The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1908-02-12

it, and what it has developed,
the public can Judge whether or
not there was any justification
for the information given to me,
and which as a newspaper man
! furnished the public. The
article IN question was published
in these columns. and reproduced
in other newspapers. before
there was, what has become
known as the ':Otts resolution: "
which sought to endorse the
State Commission and interpret
the law regarding it's powers
enacted by the former session of
the Legislature and which was
intended for use at q hearing
before Judge Pritchard, but
carried with it no appropriation
or anything else. There was a
difference Of opinion as to the
propriety OF the resolution. I had
nv own doubts about it, but in
asmuch as they were introduced
I voted for them: others voted
against them, which they had a
9. right to do. and still not be
averse to. other light throwing
propositions relating to the Ii,
quor scandals. The offending
article was entirely foreign to
the Otis resolutions, bad abso,
lutely nothing to with them,
near or remote: it only dealt
with future legislation looking
to an appropriation to defray the
expenses of prosecuting further
Investigations. I was not only
informed there was a probabll'
ity of some lawyers who are
members of the general assem-
bly that are retained by whiskey
concerns who have claims, and
who are also retained by parties
charged with graft, using their
influence to defeat an appropria'
ton to further prosecute the
claims and cases, but that evl
dence has been obtained Of such
efforts having already been
made. There is, in my opinion,
q considerable difference between
a lawyer not a member of the
general assembly, and one who
| is. The member of the general
assembly is a State officer, sworn
to uphold the laws of the State,
and it does seem. to me his posi-
ton would be inconsistent were
he to be retained to defend pub
lie officers charged with crime
against the State, and especially
wrong did he in his capacity as
a legislator endeavor to prevent
| Investigations or prosee ions IN
which his clients are interested
This is the way it looks to me
but from some of the speeches
made upon the floor OF the
Senate, my views are not con
CURED in by some Of the mem
bers-a very small minority how
ever, as the majority hold views
similar to mine.
| was the subject of consider
able acrimonious discussion, anc
those who felt aggrieyed seemed
to connect The TIMES article
with their action in votin&
against the Otis resolution. |:
not, then they would have farec
much better had they remained II
their seats, as did a majority G:
the lawyer members of the
Senate. AS one Senator ex
pressed it sthe rock dian't HI
me, and I have no occasion tt
Iholler." The affair was sprung
upon me suddenly, and to say
was surprised would not describt
my feelings. Before I could fully
recover from the surprise tht
Senator from Oconee was pro
testing his innocence of tht
charge Of being retained by any
of the whiskey houses, or any o
the persons charged with graft
Lam perfectly satisfied the Sena
tor spoke the whole truth, ant
while no names were furnished
me. at the time I received tn
information upon which | wrote
the article that has since actet
like a carpet tack in the chair o
the Senators, I am morally Ger
tain nv informant did not thinl
of Senator Earle of Oconee as
lawyer, and if he had ever en-
tered his thoughts at all, it wa:
as a newspaper man, but iawye:
never. Nevertheless this Oconet
Senator made it known that h'
is a lawyer and felt aggrlevet
because it was clearly intimatet
by my article there were lawye:
members who would probabl,
use their influence to thwart tn
necessary legislation to prose
cute cases, and if they did the,
would be exposed. Senate
Earle heard the speeches ant
what was omitted in them: on
member in effect, said he woule
not take one of these cases unit
after the legislature adjourned
this is in keeping with what wa
once said about legislato:
when last year the railroad pas:
Investigating resolution wa