The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-04-13
MR.. LYON REPLIES
TO SENATOR TILLMAN.
A Spirited Resentment Of the Sena-
tors Criticisms Law Limiting
Purchases Not Quoted Cor
rectly as to Mill Greek
and Rebates.
To the Editor of the State.

in yesterdays issue is accepted.
shall try not to be :burdensome t
either yourself or a long-sufferin
public.
I do not think the public interested
in the senator's opinion, either Of m,
course in the dispensary investigation
or as to whether it was sneaking ant
cowardly to address my reply to az
attorney in response to an inquiry
giving my reasons for delay, and al
lowing that letter to be published
However, I do not wish to take the
senator at disadvantage, and if he
thinks it more in keeping with his
ideas Of fairness, he may treat my let
ter as it were addressed to him per-
sonally, with each statement therein
reiterated.
j Senator Tillman says, 81 have not
attacked the investigating committee.
I only warned it in a friendly spirit. -
His reference to the committee in his
address stands for itself, and I scarce
7ly think he can expect that this latter
statement can be understood as being
consistent with his former. In my
opinion it will be a very indulgent
person who does think So.
The senator has made the wonder
full discovery that the 100000 worth
of claims against the state board are
valid and binding or they are not.
i Perhaps the entire committee will
agree to this statement when they
know the senator has said it. But
when he says: "They are not, be-
cause the Whiskey was bought contra
'ry to law, and the state is not legally
bound for payment I hesitate, for
have no facts to base such conclu-
sion on the opinion of: a person him
self under investigation, and know
Of no law limiting the amount Of
stock, save the version as cited by
this same person. I an not familiar
with law that expressly limits the
amount Of goods that may be on hand
to 100000. I have read 'An act re-
lating to dispensary profits, Acts
1902, page 1102, in which it is pro-
vided that the. directors Of the dis
pensary shall pay: to, the state treas
urer by January /, 1904, all of the
school fund reported by them in ex-
cess Of 100000 and making provis-
ion for aseertaining quarterly there
after the net profits accruing to the
state. No doubt the senator will cite
accurately the law he refers to.
It is somewhat surprise to know
that the senator has spoken in such
strenuous language, because the pub
lie has been notified, at his request,
that we are investigating the piano
matter. He characterizes this as a
dirty and cowardly insinuation.
agree with him that it is rather
dirty locking thing all the way J
through, and I may have acted cow
ardly, but the senator cannot fatter +
himself that it was an insinuation.
On the other hand, it was a-plain :.
statement that the piano matter was {
under investigation, because it came y
to rs that it was possibly a "rake- F
off''-a sufficient reason for investi- +
eating it. We have investigated at .
east one other transaction somewhat
similar to the piano matter. This h
after was investigated largely for the s.
eascn that the senator publicly .ex- V
pressed his suspicion about it. It is s.
My suspicious that we have to CON- a
nenee cn, and it is not my purpose :
O tell about suspicious transactions
hat are being probed unless those un-
er investigation ask for information
t time when it may safely be civ
n. I would suggest, however, if in
is not really desired, it may
e we'll not to be too inquisitive, for
else might be offended.
The interview has represented the
enator as saying that my pretext for
clay is that I may look into the
ecords Of the Mill Creek distilling
to see whether there are any
redits. Is it not little strange that
he senator should thus refer to Mill
,reek when no mention Of it is made
q my letter? The statement in this
aspect is the product of his own fer I
lie imagination. Is it not singular L
hat he should associate in his mind
Il. L ] 3