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TILLMAN DENIES HE IS VIOLATING LAW MAINTAINS THAT TRUSTEESHIP IS NOT AN "OFFICE." Claims That Intention of Framers is Not to be Interpreted as Includ ing Trustees. Washington, Feb. 14.-Holding that the meaning of the word "office" 'where it occurs in the constitution. of South Carolina does not embrace that of rustee of a college, and that therefore he is within both the letter and the spirit of the law in holding the office of senator while at the same time trustee of Winthrop and Clem son colleges. Senator Tillman today explained his views of the situation for the State. Senator Tillman says he assisted in framing the section of the constitu tion regarding the right to hold two offices at once and that the meaning ,of the term "office" was discussed at the time with the result that it w;. held to be not incompatible tol 1old otZc6 ad be a college trustee at the same time. IIe insists that iti would have been absurd for him to! frame any part of the constitution which would legislate him out of the trusteeship of a college he loved so well and had done so much for. "Inasmudh as Gov. Blease in a spe cial tustagi'egarding the holding ol two offices has made specific men tion of me as one of the law-break ers," said Senator Tillman, "I feel willing to make public my position. Otherwise I would have nothing to say until the court passed upon it, as suggested by the joint committee of T. e legislature. "'The whole question hinges on the interpretation that shall be placed upon the word 'office.' The language in article 2, section 2, of the consti tution is plain and simple enough: 'But no person shall hold two offices of honor or profit at the saine time.' There is a special exeeption'in the case of notiriles public and of militia officers. "Article 3, section 24, of the consti tution is more explicit: "'No person shall be eligible to a1 seat in the general assembly while he - hlds any office or position of profit er trust unider this State, the United -States of America, or any of them or under any .other power, except of fioers in the militia or notaries pub *lic.' "I was a member of the constitu tional convention and was chairmanI of the committee which framed the second article, that dealing with sug frage. I remember very well that the question of what econstituted an office was 'discussed in the convention as I was then both a trustee of Win throp and of Clemson. While there' was no vote, the consensus of opin ion and the adoption of the article as we had reported' it seemed to me to warrant the belief, which I then held and still hold, that the meaning of the word 'office' did not embrace that of trustee of a college. "This view is sustained by the knowledge that the chairmen of the committees on education in both the house and senate are ex officio! trustees of Winthrop and -the Uni-! versity of South Carolina, while the chairman of the committee on mili etary is an ex officio trustee of the Citadel. "The idea to my mind is absurd. that as a member of the constitution<al convention I would legislate myself out of a position as trustee for a col-' lege which I had done so much for and which I loved so well. I do not know what the opinion of the su preme court will be, and if it is de-1 cided thrat I am not legally entitled to sit on the board of trustees for' Win throp, I shall cheerfully get off it. I. have given much of my time .and study toward advancing the interests of that college and would hate to sev er my connection with It. "The legislature elected me such trustee withi the full knowledge that I am a United States senator. If there were no lawyers in that body compet ent to discover that x was not eligi ble, it is a sad commentary On our lawmakers. The legislature has seem ed all along to take' the view which I hold to be the correct one, for it has uniformly elected from its member ship trustees both to Clemson and Winthrop. "As for my position as senator dis qualifying me from acting as truste for Winthrop, it must be remembered that the office of senator is not a Stat e office, but a national one and was created by the constitution of the United States. It is filled by the State and that is all. : "I was a life trustee of Clemson when I was elected senator and had accepted the place under Mr. Ckm-I son's will even before I was elected governor. I would not consciousl act contrary to the, law of my owns State, and I do not. think I have done so. The two positions I hold are noj offices undler the State constitution a sI I -"!Mond the meaning of th eL word." 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