The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-04-30

and down the Columbia and Green
vile railroad, including Anderson.
Nine bills went through the Fifty
ninth congress, Of blessed memory,
for the construction of nine dams
across the river. They passed both
the senate and the house of repres-
entatives and were signed by the
president Of the United States and
thus the law of the land, and the
dams are being built. But who did it9
Senator Latimer, who is here now
attending the meeting of the immi-
grafton commission, Of which he is
member says he didn't do it, that is,
he didn't do it all. Mr.. Aiken Just
now is down in Savannah attending
hearing before the United States
army engineer, Col. Kingman, about
these very dams. He hasn't been
heard from but it might be supposed
that he had something to do with it.
Well, it is Ike this: Mr.. Aiken is
about the biggest dam man there is
IN either house or congress. He stood
on the floor of the house amidst ad-
miring friends and colleagues for the
full space of fifteen minutes one day
toward the close Of the session and
passed whole handful of dam bills.
But here now comes along some cor
respondent from Anderson and up
and says that Senator Latimer lis
the only original and onliest. Only
when it comes to dams that there is.
Senator Latimer heard about this and
he tells The States correspondent
while sitting around the willard ho-
tel that he is thankful for the honor
conferred upon him by the Anderson
correspondent, but really he isn't the
only dam man in congress from
South Carolina.
"My attention has been called to
the fact that certain ones in Ander-
son have done me the favor of giving
me entire credit for getting through
these bills,' says Senator Latimer,
"and than in a certain dispatch to
The State few days ago and in one
of the South Carolina paper (The
News and Couricr) an injustice was
done to Mr.. Aiken, in that all the
credit for these dams was given to
me and none to Mr.. Aiken. T wish
to say that am in no way RESPONSE
bic for these reports. Of course, I
had nothing to do with the passage
of these bills in the house and Mr..
Aiken should be given entire credit
for having drafted, but on passage
and got through these bills in the
| house. In fact he originated most of
them, and all did was to do my
part with them when they came to
the senate. l have not claimed any,
thing else and I am surprised that in
mentioning it full credit has not been
given to Mr.. Aiken for he is certain
ly entitled to it. I consider Mr.. Ak
Ell an mtiding worker and a useful
member here. He has always looked
after the interests Of his constituents,
and | certainly hope taht he will be
accorded full credit for his work in
connection with these Savannah river
dams.'
Now that is the first trouble about
| the dams. There is another. Col.
bingham, the engineer in charge of
| the Savannah river, wants all of these
people who are building dams across
his river to put locks in them so, that
vessels can pass up and down, as
| they used to do before the war. The
power companies which are construct
ing the dams don't dant to do this.
They say it costs too much money and
the locks arc Of no use anyway. The
fpower companies and orners interest
ed are having this hearing down in
Savannah and that is why Mr.. Ak
ell IS down there. At least that is a
reason for his being down there. Col.
Kingham will make report to the
war department and from what he
has already said, it is considered like
~ that he will make a report rcquir-
ing the companies to put locks in the
dams.
Senator Latimer expects to call on
Secretary Taft as soon as he can get
at the big secretary, who has just
returned from his long journey, and
tell him about the whole dam bust
ness. The senator says that the pow