The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-09-07
MIR. Hodges Reply to the Press
II Banners Attack on Him on
the Eve OF the Primary Election.

according to promise made in nv card he
lore the election, beg the indulgence of the
pubic while l correct some Of the many mis-
statements 81 the Press uud Buunc,.
n" one likes to enter into IL controversy
WIN Il newspaper which is SO proverbia;iv
unfair as the Press 0"d Banacr. Week al
ter week, without the least provoca,io;i. tao.
editor has dragged the poor white renter, al
mtc Hall and all our school officers. S;u,,.
county, and township, before the pubic and
has endcavorcd by every unfair means to nut
US III Il RAISE iiSht before the voters of the
county. All this waS done because the trus-
tees, i'll the conscientious and fearless dis
charge OF duty, refused to prostitute the
school money of The children TO the buildiuu
up OF Mr. hugh Wilson's farm in White Hail
Wncn there wts ample accommodation for all
at the White hall school. l. it possible, that
lwo trustees, three county examiners. and
hVc state cNaminers, who are friends of
common school education, Cannot decide as
|" me proper administrator of the law or To-
ch'l'ii 81 :: school without having their mo-
yves questioned and their official character
hesmlrcheG by Il newspaper "boss,' who is
'le av"wed enemy OF common free schools
ana VINO Is personally Interested in the tar;u
on winch the sciloo; Is located ? declare TO
Eo" tili our act in refusing the Hugh Wilson
'ch"oi ana net deprive one SOLITARY child of
Schooi facilities, but on the contrary, it was
o'rcctly Tor tIc hcnrii, of all the children in
INC township especially the p"or children,
VIII" depend wholly on on the public school
term Tor scha"!ing. This long-contmuci ag-
%ita,i"n OF { is subject, aud this persistent pa
rad'ng OF the poor white reuters
w Sr''rv wbo, the m"liG by Mr.. Wilso"
OF having done right. submitted quietly TO
all of his bitter attacks. On 7th on Auuus,
at Alrwinc's | defined my position ON the
sci'ooi question without sayin- one word
against any BODY. MIR Wilson took notes.
out ana not publish them until Il few DAYS be
lore the election, when he knew there was no
Tune or opportunity to answer his misrcprc-
sensations.
Never before in The history of journalism
IN EG!;'' tar"llna, WAS such Il thing done as
witc" Mr. Wilson used the power of his
largely circulated! news Iarrr 10 defeat a Call
didaic on the eve q: an election
Aii"r h!H in", dirty w".k is done, when he
near; the wait Of universal! condemnation, h.
CRIES ";>cli-urtrn>, .'--tiic usual plru of the
cold -Dlnuav.i r,mr,icr,r
There are so man; wIiiin! aud malicious
pcrNcrsionS CT fact, IN the Press und Egnuc;.
NAV space will not permit me I" cnrrcct them
all bet Ms take y tyw representative one, to
show how the Press uuG nna.r. disr.r,rI.
common dcccncv when he is houn,!irr down
his victim
Here is what am rcp"rtcd b. the lessen
GER t" have SAID at Due West
AS to The Fay OF teachers, | cannot bellows
that the snber, second thought OF the people
OF this noble and proud old county will in
dorSe any scheme to put the teacher of their
chltdrcn ON a level with the buotbiack and the
III u Snoc-Hlakcr. but the SchOOl
commissioner has nothing to do with fixing
the pay OF teachers so far as | am con-
ccrned whatever the trustees decide upon, |
am compelled by law to agree to it. If the
pay lsTlo or $40 or $35 l cannot help the mat
ter. Let me read what the Supreme Court in
school matters says The County Board has
no hingt to do with fixing teachers pay. That
Is Il matter of contract between trustees and
teacher.
Will any fair-minded man on the face Of the
globe shy tnnt tl,r,. iS I'M, ,r,rj - /, I...-
atom or "abuse" of any body in that Ian
gnagc? Suppose | say l do not believe tn.
President of the United States ought to be
put on Il level with ii lawyer, Il doctor. or a
minister OF the gospel, in the matter of puy,
who would BE- so foolish except the Press uad
ha"ner, as to say | was dealing in "wholesalc
remuneration of any class OF people," Sup
pose | say l do not believe that the Governor
Oh the State ought to be put on a level
with the teachers of the common schools in
the matter of pay, would that be "whnlesalc
remuneration OF teachers? Now, look u min
at my language aud see its connection, and
'hen see how this champion pervcrtcr OF facts
and language, the editor of the p,.ys anil
Tanner, meanly and dishonorabiv strikes on,
The qualifying clause, els Ia Tie puy Of
'enc"c'", which Is essential to the meaning
ot the sentence, and begins the quotation in
ne midst of the scnten:c tina, he might til.
election.
81 do not believe that the sober second |
thought &c., Having adroitly left out the |
essential clause, "As to the pay of teachers"
ne tiicn pr"cccds To put upon it his own con- |
Structlon and lniiame the prcjudIccs of Ger
iain classes, simply To catch votes for his |
candidate. Mr.. Wilson, instead of conduct
ing his paper with fairness and impartiuiity
IN TINS election enters the field against me. |
ana becomes prosecutor, prosecutor and
would be victimizcr. With IL malignant, heart
fatally bent on mischief. he SENDS for MIR. |
iiruce. vino al first refuses to be entrapued |
OUT through the efforts of another man, i'm
with Mr.. Wilson. Mr.. bruce was in
anc"d TO write the card sigucd '.Shocmnker."
Tie now chcertulIy gives the pu.lic the fol- !
card
Editor Press and Banner:
feel that | have done Mr.. Hodges. orr |
school Commissioner, Injustice in the en- d in
last issue, August 18th, signed "Sloe-
't'aker.' l feel satisfied, after reading his |
speech, that my construction of his language
was wrong, aad that he did not speak dispar-
''glngly or ab">ively Of sany one. / voted
:or him.
C. E. BRUCE.
Mc. Bruce further states that he would not
have written the first card, nor would he
nave put this unfair construction on my lam
if Mr.. Wilson and company had not
put him up 10 it.
Let us see again how this tyrannical and
Inscriptions per boss garbies the
'anEuagc of the victim of his malice.
Here Is what | said substantially at Due
Vest, ana | said the same elsewhere
- have travelled all over Abbcville county
our country schools. I have had my
eyes and ears wide open. claim TO be
teacher OF some experience and success. and
know poor work when | see it | now de-
clare to YOU, fellow -citizeus, that the greatest
'ecd OF our school system is Industrious, con-
and skilled teachers, male and fc-
male, in our country schools. The parcnts
rave no idea OF the inefIicicucy of our public