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" r ''fr, .f 1r LUN TOLr}r : . 'NUMBER 1' I?;z, s0 irx c.t r0 I.l :t, < : , ; . r : .:t;'. a ;9i*2 ,. Roosevelt Car For3 ANSWERS LETTER SAYING THAT HE WILL ACCEPT WRITES VERY SHORT NOTE AND LEAVES FOR BOSTON. Secretary Gives Out Information at New York Office to Army of Newspaper Men. New York, Feb. 24.-"I will accept the nomination for president if it is tendered me, and I will adhere to this decision until the convention has ex pressed its preference," is Col. Theo dore Roosevelt's reply to the letter of seven Republican governors asking him to stand for nomination. The eagerly awaited reply was giv en out tonight at Col. Roosevelt's of fice here during his absence on a trip to Boston. It was unexpectedly brief, but definite. It follows: The Announcement. "New York, Feb. 24, 1912. "Gentlemen: I deeply appreciate your letter, and I realize the full and heavy responsibility it puts upon me, expressing as it does the carefully -considered convictions of the men elected by popular vote to stand as the heads of government in their several States. I absolutely agree with you that this it -it er is u.)t one to be decider! With any refernee to the personal preference for interests of any man, but purely from the standpoint of the interests of the people as a whole. "I will accept the nomination for president if it is tendered to me, and I will adhere to this decision until the convention has expressed its prefer ence. "One of the chief principles for which I have stood and which I now stand, and which I have always en deavored and always- shall endeavor to reduce to action is the genuine rule of the people, and therefore, I hope that so far as possible the people may be given the chance through direct primaries, to express their preference as to who shall be .the nominee of the Republican presidential convention. "Very truly yours, "Theodore Roosevelt." "The Hon. William E. Glasscock, governor of the State of West Virginia, Charlestown, W. Va. "The Hon. Chester H. Aldrich, gov 4ernor of the State of Nebraska, Lin .coln, Neb. "The Hon. Robert P. Bass, governor of the State of New Hampshire, Con cord, N. H. "The Hon. Joseph M. Carey, gover nor of the State of Wyoming, Chey enne, Wyo. "The Hon. Chase S. Osborn, gover nor of the State of Michigan, Lansing, Mich. "The Hon. W.- R. Stubbs, governor of the State of Kansas, Topeka, Kan. "The Hon. Herbert S. Hadley, gov-~ ernor of the State of Missouri, Jeffer son City, Mo." The above named governors assem bled at Chicago two weeks ago and di,afted 'a letter to Roosevelt, asserting that there was a popular demand for him to be president again, and urging him to declare himself as to whether he would accept the Republican nomi nation "if it came unsolicited and un sought." For two weeks Col. Roosevelt con sidered the letter, indicating plainly that he had no intention of making a hasty reply. The Governors' Letter. The goviernors' letter follows: "ChicageO ).eo. 10, 1912. "g,the undersigned Republican .governois, assembled for the purpose of considering what will best insure the continuation of the Republican party as a useful agency of good gov ernment, declare it our belief, after a careful investigation of facts, that a large majority of the Republican vot ers of the country favor your nomima tion, and a large majority of the peo ONTTNTTED ON PAGE THREE). lidate he Nomination SUPER1NTENDENT 1NTERESTEDI Writes Interesting Letter and Makes { a;hiable Suggestions fot Bettor Ii ut of R a Sc l1ools. The county sup-"r.tedLt (u of edu cation has reeceived a letter from Hon. J. E. Swearingen which is the result of a statement pLhbished in The Herald and News on the 20th, copy of which wtas sent M y.earingen. Mr. Sweariugen's -itter is of considerable interest to the people of the county who are interested in the betterment of the rural schools, and we hope that Ithey will read what Mr. Swearingen says. He has a fair conception of the needs of the country schools and if the people could be awakened to a realization of the situation, improve ments could be secured, and schools bettered without increasing the taxes appreciably, and the great need to bring about condition desired is to arouse the people to the necessity for these improvements. The following is Mr. Swearingen's letter in full and it contains matters of great interest to the people of this county and to the people of the entire State: Columbia, S. C., Feb. 21, 1912. Supt. E. H. Aull, Newberry, S. C. Dear Colonel: Permit me to thank you for your courtesy in sending me a copy of The Herald and News of February 20. The need of an educational awaken ing in South Carolina is apparent to every thoughtful student of present conditions. The facts about our schools and our school system are not known to the people. The widespread unrest in education is no accident, because teachers, patrons and trustees recog nize and admit many serious defects, which they have been unable to cor rect. Your plan for full and open dis cussion deserves support and success. Newberry county, like every other county in the State, needs school im proviement. The program might in clude some of the following topics: 1. Cooperation between boards of school district trustees and the county superintendent of education in the employment of teachers. 2. Better school houses and a sev en-months' 'term for rural schools. 