The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-04-15

RAS'ShpSA LIZ. y
of New York d movement was made
in the lepiailature to abolish scperate
colored Schools in New York city. |
opposed this measure and it failed. ]
do not find that interposed veto
and have forgotten the course the
matter took, but l know that what
ever did was In favor Of maintain
ing separate colored schools instead of
having them mixed.
Yours very truly,
(Signed) GROVER CLEVELAND.
WATSON liz REPLY.
The following letter from Hon.
Thos. e. Watson in reply to the above
is hot stuff and will be read with in
tereSt:
Thomson, Ga, April 5.
To the Editor Of the Augusta Chron-
Gle.
SIR: In your issue Of yesterday you
publish letter written by MIR. Clcvc-
land to my friend Hon. Charles Bart
lett.
This letter Is dated March 4th.
Just why it was kept from the press
for an entire month, is not stated.
Mr.. Cleveland says that he does not
suppose that l believed, or had any
reason to believe, that my charges
were true when they we're made.
The intimation that would wilful-
ly charge upon him things which
knew to be false, does both himself
and me an injustice.
To publicly make against man so
prominent as Mr. Cleveland serious
accusations which were known to be
untrue, could only be the act of a
kDave who was of me time a
fool. a slandert is simply a
.-Ei,ai -a.EssesGe may wins 'oods which
he knows to be L S; but such
slandels are neve ID over the
signature Of the .-. who makes
them, unless the author is fool as
well as knave.
When Grover Cleveland assumes
that am either knavc or fool he
will find no respectable man who
knows me to agree with him. The
gentleman to whom he addressed his
letter would tell him quickly enough
that any such construction put upon
my act, or any such imputation cast
upon my character, would be repudi-
ated by both the Democratic senators
from Georgia, and by at least ma
jority of the Democratic delegation
from this state to the lower house.
People Of the state III which my life
has been passed do not endorse my
politics, but they do not doubt the
honesty Of my convictions nor the
purity Of my character; and Mr.. Clcvc-
land will not strengthen himself in
this state by rejecting upon either.
Now let us see what Mr.. Clevcland's S
letter amounts to, as a reply to my
charges.
1 beg to remind your readers that
the issue arose out Of the controversy
which ragged around the Booker Wash
ington incident.
a Republican member of congress,
to Offset Mr. Roosevelt's treatment Of
Booker, had alleged that Mr.. Ceve-
land dined G. II. j. Taylor at the
white house. Mr.. Cleveland denied
the statement; and his card, when
published, was headlincd in such a
way as to carry the impression that he
had never practiced social equality at
the white house.
In an article which was published
in the Atlanta News, | pointed out
that Mr.. Cleveland had confined his
denial to the negro Tay lor, and that
the head lines went further than the
letter-aS is often the case.
Furthermore, / added that Mr..
Cleveland had practiced social couali.
ty in three particulars:
/. In appointing a negro to be min
lister to one Of the South American re-
publics.
2. BY signing the bill for mixed
schools in New York.
3. BY inviting Fred Douglass and
wife to his wedding reception at the
white house
Upon what grounds were these
charges made?
Necessarily, they were based upon
current and contcmporancous news
paper reports which were not con
tradictcd. How else is citizen to
have knowledge Of public affairs? The
newspapers are the source OF our in
formation; and if public man allows
the newspapers to make gnerai and
repeated statements about his con
duct, he must expect such statements
to be credited, unless denied
How do l know that Mr. Roosevelt
dined Booker Washington? | was not
there. l did not see it. | have not
spoken to any one who did see it. But
the newspapers made the charge, and
1T was not denied hence / believe It,.
How do know that Grover Clcve-
land made a private and almost
secret sale Of United States bonds to
j. Picrpont Morgan, and by this
private deal made it possible for the
yaracious Wall street nnancicrs to
pocket about ten million dollars Of
the money Of the taxpayers OF this
republic?
y was not there; yet l know it hap
pened, because the newspapers made
such row about 1t that Cleveland
was afraid to sell any more bonds that
way.
In like manner, believed he signed
the bill for mixed schools in New York
because 1t was so charged In the news.