The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-11-24

Of necessity be excluded, and the
other Is that those acting as hosts
do the part Of hosts and defray the
costs. BY the first plan the many
a for the benefit of the few; by
the latter there is equality and JUS
tice. And the later plan is practi-
cally universal.
Same Plan Followed Elsewhere.
after Tillman's ill-bred outbreak
In the face of Columbia's and South
| Carolina's approaching guest, / took
| the pains to inquire Of four towns
that either had entertained the Pres
ident or contemplated 30 doing. as
to the plan followed. Here are ex-
tracts from the replies:
washington: The dinner given
to President Taft was arranged by
a joint committee of the Chamber
of Commerce and board Of trade.
The committee issued invitations to
a few distinguished guests, who, Of
course, paid nothing. All others
who attended paid $40 a plate. The
list was limited The list. however.
was not confined to Washingtoniane.
New Orleans: AT the banquet
| rendered President Taft here last
February, just before his inaugura-
ton, all those who attended were
Invited to pay $25, with the excep-
ton Of Mr.. Taft's party, the press
(of New Orleans) and possibly one
or two guests of honor Those in
vitations to participate were not
confined to citizens Of Louisiana.
ATLANTA: I have just wired you
that we did exactly the same thing
here in Atlanta, and it Is the usual
custom, not only here In the South,
but in every other city in the coun-
try. It seems to me 1t Is
"a very sensible custom. Some
body has to pay. Why not. there
fore, those who are there In the ca
pacity of hosts? . SO FAR AZ
I have heard this is the only In
stance of complaint Of this kind on
record.
Savannah. The Taft banquet
will be attended by $50. PERSONS
About thirty will be guests OF the
city; the 800 who are not special
guests will pay $40 per plate for the
occasion. In eighteen years I do no
recall a function of the sort in .hli
city that was not similarly financed.
Invitations to participate In thai
banquet and its EXPENSE banquet
given in the name Of Savannah
were sent to Atlanta and elsewhere
lin Georgia.
1.-THE direct charge that Colum'
bia was attempting to make the State
at large pay for her frolic. and the
infamous insinuation that the plar
of a committee, of which the Gov
ernor, the mayor and myself were
the members, had engaged in a mon
ey-making scheme, warrants refer
ence to what was spent In Columbi;
aside from the mathematics cost
by the way, was not covered by thu
estimated $40 q plate. Aside from
the entertainment in the State Hous'
the outlay was, as accurately as
can now secure the figures. $500.
Tillman Tartly Censured.
II have no means Of defining tn
motive prompting B. r. Tillman t.
make the gross and insolent repl!
he did to the invitation to be q hos
instead Of a guest at the luncheon
to the President, and 1t Is immateria
whether he imagined 1t an opportu
nifty to hurt Columbia, or to embar
rass his political opponents on thu
committee, or to hoodwink gullibl'
backwoodsmen. But his ill-bret
TRADE, his maliciously false state
ment Of Columbia's position, hi
charge that our plan was a violation
Of hospitality and indecent woult
have been ignored by me had no
papers In South Carolina, some o
them perhaps misinterpreting tn
committees silence while the CUES
was approaching, INDUCED in Who'll
ly unjustifed, and, as a distinguish
ed Georgian writes me, u~nprecedent
ed ccriticism Of this city.
THAT Tillman. who has neve
baked at the price Of a dinner wheI
paid for with the money Of taxpay
ers, should essay the role Of a Ware
McAllister Is grotesque. The mai
who as a guest Of honor In Charles
ton took the hide off his hosts ant
then rubbed In SALT and gave Char
lestonians a stomach-turning from
which they needed years to recover
the man whose coarse speech wheI
making addresses by invitation hat
brought the blood to the faces o
farmers wives and daughters II
South Carolina, the man whose pro
family before women has shocked II
South Carolina and In Washington
this mans criticism, l say, o.
hospitality and etiquette Is gro
tesoue. The animous Is revealed
when Tillman, notorious for lack o.
courtesy, lack of refinement, and fol
general uncouthness. and 'boastfu
of his disregard of the conventions
attempts to be mentor Of Columbia't
manners. And when 1t m tc
maintaining the good name Of South
! Carolina, for which he now essays
to be jealous, Tillman's display of RI
appetite for getting something FOL
nothing or much for little, which
had its in~ceipient manifestation when
ha mnn Cnrarnnr In tha cultivation