3. Continuing boards of school dis trict trustees to be elected annually by the residents of each district for a term of one, two and three years and regularly thereafter for .three years. 4. The appointment of a woman county supervisor of normal methods to work under the direction of the county superintendent for school bet terment. 5. The adaptation of the course of study to the needs and environment of the pupils. 6. More general and more intelli gent instruction in agriculture, domes tic arts, domestic science and sanita tion. 7. Liberal State appropriations for public school buildings, term exten sion, high schools, teacher training in high schools and summer schools for teachers. 8. Increased local taxation for schools, including the abandonment of the effete township method of assess ing property and the introduction of the policy of ta'king tax returns by school districts. 9. A better definiktion of enrolment, so as to stimulate teachers in the class room and to increase attendance among pupils. 10. The definite establishment of school district lines so as to conform to the law and the constitution.I 11. A correlation of elementary, high school and college activities in order that our system of education may become more useful to all the people. Much time, thought, labor, energy have been expended in the effort to reeal the constitutional tax of three mills and to place a compulsory edu cation law on the statute books. The advocates of tax re1ormn allege thr.I the fixdvae equnired by the constL IOunty Atnditor ait Treasarer 1 Four Year Terms-Law Ai ed. The Newberry delegation in I islature at the recent sEssion a: the law so that the terms of c the county auditor and the treasurer will hereafter be fou instead of two years. This ma of the offices four years, exc members of the legislature. TI ing summer all of the county will run for election, except judge, and the following two ye only offices to be filled will be probate judge and members legislature. tution for the support of the prevents honest .and equitable ment of property, because they that a one hundred per cent. tion will produce an excess sch< enue. They overlook the fact t constitutional tax of three mil provides but little more than cent. of school funds and that tl dent electors of 927 school d have voted local school taxes, , from one-half mill to 15 mill now raise $575,000 annually. It is impossible to provide to money for the public schools. figures show that the tax pa: one-half the districts of the Sta found the constitutional tax quate to meet their needs. Many districts are now read: compulsory attendance law. T jority of these districts contair and cities, but some of them ar ly rural. The patrons of the tricts should be allowed to vote question of compulsory attend. their district schools just as ti now allowed to vote on the q of local school taxation. A pal would do more harm than goo( educational program that se( place a State wide ccmpulsory tion law on the statute books inopportune, because it will 0 many vital problems that are different in the 43 counties. 1 stance the school term in Horr: ty, with a white enrpllilent of 15 weeks. While the term in C ton county with a white enrolli 4,216, is 34 weeks. The per expenditure per pupil in the E but little more than cne-fourth per capita expenditure for the as a whole. In Fairfield coun year this expenditure for negro 84 cents per child while in Cha county the per capita expendit1 negroes was $9.33.. A comparison of this figure w expenditure for whites in othei ties is striking. During the sci year 1910-11 each white child derson county was allowed $2 Berkeley county SS.C7, in Ct county, $6.88, in Chesterfield $6.98, in Colleton county $9.| Greenville county $6.03. in Horrn y $5.78, in Lancaster county $ conee county $6.33, in Pickena ty $6.85, in Saluda county $8 Spartanburg County $8.57, in ounty $8.30. It will thus be seen that 72,94( children in 13 counties were a smaller amount for their edi last year than were negro pu harleston cuouty. This does not mean that the i f Charleston were wasteful c the negroes of that county re undue advantages. The conditi sults from the failure of the Si whole to provide State-wide s for the public schools. This situation can never be c ed as long as each county is work out independently its own tional problems. Any educational meeting, disc or campaign where these fact these conditions tan be] resented to the people and ' practically discussed by the ta ers and patrons must inevitably in improvement. Wishing you success, I am, Yours respectfully, J. E. SwearingE State Superintendent of Educa Subscribe to The Herald and e paper that prints the news i flows. 'TAFT HAD TRUSTED WAS DEEPLY WOUNDED BY ROOSE he leg- YELT'S CRISP ANNOUNCEMENT nended ffice of May Result in Split in President's Of. county ficial Familf-Democrats Rather r years Pleased at News. k'es all ,pt the Washington, Feb. 25.-Newspapers te com- and the offices of Washington corre officers spondents were besieged today a.ad robate tonight with personal and telephone ars the ca.lls from politicians and statesmer that of asked what Col. Roosevelt had to say. >f the In the list of anxious callers were c sevieral Roosevelt boomers, who had e - recently called on the former presi schools dent and to whom it was supposed ad assess- vance information of his intentions assert had been given. It was evident that valua- few were prepared for the crisp, un ol rev- equivocal statement from the colonel t hat the that he was a candidate for the Re- n Is now publican nomination. 