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dfffads himsfff v<.ai\stuov, iufasfs < u \m.i;s i nUrrnii) ll-o-ddont Arraigns Dr. Johnson. (,r Winthrop College, for l-atttfs \\h K,M| Furt In Contro? versy Arising from Distribution of Pea body Fund?D. \V. \u l4iiirln ?ml V. ii. M. MuM? r also (il\os Tea Union jr. Columbia. Feb. 13?"Dr. Jobns<?n hau seised on a single clause of the petition of Itfi, (bit with reference to the education of negroes, and wav? ed that as a red (lag before a bull, that his own Institution might gain In mat-rial wealth at the exp< nse of the University of South Carolina," was the statement of |> s C. Mitchell during the course of his testimony this afternoon before the committee appointed to investigate the charge mad. I?> c?o\ l:lease, that the presi? dent of the Halt Fnlverslty had con? spired t*> defraud Winthrop College of her rightful share of certain funds front, the IVabody board. Df Mit. h. II then showed that the petition which has been so much dis cussed during the Investigation w signed in 19?>t), and has been known to all educators of the South since that time. ??Yet." said Dr. Mitchell, "Dr. John? son waited until political conditions in this State were such that he might arouse the prejudice of high officials before he took any action in blaming the action of myself and a body of ed? ucational patriots for injuring Win? throp with the lVabo.lv board." The whole trend of the testimony by Dr. Mitchell was that educational *?^ndltlons in the South were such that two separate committees ? the Pea body board had recommended that the best disposition to be made of the fund would he to aid the struggling educational departments of the va? rious State universities in producing teachers and superintendents for the high schools. "The Fnlverslty of South Carolina was Included In both these recommen ? I Winthrop College was never mentioned." said TV. Mitchell. "This committee could ht?ve rightly held me guilty of inaction. If, after two representatives of committees, \ each recommending $40.000 for the Fnlverslty of South Carolina, and af? ter the subsequent action of the boat 1 In slighting the University without a dollar. I had done nothing to ???VII It," he continued. Mr. D W. McLaurln. a trustee of Winthrop College, testified at the af? ternoon legaton He threw no new facts on the situation, . od only testl fled to the fact that he had shown Governor HI ease a copy of a letter, sent to him by Dr. Johnson, which Mr. f. H. McMaster had written to him and his (Dr. Johnson's) answei to the communication. This corres pon lence. as has been bef.?re brought out, related to the act'.on of Winthrop In get unrig the $40.0ro, v hlch was In I I f .r the State Fn'verslty. Dr. Johnson's reply referring to the peti? tion signed in Atlanta b; the heads of eight Southern universities, which is the basis of the (iove-nor's charge again** Dr. Mitchell. Mr. McLturin said that he thought th*t a copy of the correspondence had been sent to every member of the board of trustees of the College. Mr. F. H McMaster, insuranc ? com? missioner, an alumnus of QM Univer? sity of South Carolina, testified briefly . as to the e..rr< sporeb nce. He Stated that he had written Dr. Johnson about his, action In securing, through Oovernor Ansel, the $40,000 appro? priation Intended for the University after Prof. T?te, rural school super? visor, had told him of it. He had talked with Mr MeUaurln about the letter, and said that the Winthrop trustee seemed to hold the same views about the petition In its reference to negro education as those express. >\ In his Inaugural address by the Gov? ernor. He had written Dr. Johnson another letter, asking for the names of all parties to whom he had forw ard? ed o,.??-s of Ms letter, which he con? sidered pi ite correspondem e, and that this request had never been he- ded. I?r Mitchell. In beginning his testi? mony, said that the personal eb-ment would have been left out of the mat? ter, but for the H' n<>n of Dr. John? son In ?tresfling hefon? the Governor th? clause with referee* I to the edu cation of BOfJteM s. which appears la the petition drawn up by the pi I dents i ? urht of the state aedvefst* UM of the South. "I am convinced of this," he said, "for bjSel before i his mittel was brought out one of the trustees of th* Fnlversltv had told gee that Dr. Johnson hail gsJel thai the dtotrlbti? Uta al the fun i did aot matter te the Fnlverslty, sin?, I w . |g i, of giving It all to the aegfoes." Dr. M i'- h? II tfceg rttot b ! tl Work of the I eat-odv boat I ind StlOf ed w h tt had nln ftdy b. ? n brought out; th it the be ?? i elwaj ?