The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-11-10
OBJECTS TO CLAIMS
MADE IN THE NEWSPAPERS By
OVER JEALOUS FRIENDS
Of Congressman Lever That He is
Entitled to the Credit for Soil
Survey Of This State.

Eutitlcu W tuo SECuAe iOE OOhs
Survey Of This State.
Congressman D. Wyatt Aiken
takes Congressman Levers press
agent to task for giving the credi:
for the soil survey in South Caro-
lima almost entirely TO Mr.. Lever,
and thoroughly shows up the false
ness of the claim. Here Is Congress-
man Aiken's letter, which explains
itself. =
TO the Editor of The State:
In an article which appeared in
The News and Courier Of the 21st
inst. We note the following: H.
H. Bennett, general field agent Of
the United States bureau OF soils.
was in Columbia today. and will
very probably attend the conference
| Of soil experts ir Lexington county
during the week with Co igressman
Lever, to whom the credit Of the soil
survey of South Casoiina ehould be
given" Then again. IN the same
article, the following appears;
Congressman Lever. who Is a mep-
Der of the agricultural committee
of the house Of representatives, has
done more towards securing q soil
survey of the State than any: other
man, and 1t Is largely through bis
efforts that the federal govegnnieht
has taken 50 much interest,""
Then, q few days later, we note
In The State: "Mr. Bennett has just
had q conference with. Director Hsr-
per of the State experiment station
and leaves today for Lexington for
a conference with Congressman Lev
er, who had the soil survey work
started in this State and who bas
one much toward Its establishment,
upon a practical basis, not only in
South Carolina but throughout the
United States"
These statements go too far In
claiming for MI. Lever. and in reah-
ty, are calculated to do him injury.
1t is certain that. Mr.. Lever would
not claim as much for himself. Un-
fortunately for the force Of the
statements made by the correspon.
dent to The News and Courier. he
published in the same article q tabu-
lated statement, showing the work
that has been done entirely In the
matter of soil survey In this State.
and the dates Of the surveys. This
shows that the surveys, known as
the Abbeville. Anderson and Ocone'
surveys, embraced almost entirely the
Third district which l have the honor
to represent, covered an area OF b.
4O8 square miles. The survey OF
Orangaburg, Lee and Sumter, all
the work done in Mr.. Levers dis
trict, covered 1,707 square miles.
II this matter has been left, exclu-
sively to Mr.. Lever, as his friend
would do him the injustice to inti-
mate, would the initiative have been
taken outside Of his district and
would he have favored other sections
rather than his own? The first sur
yey made in MIR. Levers district was
the Orangeburg survey. made IN
1904, and the two other surveys
were in Lee and Sumter in 1907.
The survey in Ahbeville county
was made in 1902, while Senator
Latimer was in congress. and before
Mr.. Lever was a member Of the ag-
r%icultural committee. The surveys In
Darlington and Horny were made the
same year, while Mr.. Scarborough
was in congress. These men had
been serving for some years when
| the surveys were made, and both or
| them were known to be active and
| able representatives. Mr.. Lever was
| then a new man In the house. and
it is unreasonable to suppose that
| these men of longer service would
| apppal to him, even befores his. ap-
| poiptmcnt to the agricultural COM
| mittee. to have surveys made In their
| respective districts,
Without assuming to speak with
reference to the surveys made IN
Lancaster, Cherokee and York, Mr..
| Finley's district, which, to say the
least of it, he was competent 10 lave
secured on his own motion. l may
and do speak definitely Of the IT.
yevs in Anderson and Oconee. !
| know that these surveys were made
upon my request direct to the de-
| partment, and not through anybody
as intermediary.
There were surveys at later dates
in the districts Of Messrs. johnson
| and Legare. They would prooaoly
want some credit for having them
made.
This Is written In no unfriendly
| shirt for Mr.. Lever, who l esteem
| highly as a personal friend. n ap-
nreciate as an able and faithful pub
lie servant. And I do not believe
that Mr.. Lever would himself DO
Injustice to his colleagues; but his
friends, in this wholesale claim for
him. have overstepped the bounds
of reason, and do injustice both TO
Mr.. Lever and his colleagues. IL
is not likely that soil surveys we're
made here Immediately on the re-
quest of any person. as preliminary
ARRANGEMENTS are always pecessary.
And vet there we're soil surveys here
az early as 1902.