10 per- Expects to Win. ie resi- The only remark emanating from istricts the president during the, day that bore narying upon the tense political situation was s, that made to a senator who asked that his name be not used. It was: much "I know that we are right and II These 'am confident that we will be success S rers in ful." te have It has been only in the last fortI inade- night that President Taft has been willing to admit to his closest friends for a that he believed Col. Roosevelt would he ma- enter the race against him for the towns nomination. It is doubted whether e pure- up to the last minute- he was fully se dis- convftnced ':hat any announcement C on the coming from his predecessor would mce in be without a string attached. tey are That President Taft was deeply uestion hurt to learn that from now on he e >er law must engage in an open contest L. Anyto against the man under whom he had ;ks to served for many years became known L educa- fnw[ educ- [soon after the Rooseevit letter was will be made public. rerlook . Taft Hard to Convince. } widely or in- The relations between Col. Roose r coun- velt and Mr. Taft, when the latter 5,073 is served as secretary of war, were ex harles- ceptionally close. For months Presi ent of &Ent Taft refused to believe that Col. capita ;Roosevelt would oppose him for a re tate is inomination, and that he was conavinc of the ed the colcnel would turn a deaf earl nation to all urging, that he himself become ab ty last candidate, was known to all Mr. Taft's es was friends. These friends have pointed e rleston out that H. L. Stimson, secretary of a ire for! war, who . an for goA ernor of New $ York, with Mr. Roosevelt as his most 13i i. teconspicuous backer, and also George v cu-Von I.. Meyer, secretary of the navy, n olastic who was in the Roosevelt cabinet and in A-one of his chief's closest counsellors, e .6,i weer in the Taft official family. o er-e It has been a matter of every day conycomment that Messrs. Stimson and 7 .i i Meyer have been frequent visitors to con Col. Roosevelt's ,offices in New York ~.7 in or his home at Oyster Bay. These S 'visits were accepted as proof that coun .07 nMessrs. Taft and Roosev.elt weer not Uno wholly estranged. There is a great deal of speculation here tonight as to the probable attitude of these mem- t white hers of the cabinet. lowed - May Lose Their Jobs, S ication .If their support is given to Col. pils in Roosevelt their resignations may be expected. So far as Secretary Stim-' ~chools son is concerned, it is known that he r that entered the Taft cabinet unhampered tl 'ceived as to any future political activity. Col. s on re- 'Roosevelt is one of the men he is a ;ate as known to have consulted before he - UPPOr -accepted the war portfolio, and it is o: said upon unquestioned authority thats rrect- he stipulated he should not be ex- - left to pected to do campaign work. Yet he t educa- has accepted an invitation to speak in Chicago on March 5 at the Taft ussion club meeting. ;and Only as recently as last Friday Sec-k )lainly retary Meyer met a rumor that he was an be about to resign with this statement: x-pay- "If .I remain in the cabinet, as I in result tend to do, it is quite evident tha my loyalty will be with my chief." Many who inquired as to the phrase ology of the Roosevelt letter were in-1 n,tent on learning whether it was made p tion. clear that the colonel would be- a can- a didate only until the Chicago conven- $ 3ews, tion made its choice. Many political t while ar (ONTIED ON PAGE SIX). t WARElOUSE BOA I). . W. Mc('own, Chairnman; John S. Horibeek and T. L. Clinkscales Other Members. J. W. McCown, State senator from rlorence, was elected by the general ?sembly chairman of the board of ommissioners which is to have charge >f the State cotton warehouse .system, hould the act which recently passed tand the test of the courts as to its onstitutionality. The other two com aissioners elected by the general as embly were Maj. John S. Horibeck, f Charleston county and T. L. Clink cales of Anderson county. All three f the commissioners chosen are farm rs. Senator McCown was chosen chair aan of the commission without oppo ition. Two ballots had to be ta 'en before lie other two members of the com aission were chosen. The six nomi ees were: E. W. Dabbs, Sumter; T. . Clinkscales, Honea Path; J. Arthur anks, St. Matthews; J. T. Harris, partanburg; J. M. Polatty, Warren ille. The first ballot resulted as follows: linkscales, 66; Banks, 64; Dabbs, 64; orlbeck, 58; Harris, 22; Polatty, 6. 'otal number votes cast, 140. Neces ary to a choice, 71. After the first ballot the names of ir. Harris and Mr. Polatty were with .rawn. The second ballot resulted as fol Dws: Clin1 scales, 86; Horlbeck, 74; )abbs, 58; Banks, 55; McQueen, 1; elser, 1; Polatty, 1. Total number votes, 138. Necessary to a choice, 0. President Smith accordingly declar d Mr. Clinkscales and Maj. Horlbeck lected. The warehouse commission will con ist of three members, one of which ill be its chairman at a salary of 2,100 a year. The terms, two, four nd six years are chosen by lot. He rill appoint a manager, whose salary rill be determined by the commission nd .there are to be cotton weighers, otton graders and other necessary ,elp for conducting such a warehouse. The chairman of the commission will ave other duties looking toward the gricultural welfare of the State, and help him in .this he is allowed to ire a clerk at $1,000 per annum. For the acquisition of property, the rection of buildings and the mainten nce of the system a bond issue of 250,000 is allowed, to be taken up 30 years, and this is to be on the isible property acquired by the com iission and in no sense will be re arded as a debt of the State. The ommission is allowed a contingent fee f $5,000. 