The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-11-24
SHARP REPLY
To Senator Tilnan's Criticism Of The
Plan 0: F::nancing tie
TAFT LUNCHEON AFFAIR
Capt. W. f. Gonzales. Member OF
the Central Committee in Charge
OF the Arrangements. Explains
Why F'rcc 1:ck-,> Were Not Is
.ued TO the Colu,nbi. Function.

TIE following statement; IS pub
lished by Capt w e Gonzales. who |
was on The centya: committee as III.
representative" OF ;hc Colum bia |
Chamber OF Commerce. 10 provide
for ,hc entertainment: ot Prcs!dea,
Tai; when h" visited Colum bia re-
Gently:
As member of the contra, COM
m!itec and as n: individual! pri- |
mar!lv responsible Tor the method |
Of President Ta:i's entertainment At
luncheon in Columbia. method
characterized ~ y l. Titlman as
indecent. and criticized II chorus
oy more or less thoughtleSS. unin-
.o1m"d o. malicious newspapers.
maxi N" Suhjoin"! statement or
facts. !.:c vicious assault upon Co
lumbia by Tillmaa. broadcast
through ;h- country n press dis
patches. IS reflection upon al
South Carolina
Las; winter the P.-S.dent-c!e"!
was invited 10 Columbia By the Gov
e7ror. the president o! the South
Carolina Bar Association. aud pr..Si-
lent o: the Columbia Chamber o:
! Commerce He could not then some
| Later the invitation was renewed by
! the Governor. the mayor and the
president OF the Chamber Of Com
. me.ce. Hc accepted that invitation.
| Three mothns ago organization FOR
! the care OF the President, anG his
entertainment was begun by III. for
nation o: Z central committee. O.:
which tie Governor. representing
South Carolina. was chairman. May
., Reame- and myself being The 9th
2. members.
The first suggestion for the P-es:-
dents entertainment vas By Cover
nor Anscl. who proposed rendering
him luncheon. opposed that
plan on the ground that the coming
Of the President 20 the Capital. on
the invitation OF The city and State.
was Statewide in its S!gnificanc.
and his hosts should be ;Ae repre-
sentative men OF The State: that any
formal function at the Mansion mus,
Of necessity De restricted. and. there
fore. the idea OF a State entertain
ment could 70, De carried out. As
4 substitute suggested inviting Z
certain number o: reprcsen,ativ.
men Of South Carolina 10 participate
in giving this luncheon. The cos;
1as estimated 81 SO :or eac!. host
there 20 De no guests" except the
President. his Immediate party an
members OF his Cabinet. That plan
was accepted. the Governor deciding
% give the President breakfast
M-. Taft at that time expecting &c
arrive here in the morning.
Was Statewide Affair.
Members OF committees Were
later appointed. and the committee
lor invitation forwarded 20 the
Thousand persons selected 10 be civ.
ea the opportunity to participate
in entertaining the President. card
of invitation. in Stereo,yped form,
bearing. as svM5o!ica! Of ;he scope.
IN engraving OF the flag OF South
Carolina. There was absolutely
nothing upon that card suggesting
Columbia as the acs: Another card
carried the information 10 South
Carolinians invited that the first
ih-ee hundred 10 avail themselves
,t the invitation. and pay the amour,
fixed upon. would participate in the
luncheon.
Invitations were essential be-
cause Limitation and selection Were
Necessary. No one was invited be-
cause he could pay his way Of
fetal South Carolina. the press. the
men Of learning and OF worthy
achievement We're recognized as full
~ as possible in the effort 10 have
aSsenibl here a representative and
distinguished body OF South Caro-
linianS 10 meet the couptry's Chief
Executive. Private entertainment in
| Columbia would have saved the com
mit,ee's infinite troubles and trials.
but would necessarily have eliminat-
I'd that State feature Of the enter
/ tainmcnt. 10 which The President so
feei!ns!y referred in his address
! here.
Further CARRYING ou, the State
| wide conception. reception commit
tee was appointed. on which every
| county il South Carolina had repre-
sentatioI: there wer.. two aldermen
from Columbia sad p-o6a bly, 4 dozer
on that committee.
The design and inscription for
the menu card. chosen by the lunch
con committee. :u!! nloath before
the event. emphasized the scope OF
the function. In addition 20 the
ens-avings o: the Capitol. the coat
OF arms OF South Carolina and a.
palmetto tree. the declaration tha.
the luncheon was Given 10 p-esi-
den; Taft by Sou:h Ca-o!inans. was
conclusive o: lis pU-pos.
a; The h:.s;anirS o: The prcpa.a-
ton j; was dccrs,.d that the-" should |
De- 10 guests al the luncheon cx. |
ccpt th.. President. his pa.,y and |
members OF the Cabinet And there
was none. Every South Caroliniaa
present was there as host. The re-
f-o-teTs for the Columbia Record.
The News and Courier and The State.
the members OF all committe-s-,he
men who bore Oh. responsibilities
and did the arduouS work OF prepa-
tion-wcre hosts. each contributing
his share toward making fitting
South Cardinals hospitality 10 the
nations o!ficia! haad
There are TWO practicable meth
DDS OF detrayins ,ac expenses OF pub