Pass Resolutions Call Upon Voters to Defeat Bleaseism

The conference of Anti-Bleaseites here today gathered from all parts of the State did not feel it was necessary to take any further steps towards elimination of any of the six Anti-Blease candidates for Governor, but adopted resolutions offered by the Aiken delegation calling "upon the manhood of South Carolina to join with us in going to the polls and laying aside, if necessary, their personal preferences and in casting their votes for the honor and good of our State and for the candidates who appear to be most available to overwhelmingly defeat Bleaseism on August 25."

Reports from delegates from all sections of South Carolina were coincident in that they believed Bleaseism is already dead and that the probabilities are that two Anti-Blease men will get into the second race for governor. The conference was composed of patriotic men, inspired only by a desire to work for the common good, and it was never the intention to have any "convention" or to interfere with the free choice of the people of the state, stating that "we have absolute confidence in the good sense and patriotism of the Democracy of South Carolina to select as the party's candidate for Governor a man who stands for decency, law and order in South Carolina and against the reign of lawlessness which has disgraced South Carolina for the past three and one-half years."

None of the candidates for governor, who are ranked as opposed to the Administration, T. J. Browning, John G. Clinkscales, R. I. Manning, Mendel L. Smith, C. A. Smith, and R. A. Cooper, attended. The conference was held in the ballroom of the Jefferson Hotel and there was absolute unanimity.

The following resolutions offered by Geo. W. Croft, member of the Aiken delegation, were adopted without a dissenting vote:

"Whereas, We, the delegates to the recent State Convention from Aiken County, recently issued a call for a conference of delegates from the various counties of the state, requesting the Anti-Blease forces to confer as to what action, if any, should be taken prior to the holding of a primary election; and

"Whereas, representatives from the various sections of the state met in the city of Columbia this day and made report on the situation; and

"Whereas, it was the judgment of those assembled that the overwhelming majority of the people of South Carolina is opposed to Bleaseism, and Bleaseism is already defeated; and

"Whereas, it was never the intention of the conference and of the callers thereof to interfere with the free choice of the people of the state in the primary election to be held August 25, we having absolute confidence in the good sense and patriotism of the Democracy of South Carolina, to select as the party candidate for governor a man who stands for decency, law and order in South Carolina, and against the reign of lawlessness which has disgraced South Carolina for the past three and one-half years, therefore be it

"Resolved by the delegates to the recent State Convention from Aiken county, That we do not deem it necessary or expedient to take any further step toward a selection of a proper and suitable candidate for governor; but we call upon the manhood of South Carolina to join with us in going to the polls, and laying aside, if necessary, their personal preferences, and in casting their votes for the honor and good of our state and for the candidates who appear to be most available to overwhelmingly defeat Bleaseism on August 25."

Responding to cries of "Pollock," Mr. W. P. Pollock, of Cheraw, whose name is now well known throughout South Carolina from the fight he is making in the race for the United States Senate, brought the conference a message of good cheer. "I have been in thirty counties, along the coast and extending to the foot of the mountains, and my positive belief is that Cole Blease will not carry a single one of them," he said amid cheers.

Telling of his ambition to represent South Carolina in the United States Senate, Mr. Pollock said he had been actuated by a higher motive than this in entering the race and that motive is "to do a man's part in redeeming South Carolina from the reign of lawlessness which has disgraced her for the last three and one-half years and to bring her again to that place she [...]