The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-05-22
coLumB1A,s HOSPITALITY DEFENDED.

In The State Of Monday ap-
pears a letter signed "W. D.
Woods" which is a reply to an
editorial in this paper of recent
date, relating to the complaints
OF the reunion at Columbia. Mr..
Woods defends the people of
Columbia against the charge
of inhospitality and in dong so
''begs to make some observa-
tions on the charge made by the
Manning Times that the old sol
diers did not receive a very cor
dial welcome from the people in
Columbia. We would suggest
to Mr.. Woods, that he read
again the editorial in the Times
he complains Of, and he will see
the Times made no charge Of in
hospitality, but based its edito-
rial upon the complaints of the
old soldiers on the return fromthe
reunion. The Times made no
complaint, but nearly every old
soldier that we saw complained,
and some Of them were very
much disappointed at the treat
ment they received. We not
only heard veterans COM
planning here, but we heard a
number Of them on their return
from the reunion, on the train,
going to other sections, making
the complaint of inattentlon and
scant food. We realize the diff
Guilty of entertaining so many
men, and that it would be very
hard to please everybody, but
with an appropriation from the
State, it does seem to US that
the arrangements could have
been better than when there was
no appropriation.
The following is Mr.. Woods
reply to the Times editorial.
The writer begs to make some OBJ
servations on the charge made by the
Manning Times that the old soldiers
did not receive very cordial welcome
from the people OF Columbia. In re-
plying to this charge The writer pro-
poses to speak with perfect frankness,
not basing his remarks on rumor, but
from what he saw himself, II the edl-
Tor of the Manning Times, who IS a
fair minded and generous man, could
have dropped into the place where the
old soldiers were being fed, he would
have never made the charges which
appear in his editorial columns, for he
would have easily seen that every pos
sible effort was made to furnish meals
for all who came. It is very true that
a great many sought and obtained ad-
mission before tee regular meal hour
and in consequence Of this the meals
were not so good as the ladies desired
TO give them, bu5 that anyone was
made to feel like a tramp Or an object
of charity is absolutely untrue. and 1t
is hard to understand how anyone
could have made such charge without
the slightest foundation upon which to
OaSS u. ttS IIc-S oil Cc-oy N~SL oCe@ISO3 WV
first comers, owing to the fact that din
ner was not quite ready, did not fare
so well as those who waited until the
regular dinner hour, but they had
plenty of ham, bread, rice and coffee,
the latter not weak, but strong and
probably better than great many peo-
ple are accustomed to drink at home.
At the regular dinner hour beef and
potatoes were served in addition to the
things already mentioned; the failure
of the first comers to get them was
owing to the fact that they were not
ready. Very few people have any con.
ceptioo of the immense amount OF
work required TO feed several thous-
and people il the space OF a few hours
and even IN place as large as Colum-
bia il would be impossible to cook the
food required except for the courtesy
OF Dr.. babcock il placing his cooking
facilities aJ the service of the commit
tee The ladies' were ,,ptir rinp in thei y |