* sin ? out Some task to which to alb Its benefits; thi? Its pop. v wag Aral to aid the city school systems, then the State systems, then the normal schools, ami. iastly, the educational departments of the state universltlei l>r. Mitchell ?howed from reports of the nteettnga ??f Um board that the DOllcy of aiding the State universi? ties ha?i boon adopted long before he am elected lo the preeldency of the University of South Carolina i>r. Mitchell said the tirst connec? tion in an official way which he had <\>r had with the Peabody board had been when he received a letter from Dr, Johnson While he was still at Richmond College, just after his elec? tion to the presidency here. Informing him that a vacancy had occurred <>n the Peahody hoard which was to be Riled from this Mate, Dr. Johnson i bed hli oo-operetion in getting Governor Ansel elected to tin the va? cancy, So he had lent his Influence to getting Governor Ansel elected to th.- board. The last change of the policy of the hoard with reference tO the dis? tribution ,,f the fund occurred in 1903, at which time it was decided to aid from that time forward the education? al departments Of the State univer? sities, the board being actuated by the necessity of providing men super ! intendents, principals and teachers for the high schools. At the same time. It was decided to give part of the fund for the establishing of ru? ral school supervision for the ne I gro schools. AS showing how firmly fixed were the pi.ins of the committee of the board regarding the universities, Dr. Mitchell showed that the University 1 of Tennessee was awarded its $40, 001 Sloag with the remainder of the I Southern universities, despite the fact that the board had already endowed the Peahody Normal School, situated St Nashville, with $1,500,000. The prime need of the South I rend the report "is educational lead? ership and the need must be sup? plied with men teachers." I ?r. Mitch? ell read from the report of Prof T?te, who had just returned from studying the school-; of gwltesrland, that the excellence Of the Swiss school ays 1 teen Is due tc the fact that 85 per cent of their teachers are men The committee report recommend? ing that aid be given to the educa? tional departments of the universities ( says that it is beyond the province of the normal schools to supply the need far educational Isadora and says that this need must be supplied from the Stat?- universities. The report of I a later committee agreed with the 1903 committee. This latter body also took up the claims of the normal neb "U for part of the fund and de l Ided to refuse their claim*?. "After SStSWishing the Peabody Normal School for Teachers, the greatest need is to help the unlver sities," read the report of the com? mittee. Dr. Mitchell said that Dr. Johnson had repeatedly made the claim that Winthrop was next In the affections of the committee to the Peabody Col h re, yet this report does not men? tion the nams of Winthrop, as did no reports until 1911, when the fund was divided and Winthrop received the $40.000 intended for the University at the Instigation of Governor An.^el. I Dr. Mitchell showed that Richmond College strongly anticipated a hand? some share of the fund when it was finally divided, because of the pres ? nee on the board, as its president, of Dr. J. L. M. Curry, at one time pres? ident of Richmond College, but It was not given. I "It Is my belief," said Dr. Mitch? ell, "that half of the institutions of the South had some reason to hope for a large share of the fund." As to the charge With reference to the education of nogrroos, i>r. Mitchell showed that every Southern member of the Peabody hoard had voted for the motion by Governor Ansel to ap? propriate $-5.000 for the salaries of rural a< hool supervisor- for the negro s< hoola At the meeting held in May, Itll, when Governor Ansel was present, IS&e.SOf, had been given to the negro i hoola without protest from the Gov? ernor, In all of the other Southern ?St. te, there has been no protest from the normal schools because the state I universltlei received $40,000, and yet I when the University Of South Caro? lina raises her hand to secure the funds which rightfully belongs tc her, the president of Winthrop College has protested VlgoroU8ly( said I >r. Mitc hell. He then Iran sd something of the history of the University of South i Carolina and anld: "in nil that bril? liant hlstor) there is nothing to mer? it the ?light which the committee gave it " Dr, Mitchell stated that after the |40,ooo had been given lo Winthrop, Which should ha\?