The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-02-18
TIE moNyMfAT 70 GEN. SUMTER.
Congressman Lever Writes Concerning
Inc stalas CT The B!!! III Tfe House
Of Representatives and tie Efforts
lie is Making tc Secure Sae
Appropriations.

10 is:c-.>'i!s5 N~NN~.S S-'S
Appropriations.
,Ir. Hubert Cstecn, Sumter, s. c.
NJ dear Sir: In an edito1iai in TIE
Item Of February 4tii, yea make in
quiTy concerning the sato OF my bill to
erect a monrment to General Sumter;
and, il justice to myself, and FOR
your information, beg 90 submit the
foliowngg facts:
The bill was introduced at the last
session, referred TO tie Committee on
Library, and 7 at once set to work to
induce the Committee to give re q
favorable report upon the bill. sue.
ceeded in getting sach report from
the committee. This was an important
result, giving the bill a status on the
Calendar of the Committee Of the
Whole of the Hcuse and leaving this
report as tangible evidence to succeed
ing Congresses Of the estimation put
upon the bill by former committees.
SO that 1 feel that this IS a long step
forward, not as much as we wanted,
but certainly enough to make Us hope
ful of the successful consummatioA Of
our undertaking.
When bill has been referred to
the Committee OF the Whole Of the
House, it the rests with the Speaker,
alone, as to whether or not he will
permit it to be considered in the
House: and 1t is necessary to secure
the consent Of tie Speaker to recognize
you TO call it up for consideration. IN
other words, the Speaker IS the
absolute dictator as to what shall, and
what shall not, be considered by the
Honse, and his favorable inclination
TO proposition is a sine qua non to
the consideration Of that proposition
by the House. This. then, is the
situation as it confronts me at pre-
sent. have not been idle, nor neglect
full of this bill, for have my heart IN
the work OF having this government
give its due recognition to the valuable
services of Gen. Sumter, services
whose wide import and value are be-
coming more and more recognized
&C our Revolutionary history becomes
better and better known. Time and
again l have gone to the Speaker and
pleaded with him to consent to re-
cognize me for the purpose Of calllns
up this bill from the calendar and
placing it before the attention OF the
House, and as often have been met by
the statement that matters of this
character cannot be allowed to take up
the time of the House The Speaker
assures me that he, positively, has re-
fused all requests for the consideration
of such propositions, and tells me that
I Should continue to introduce my
bill and that in time, it will be taken
up in its turn and considered, though
he holds out no hope that such can be
done at this session.
It is a coincidence that on the morn
ing of tie day that your editorial ap-,
peared, had gone to the Speakers
room and made most earnest plea IN
behalf of the consideration of my bill,
and had been as earnestly denied this
privilege Asa matter Of fact, the i'm
preston is that the Speaker and the
coterie, composing his legislative ad-
visors, are at heart against al these
monument bills, except sach as are to
be located in the city Of Washington.
I am not discouraged, for | know
how slowly these things move. /
shall reantrodce the bill at the begin
ming Of the next session, and continue
to work with all my energy for its
passage, for [ feel that my success in
this effort would insure NE niche IN
the heart of posterity.
1 want to thank you for the kind
spirit Of your editorial and for the
compliment you pay me when you
give me the reputation of hard and
successful worker With kind regards,
l am, Yours truly,
y. 4. Lever.
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Exercise.
Miss primrase-Don't You ever give