act the Rev. McLendon unqualifiedly endorses as a Christian act. On what does he base his argument, if argument it may be called? Oh the case of a "poor old negro." whose name and ^......... if SKima he fails.(somehow) to mention, and on general-unsanitary conditions of the prison institutions at the time. Think of it?when all the mush and sob stuff is eliminated what justification does he offer for the release of 1,743 criminals? The plea of one black man whose name and crime he does not mention. Now for a clear statement of the things this minister of the gospel is defending we refer our readers to the last page of this paper. There it will be seen that Mr. McLndon under oover of his mush and sob-stuff is defending the release of? 82 Men Convicted of Rape 411 Men Convicted of the taking of human life. Here is a sample of the appeal he made for them: "Yes, Governor Blease found men that were lost, without father, mother, brother, sister or friend to itercede for them, left alone in the world behind stone walls and iron bars." He even found men dying there! In the name of civilization, in the name of law and order, yes in the name of God?the author of all law?why shouldn't convicted rapists, murders, thiefs and other criminals be kept behind stone walls? Should we be asked to sob and weep because Jones of Union County was found there behind prison bars? And did I LANEY WILL VOTE FOR McLEOD Senator Laney has given out the following signed statement: "As I have been approached for a statement as to my attitude in the next primary, I wish to state that my position was well defined in my speech at Allendale in the recent campaign, in which I stated that I had never supported Mr. Blease. The principles advocated by me were in line with those expressed by Mr. McLeod and I expect to vote for him in the next primary. 41 I take this opportunity to express my deepest appreciation to titoae wrho, supported ma in the recent primary." (Signed) GEORGE K. LANEY. i ? ? ,r t rn r-?....... ( f A 0 -g' t F' V \ "" * < DITJON OF . % b* r ? ^ JJ^IFJM^ JW& HL/ jfS^ 71^/ . - *v ^ r i, ; j_ ' " i rURDAY, AUGUST 9, 1922 d; A P Li A L uur \\ 'i ^r.yvrtSk^' ase Pardon Record 3 r ' > "W,' 77 1. Mack bejp God to soften the heart of the governor to release Jones that he may go back to Whom? All the state remembers Jones of Union. Jones murdered his wife. The revolting details of his in-human treatment of her?-details brought out at the trial?could not be printed in full. H1b actual murder of her was a merciful act. It released her from his power, i Blease pardoned Jones! Why did Cyclone Mack overlook this man, whose name and crime are known? Why, if he is sincere in his plea does he select a poor old unidentified negro upon which to make his plea for clemency? Sibce Mack does not mention the name of the crime of this negro, jwe see no reason why we should not remind our readers that ofthe criminals released 82 were rapists?most of them negroes !; It is well to keep in mind that all our governor's have made judicata use of the pardoning power and that nearly all have bceninore inclined to err on the side of mercy than otherwise. ytfe State proVifles^for a pardoning board, wlio look into the merits of each case and go carefully over all court records involved to see if there has been a miscarriage of justice. This board Governor Blease dismissed, usurping powers which were not his in order to release nnrenentAnt criminoio ?c, wfr ?raaw*BV VAltlllllUtO UrO I he wished. And why should Mack bring in the names of Billy Sunday, Jerry McCauley and John Callihan and expect to play on the religeous emotions of his readers? The saving grace, and the power of God to reclaim a lost soul is well known, but how can that fact be turned to an argument in favor of emptying the prisons of all the mental and moral degenerates the courts have seen fit to place there? To quote again your own words, Mack, "You can fool all the people some of the time; you can fool some of them all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time." BLEASE OR McLEOD (From the Lancaster News.) It requires a second primary to decide whether a majority of the Democratic voters of South Carolina prefer Blease or McLeod as governor. It is useless to try to defeat Blease by abuse, misrepresentation, or strained assaults on his democracy. Blease /typifies the protest of the people who feel that the common man needs a leader as against the organized power of corporate wealth, with allied political ambition. It is the belief, we think, of a majority of the voters of South Carolina that McLeod will show qualities of leadership which will prove that he possesses ia genuine sympathy for the rights of the masses as against the ! power and combination of organized big business. The first .choice of the editor of The News was Laney, but now choice is between Blease and McLeod as the best and most available man for South Carolina at this time. We are controlled in this choice by two main reasons, either of which should secure his nomination without resort to unavailing tactics. 1. No man should be elected governor for a third term. 2. Harmony and prosperity in South Carolina can best be promoted by the election of McLeod. Blease omens bitter strife. McLeod is steady for law enforcement with proper mercy ami is wise enough to give attentive ear to the fights af fete nfeecan net organize expensive lobhfeft. \ \