The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1906-06-13
TOOK PAY VICE.
That Is What the Investigating
Committee Is
SAID TO HAVE DONE

During the legislative Session. Took Sal.
ary as Legislators and Paid Them.
selves as Memb ers OF the layes.
tigatlng Committee. 0ae
Member Refused it.
Il having come to the ears Ct the
Columbia Record that all the mer.
bsrs ct the dispenssfy Investigating
committee except one had drawn dou-
ble per d:sm du-icg the session Of the
general assembly the first part OF this
year, aud rot believing it possible
that memoers OF a committee inyesti-
eating graft would do anything Of that
Sors about the propriety, at least, of
which there could oe so much ques
tion, the Record man addressed the
following letter to Hon. J. T. Hay,
CE6lIHGu Vi GlAS COLALGlvCCks
Il nave teen Informed that your
com mittee, all of whose nembe! are
also members Of the general assembly
o: this state, held several meetings
during the recent session Of the gen.
eral assembly and that, With one e1
ception, the members Of your commit
tee drew per d:en pay for the same
days both as members OF the general
assembly and the Investigating com
mittee. It was not statsd whether
they also drew double mileage. I ask
cd the comptroller general If these
things were &c snd be replied that be
vas not the disburstng Cti ;er toc the
payment OF members OF your com nit.
tee, but that if be were he would not
give double psy for the same day. /
aave 10 desire to do anybody an in
Justice. believe that the gentleman
who gave me the information knew
what be was talking about, but I do
not care to giys publicity to the state
ment until I asked you as cnairma1
Of the committee II the charge b?
vsue. II it bs true, I am also willing
to give publicity in The Record to
your explanation. DID any Of the
members ct your committee draw per
diem OF mileage for meetings held dur
ing the session Of the Legislature Did
they also draw per diem and mileage
from the legislature for the same days?
& prompt answer will be appreciated,
for, II this charge be true, think the
people OF the state ought to be put in
possession Of the facs. I have written
to toe memoer Of your c; N mnittee whu
IS said not to have taken dcuole pay
rsq1eat for statement On this sub
j CT. I would like to have your an
ower Ia time to publish with bis state
nent."
The gentleman who gave The Rec
ord It's first information Of this matter
had stated that Mr.. Cole L. Blease, a
member Of the committee, had refus
ed to take double per oiem on the
ground that be was not entitled to 1t.
So the following letter was addressed
to Mr.. Blease:
''I was informed thai the dispen-
sary investigating committee held
several meetings during the recent
session OF the general assembly, OF
which It's members are also members,
and that, with the exception OF your
self, the members OF the committee
drew per dieu pay both as members
Of the general assembly and as mem
GERS OF the committee for the same
days. sn not informed IS to wheta-
ar they also drew double mileage. Can
this be tru:? II so, I think the pee
pie OF the state ought to know it. You
will oblige me by promot answer"
Mr.. Biease got his letter too late to
reply by mail, but Record reporter
saw him upon his arrival in the city
and be said that be was informed and
believed that the report was true. Tie
committee had discussed their right
to double per diem and, despite bis
protest, had expressed the opinion
that they could draw pay for the same
days both as members Of the legisla
ture and as men bars OF the commit
toe. Chairman Hay had eff .red him
check Tor psr diem for meetings hello
during the Seasion OF the legislature
and be had declined to take it.
The R cord man met Chairman Hay
this morning and a:ked the chairman
If he had received the letter publish
cd above.
Chairman BAY replied that be had,
cut that be had been too busy to an
swer X; besides be did not know thai
be would answ it; that the commit,
Gee wss not on trial, al least he had
not heard that it was.
The Rscord man replied that the
committee was on trial at the great
bar OF public opinion and that the
public, which paid the committee, hao
a rigat to knos how Its money was
spent.
Chairman Hay replied that it wa;
true that the public paid the commit.
tee, but paid it very little.
Yes" replied the reporter, but
the members OF the committee knew
, how little the pay would be IN ad
vance OF accepting service on it,
The reporter then asked Chairman
Hay did be decline to answer Whethe
or not be or other members CT TIT
{ committee had drawn d ,uble pay.
) Chairman Hay replied that he woult
REQ lire time to decide whether or no
, e would answer and also to look ~
{ che records to see what was the tIuti
: about the matter.
The Record says the reporter di'
, not say that as Chairman Hay wa
r paynaster Of the committee and dre7
e the checks be ought to know CT IAN
whether be paid members per disr
as members ot the Investigating c)m
mittee for the same days on whtc
: they had drawn per diem as member
.,1-IA