Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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by , n ' > . 'I 1: X ., THE PRESS AND STANDARD, WALTERBORO, S. C. August 19, 19 t r s . / X -.I >» — • , • • . When at tjie Walterboro campaign meeting I criticised the actions of Mr. E. J. Dennis, my opponent in - this race for Congress, with regard to the two*cent passenger rate bill when the hard fight was made for and against it in thd'State Senate during the session of 1914 and offered to prove my statements from the records Mr. Dennis said that I was bluffing, that the Senate Journal did not record the facts in accordance with my statements. In his presnee, right there and then I proved part of my charges from the Senate Journal, and as i ■ • *"3 Mr. Dennis in his public speeches and newspaper announcements continues to claim to be the champion of the poor people against the corporations, and invites investigation of his public career, it is fitting that his record X on this particular measure be given in full. Mr. Dennis in common with other Senators who were in favor of a two-cent passenger rate cn the railroads of South Carolina, spoke for it be cause, he said, it was a measure for the protection of the poor man who now has to pay two and a halt cents a mile while the rich and well to do buy a mileage book and ride for two cents a mile. Let us see then, how Mr. Dennis protected the inter ests of the poor man as against the railroad corpo rations when he had the opportunity. Here is the full story taken from the Senate Journal of the session of 1914, giving dates and page numbers: i' ! 1 • The two-cent rate bill was known on the Sen ate Calender as No. 854. It was reported from committee on February 16th, (page 742). On Feb ruary 17, (page 785) Mr; Dennis moved to adjourn debate on this bill which motion carried and debate was adjourned from day to day till February’ 23 (page 901) when Mr. Dennis moved to strike out the enacting words, ;vvhieh in parliamentary lan guage means to kill the bill a very unusual pr<>- cecding for one to take who is in favor of a pend ing measurb. Bttt in. a note of explanation record ed in the journal Mr. Dennis claims that his rea son for making such a motion was to bring the bill s uarely before the Senate. (The bill had already been before the r.ate as an adjourned debate bill kince February 17, six days.) in that statement Mr. Dennis says that he “reserves the right” to vote for the bill, but does not say positively that he would do so although he was championing the i ili on the floor of the Senate. After February 23 there is no reerod of Mr. r * • Dennis voting on any roll on this or any other bill. The champion of ihe poor people flew the coop and l^ft his poor constituents, in so far as his voice and vote was concerned, to the tender mer cies of the grasping railroad corporation. There were sixteen roll calls on the two-cent rate bill be tween February 26 and March 4, the day of ad journment. On many of these roll calls the vote was exceedingly close—in fact on two occasions the vote was a tie and the president of the Senate cast the deciding vote, but Mr. Dennis Vas not in his place to help along the cause of the poor peo ple. • That was not all. It is customary that when a legislator has important matters keeping him away when he is interested in k measure which may reach a vote in his absence that he “pairs’, with a colleague who is on the opposite side of the question, so that the one with whom the absentee 1 “pairs” does not vote on that particular bill when a roll call is had, and in this way the absentee does not lose his vote by reason of his absence. But Mr. Dennis,-the great champion of the people against the corporations did not take the trouble to “pair” his vote with any Senator, and his neg lect to do so really meant in the result that he voted against the two-cent rate bill. In his public spcc-chvr Mr. Dennis telis you that lu'feels outraged that the drain; g Liii which I introduced in Congress has not as ^ ci become a law. Let us examine and ascertain how his past performances in the Legislature indicate his possi ble achievements were he your representative in Congress. During the session of 1914 Mr. Dennis a$ Senator from Berkeley County, introduced one - Sgjf-A-: M .4 . > RICHARD S. WHALEY bill (page 251) pertaining to his own county alone. This orotherless and sisterless little bill was killed * .it on Mr. Dennis’ own motion (page 642). If he ac complished so little in the State Senate, a body of only 44 members with the privilege of unlimited debate, how much less would he carry through in the National House of Representatives, composed of 435 members with the privilege of debate re stricted. Now, what is the actual situation? For more than 17 months President Wilson has held Congress in Washington to enact Democratic measures of paramount importance. The"tariff law is in operation: the Banking and Cur rency act is on the statute books; the Shipping Trust’s subsidy in the from of free tolls through the Panama Canal is repealed; the Anti-Trust bills passed the House and are on their passage in the Seate—in all of which I did my f hare in supporting the Democratic administration —Yet Y.r. Dennis is trying to make you believe that he 1 were your representative he would have stopped the ma chinery of the government in order to have a drainage hill passed. In the light of his inactivity and neglect of his official duties in the State Legislature how many of you believe that he would have tried to do it, or that he would have succeeded if he attempted it? The Draina re bill which I introduced is in the proper comittee and is receiving due attention and encouragement, and in due course it will be reported from the committee and I hope and believe will pass the House. Another straw showing Mr. Dennis’ devotion to the interests of the people as against the corporations is his vote against a bill requiring the railroad companies te carry free 250 pounds of baggage instead of 150 pounds: while I, whom he^eguses of being a corporation candidate was in strumental in dlacing on the statute book the law rexuir- ing the railroad companies to deliver freight within a cer tain time within certain territorial zones. My votes against furnishing artificial limbs toCon- federte veterans and against the,establishment ofthe Qld Soldiers’ Home were cast in compliance with the pleadings of the old soldiers who appeared before the committees against both bills, The scandals with which the Old Sol diers Home has been reeking and the fact that the Legisla ture is now trying to abolish it is sufficient justification for my vote on that bill. My interest in the old soldiers is prov en by the fact that during my ser/Ic»in th.* !»gis..i‘;re th * pension apptopriation was increased from fifty thousand dollars annually to two hundred and fifty thousand djliars- >x . x ^ * To show th'. desperate straits in which .Mr. Dennis finds him X in this race for C ngress I ;• >int to his attack - on my record for voting for compu’sory schools attemlacne I did so vote and I stii: o ii 'vein it wiv. county local option as a basis. But Mr. Penn is miiutalso 1 eiieye m compulsory education because he vnted for a bill providing j n.^. that. Why is j,t right for Mr. Dennis to believe i: compulsory ed ucation ana wrong for me to vote for it. Or did Mr.' 1 'mi nis vote for compulsory education with rut a >' • wing 0 the principle? I am accused of voting against a bill requiring r.eg • * societies to secute licenses before organizing. I cdu!u not have voted for or against such a bill because such a meas ure was never before the House while I was in the Legisla ture. There was abill introduced requiring ALL fraternal f societies—white and black-to secure licenses and I voted against that bill. a , With but few interruptions at long intervals of day or two or three at a time I have, in common with other good Democrats stuck to my post in Washington since my election fifteen montns ago. I had not the opportunity of coming out to see my supporters and constituents during this campaign while my oppenent had the field to himself. Were I less jealous of your interests or the interests of the Democratic party and the nation I would have been home taking the stump in advocacy of my candidacy. But I am serving you and your indi vidual interests during the present crisis brought about by the European war, by remaining at my post of duty and helping provide means w’hich will prevent the demorilization of the cotton market, and this is the only method lef: me to controvert and explain statements mad 3 by my opponent in my absence. I feel safe in leaving my interests in jour hands vvnile 1 am working for your interests in Washington, and am confident that on the 25th of August you will roll up a majority fyr me which will help to exceed by far the majority I received last year. XX RICHARD ‘P / WHALEY > • -. t —