< Justly gone to the Unlver Uy, Dr. Johnson still made th. request of the hoard that all surplus ot the founds be given to Winthrop ) '..it* e,t Governor Ansel, who had :i' - w iya been loyal to Winthrop, said Or Mitchell, refused lo agree lo this end moved before the board that if there t.. .i irplui after the final dlatrlbu t in t'nlvoralty of South Carolina ' I irdfd $30,000 to he added to tin Id .? 11. 111. received t'> complete th. o> inal il l"oprlatlon. I>. I). II, JOHNSON MAKES FINAL STATEMENT. Problem of Winthrop Denies Dr. s. C. Mitchell Was Singled out for Attack. Columbia, Feb. 16.?The legisla? tive commlth e ir charge of the In? vestigation of the distribution <>f the Peabody fund held Its ilnal session yesterday, and as soon as tin- steno? graphic notes are transcribed the re? port will be ?ubmltted to tin- general assembly.: Yesterday Dr. Johnson submitted a statement to refute the charges made by Dr. Mitchell that he had been singled <>ut for attack In the whole matter. Dr. Mitchell made a brief reply to this, and D. W. Mc Laurin stated that he was responsible for the Information given the gov ernor. Dr. Johnson, when the committee was called to order, made the follow? ing statement: "Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Committee: "1 have been very patient under great provocation: I have tried to keep the peace under trying and un fortunate clrcumstancea "This room has been crowded main? ly with 1 >r. Mitchell's students and as? sociates, My girls and my associates are in Rock Hill, and l am stai ding here dime, forced into the false po8l tlon Of prosecuting witness, to answer I the summons of this committee as the result of a reference to Dr. Mitchell by the governor of the state in ids Inaugural. "For that reason i am assailed by President Mitchell, who imputes to me sin 1st? . designs and motives that 1 never entertained. I have a wife ami children in Rock Hill to whom my good name is as dear as his repu? tation Is to his fand' . l do not believe l have lived and labored In this State for :::: years in vain and that Presi? dent Mitchell's words can outweigh the service to the state of these cr. years. I have not made any personal attack upon President Mitchell here or anywhere else, nor do l expect to. 1 take it for granted that this commit? tee deelres to conduct this Investiga? tion in a dignified way, and without personalities, Insinuations or in? nuendoes?to get at the facts and not to stir up bad blood between the friends of the university and Win? throp, ami l have so governed myself and have refrained from all person? alities. "Now, gentlemen, with your indul? gence I feel that I must take notice-, of several personrj references to my? self made by President Mitchell in his Statement before this committee yesterday. " 'The university asked for anything that was left, but even to this Dr. Johnson objected,' "I asked for the adoption of the pending resolution in favor of Win? throp in accordance with resolutions Of tite board of trustees of Winthrop college already submitted to this com? mittee. 1 did not put the resolutions in the minutes of tite Peabody board. ! afterwards agreed for Winthrop to stand aside for the university, and am abiding by that agreement. " 'For the first time an effort has been made to blacken my name and that effort lias been traced directly to Dr. 1). B. Johnson.' "I wish to say Mr. Chairman, with all the emphasis at my command, that 1 have not made any such effort, and have never thought of making any such effort. i have had n<> desire whatever of doing Dr, Mitchell or the university any harm. Dr. Mitchell makes his charges against me because of the reference to him by Gov. Blease in his Inaugural, and that, too, in face of the facts established here before this committee. "I resent ids use of the word 'trace.' i do not wish to shirk responsibility for anything I have said i don.-. I do not wish to hide Or conceal any? thing. 