'HE SENATE APPROVES THE BON(D ISSUE BILL ubmit Expenditure of. $1,000,000 ~to People-For the State Hos pitaL The joint resolutionl to place before ie people in the primary the issuance $1,000,000 in bonds to remove the tate Hospital for the Insane, 'which a,ssed the house, to State Park 'was assed in the senate. The bill was bone time indefinitely postponed, but -as .again placed on the calendar trough a compromise, on account of enator Christensen inserting in the propriatinl bill ar Item that would rovide for' the .taking up of the fund $300,000 that the asylum commis on ad borrowed from the sinking td commission. The -measure was ooughly debated. Senator Alan Johnstone, speaking in .vor of the bill, said it was a well aown fact that the people are oppos I to a bond issue, but when you can tow them that there are 300 acres side the city, 30 acres of which are ,cupied with buildings, the'y will ke a different view of the matter.. Value of Property. r. Johnstone said .that when the ople are shown that there are 300 res of farming lands, worth from ,000 to $3,000 an acr'e, in the city e will see where their interests id -mei duty lies, and will vote for APPROPRIATION ALT CUT BY THE GOVERNOR BUT HOUSE OVERRIDES THE VE TOES IN MANY CASES. Over Thirty Items Disapproved by Governor, Knife Being Used More Freely Than Expected. - Columbia, Feb. 23.-The governor's message on the general appropriation ,bill came to the house tonight with about thirty items disapproved. The main features of the act were not af fected and the vetoed items, strange to say, were not as serious as many ex 1pected. During the day word came from friends of Governor Blease that there would not be much for the house to act upon, as the knife would be sparingly used. It was more* freely used than expected. The first item meeting with disap proval was $1,200 for rebinding and re pairing records in the office of the Secretary of State. These charter and official records were burned and in jured in fire years ago and research work by attorneys and others suggest ed the rebinding. Vetoes Overr$dden. The item was explained by Chair man Browning and then retained in the bill by a vote of 58 to 9, more than the. two-thirds vote. The next - item vetoed was $1,400 clerical help in the comptroller gener al's office. The position has been in force for years. Veto overuled by a vote of 92 to 7. The comptroller gemral's office -wanted $100 more than usual for sta tionery and stamps, this being election year. Governor Blease cut out the en tire item, including the increase of $100. Veto overruled 92 to 4 and item stands. By a vote of 89 to 6, the house voted to give the insurance department an actuary over the governor's veto. The house passed this last year. The sten ographer for the supervisor of rural schools won by a vote of 76 to 16 over the governor's veto. Attorney General's Office. Ciiim was made of the item of expense for the att'orney general's of fice. As the veto was not explicit, in the opinion of the speaker, he held that under the terms of the constitution hie would hold that the entire-section for the attorney general, salary, expenses and all, was inviolved and vetoed. The question carried a total of $7,845. On the question of retaining the section the house voted 90 to 6 and the sec tion as to the attorn'ey general was un touched. The first time the governor's veto, was sustained was on the eighth roll call and this was on an amendment~ put in the bill in the senate whereby provision was made for $1,800 for an" inspector to be connected with the railroad commission office. Members contended that the commissioners should do this work, and that the peo ple, after all, would pay the expense. The veto was sustained, 47.to 47. The game warden is- left without salary or expense account.. * No Game Warden. The position has had a hard legisla tive fight for several years. By a vote of 59 to 41 the veto was sustained, failing to get the necessary two-thirds vote. A majority voted to pay the game warden, but two-thirds did not so vote. No salary is provided for the game warden, the veto being sustained. By a vote of 92 to 4 the house over-, ruled the veto as to the item for a janitress. This veto was really duie to a clerical error, as the manuscript pill was right and the ratified act wrong in writing "janitor" instead of "jani tress." The house then, by a vote of 84 to 9, overruled the governor's veto on the interest item. The contention was that the interest had to be paid the sinking fund commission to be applied to the State bonds. The interest was 42ne on money borrowed from the sink lua fun~d and the interest was due boi'2hoders. Paving and Special Judge. The house, by a vote of 69 to 22, overruled the veto and voted the . State's portion of the assessment for pa in rais nd Sumter streets for