The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-07-04
LEVER ON MEAT BILL.
Explains His Selection by Speaker as
One. Of Conferees--So. Partss'h
Lines Drawn.

washington. June 20 Erroneous
renorts having ben scattered through
ont South Carolina concernlng the
proceedings by which Representative
Lever was placed on the conference
committee of the agricultural appro-
priation bill by TIE Speaker OF tie
House, over the heads OF the Two
ranking Democrats DC shat Commute
he was today asked for a statement
and said:
The reports do me an injustice, IN
that they proceed upon the assump-
ton that I was the only<Democral on
| she committee who voted with the Re-
| publicans to have the government pay
the cost of meat inspection. The truth
| Of the matter is that there was aoso-
lutelv no partisan line drawn in the
committee on this proposition. Three
/ Democrats voted with four Republi-
cans against the proposition, and three
Democrats voted with eight Republi-
cans for the proposition; thus it is
seen that the. Democrats on the com
mittee were equally divided, three
voting one way and three the other,
while the Republicans though not
eonally divided were badly divided.
|As between the Democrats, there was
no disagreement except upon the
proposition as to who should pay the
cost Of inspection. AS for myself,
joined with Mr.. Bowie, OF Alabama, in
leading the fight in the committee
against both the court review clause
and the civil clause, and J announced
in the committee according to. the Gus
tom, that I had reserved the right to
vote against these propositions in the
open house, and every statement
have made can be verified by the rec
ords of the committee. To put me in
the attitude Of being the lone Demo-
crat who joined with the Republicans,
and presumably all the Republicans
on this proposition, is not only glar-
ing misstatement Of the facts, Tut
gross injustice to me, though I in.pute
no intention upon the part Of the State
correspondent to 90 me. an injustice.
The announcement Of the speaker
of my appointment on the conference
committee came to me, as great sur
prise. I did not anticipate it, and my
first impulse was to rise from my seat
and announce from the floor my refu-
sal to serve upon it under the circun-
stances. I thought it due the chairman
of the committee, however, as a mat
ter Of courtesy that I should notify
him Of my intention to refuse to ac-
cept the appointment, and I regarded
it as matter oE right that should
also consult With the Democrats who
were supporting me on this PROPOSE
ton, before announcing my Intentions.
And besides, I did not care to play the
grand stand. act and appeal for the
applause of the galleries. AS soon as
sThad discharged my duty to the chair
man Of the committee, and to my
Democratic colleagues I went to the
speaker and. told him that would not
under the circumstances serve on the
conference committee. told him
that. Mr.. Lamb was the ranking Dem
ocrat on the committee, and that he
was in sympathy with the bill. with
the exception as to VINO should pay
the cost of inspection, and that as
matter Of precedent he should have
the appointment on the committee.
Captain Lamb is an old Confederate
soldier, a knightly gentleman, pa
triotic legislator, and a warm person.
a friend Of n'ue I told the speak
er this, an red him that I would
not be t. medium through which
my friend was to be slapped in the
face. The speaker congratulated me
upon the magaanimity Of my position
and later in the day on page SOIL Of
the record said, the chair announces
as conferees on the agricultural ap-
preparation bill, Mr.. Wa6S>. orth, Mr..
Scott and Mr.. Lamb. The chair. will
state that the gentleman from South.
Carolina (Ir. Lever), came to the
chair and requested to be excused
from service upon the conference
committee I not only requested to
be excused, but. I told the speaker
that ] absolutely refused TO serve on
tf> conference committee under the
circumstances.
: ..As to my vote upon the PROPOSE
ton of the government paying the