1 have not done anything to hide or conceal. "There is plenty of conclusive evi? dence, written and oral, submitted to this committee In Dr. Mitchell's sight ami hearing showing that I did not In? stigate the attack upon him by the governor In his Inaugural. "Mr. D, W. McLaurln'a sworn tes? timony, Gov, Blease's original letter, written In 1911, when he Urst got his Information from Mr, McLaurln. The oral testimony of Gov. Blease at the beginning of this Investigation. The written statement of the three men Who heard what was said in the gov Dr, Mit-loll as erted with emphasis that he was b< fore the i ommlttee sole? ly to answer charges which a state? ment or sti tem< nts made by I >r, John son had ciused Ihe mmd of Governor Ulensu to evolve, Ho spoke icathinglj oi Dr. Johni on's conduct. i m Johnson, at I he con< luslon of l ?i. Mitch ii i t- timony, asked to bo nllov ed to r< ply, but It w is then it t < r- Iho la on* for adjournm? tit and lht committee decided to hear hi ? replj tomorrow afternoon, when the c< in mith e will bold Its last ? ? ? i Ion, it l> thought. ernor's office. And l still say here that 1 do not recall having mentioned i>r. Mitchell's name to the governor at .any other time. "Why try to put all Buch evidence aside and still make the charge that I Instigated Qov. Blease's attack. Why does he attack me instead of the gov- | ernor, who made the attack upon him? i fear i>r. Mitchell has been very bad? ly advised by mischief makers. "It is proper always to consider mo? tive in such matters as this. What motive under the sun could I possibly have had to prompt me to stir up j Strife hot w een the university and Winthrop. That would have been the veriest folly, the very way to lose out with the Peahody hoard. As a result I of this fight I fear that neither insti- j tution will get another dollar. Such action on my part in lall or 1!>12 or 1913 or at any time would have been foolish in the extreme. The university and Winthrop must stand together; must work harmoniously for the cause of higher education in South Carolina i to prosper. "In reply to the question then, 'What shall it profit a university if it gain a new building and lost its own soul,' I would gay that the very way o lose the new building would be to j do that Which is insinuated in this | question. " 'In tlie subtlest way the negro question was introduced.' "Mr. Chairman, my lettei to Mr. McMaater in 1911, in reply to his let? ter to me, contained what I have had to Bay on that question. I expected Mr. McMaater to show it to Dr. Mitchell, or some one connected with the University. There was nothing un? derhanded or subtle about that. "I said that the petition had been Bigned by representatives <>f Southern universities Including our own, asking for a certain amount of money for each of them, and that the remainder, be given to the negroes, thus cutting Winthrop out without a dollar. I did not think that they should have made any petition for the disposition of the remander after asking for a certain amount for themselve s. They were not responsible for the distribution of the whole fund like the memberi of the Peabody board. "I have been urging the Peabody hoard for over 20 years to give Win? throp a large appropriation, but I have never assumed to suggest that the remainder should be used in such a way that the university could not l^et a dollar of it. After securing a large appropriation for Winthrop I would have been glad to have the uni? versity secure as large an appropria? tion as possible. "Dr. Mitchell insinuates that I should have known of the 'special re? port of 1900, whereas a minute print? ed in the proceedings of the trustees for October 3, 1906, page 10, says: 'It was ordered that in the meantime a typewritten copy of the report should be sent to each member and be regarded as confidential.' This re? port was not published until the win? ter of 1911, ?and Gov. Ansel, a mem? ber of the Peabody board, has said that he did not know of it until the meeting of his special committee. It was certainly not published to the world, as I>r. Mitchell said, until 1911. "I do not know how the presidents of the Southern States' universities knew about it. I know that I, like Qov. Ansel, a member of the Pea? body hoard, did not know about it until 1911. "Now, Mr. Chairman, there is one other matter 1 wish to refer to, to show on what untenable ground T)r. Mitchell's chargei againet me stand. You will remember that he Indulges in all kinds of insinuations against j mo because I wrote to him to help i i mo have Gov. Ansel placed on the Peabody board to till the place made vacant by the death of Capt. \Vm. A. Courtenay, giving some 15 minutes to that part of bis speech. The point he attempted to make against rne was, that while resenting his action in sign? ing tftat petition in 1909, I was try? ing to get his help ?to forward the in? terests