The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, February 27, 1912, Image 1
" 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