of Winthrop college. That put me in bad light, as he intended it should. "Now, gentlemen. I am able to re? fute absolutely this unworthy insinua? tion with documentary evidence. I have here the prlnto' 'oceedings of the Peabody board for starch 18, 1909. which show that Qov. Ansel was chosen a member of the Peabody board on that day. The letter to which President Mitchell refers had to be written before that time. I have no copy of the letter. "I have here, and herewith submit, correspondence with Qov. Ansel in June, 1909, which shows that I did not see the petition signed by repre? sentatives of the State universities in 1909 until after June 30, 1909. "My understanding now Is, that that paper was signed in Atlanta at the Conference for Education in the South some time during the month of March or April, j "Now, gentlemen, you see upon whs.t erroneous suppositions a cruel insinuation can be built. Dr. Mitchell's other insinuations and charges in Connection With this matter have ju*t as little to rest on. "I have the utmost confidence in the s? tis?- of fair play and square deal? ing of our people and do not believe they will allow President Mitchell to blacken my character because I have been forced to become an unwilling w itness in this matter." The following letter was submitted by Dr. Johnson: "President 1 >. B. Johnson? President Winthrop College. Hock Hill. S. C. "Dear Sir: I have just been shown by the Hon. D. W. McLaurin, P. H. McMaster's letter of June -7 to you, and your reply of July 15. "I think it an 'outrage that any I Southern gentleman would stoop so i ( low as to attempt to take money from the white Institutions Of learning of the South and place it in the hands of the free negroes, and I congratu? late you upon the tight you are mak? ing for Winthrop; and, if 1 can assist you. or if you want a meeting of the board or a joint meeting of the boards of Winthrop and South Carolina col? lege, I will be glad to call it, to be held here in my office, any day after next week, i hope that you will pr? ss this matter and if possible have ihe Peabody board stand to their original proposition at to Winthrop college. "Very respectfully, "Cole L. Blease. "Governor."' Replying to questions of the num? bers of the committee Dr. Johnson said he had tried to keep down any fight and that for over 20 years he had hoped that Winthrop would get a large portion of the fund. He Wish? ed again to str- ss that the 1906 com? mittee report was not published until 1911. "I do not wish to Inqure Dr. Mitch el!, why should he wish to injure me?" remarked Dr. Johnson. Replying to questions by Mr. Ash? ley, Dr. Johnson said that he had no desire to convey n any correspond? ence that the university people would insist on th? negroes having the money. Replying to Mr. Young, Dr. John sun mid in * nt copies of the II -. Muster corn apondence to Trustee Braseale and possibly others. Dr. Johnson said that he would not have opposed the university securing any Of the fund after Winthrop secured what he consul, red her jus.t share. He did not concern himself with the ne? gro end of it at all. Dr. Mitchell asked for a few min? utes to reply. He said that he did not wish to imply that he had written after Dr. Johnson had seen the Atlan? ta resolutions. Dr. Mitchell wanted to remind the committee why he was present. It was because of grave charges made against him?charges that he deeply resented. Questioned by Mr. Welch, Dr. Mitchell said Gov. Ansel did not start this. How was it, be asked, that it was particularly Stressed that the Atlanta resolutions were used to bring in the negro ques? tion. ! At this point Mr. McLaurin stated that he was the first to inform the governor of the matter and if there was any odium attached he would take it. He was in the office when Dr. Johnson called on the governor to discuss Winthrop matters as brought out in previous testimony. This was after he had talked over the McMas ter coreepondence with the gover? nor. Continuing! Dr. Mitchell wanted to know who used all of this to his det? riment. It could only be one man? Dr. Johnson. "The result was that I got lots of notoriety?as a negro lover," said Dr. Mitchell. By Mr. Young?All of the Southern university presidents knew that the negro would participate in the final distribution of the Peabody fund? Dr. Mitchell?Why certainly, that was understood. Continuing. Dr. Mitchell stressed the fact that there was nothing se? cret in the action. 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