Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-11-16
HITS BACK At TILLMAN
Mr.. ". E. Gonzales Makes Statement
About Columbia Luncheon.
POSITION OF COMMITTEE EXPLAINED

u VI khI LnllvLL
There Were no Guests" at the BIG
Dinner Except the Taft Party-Al
the Others We're Hosts and as Such
Paid $40 Eaeh-It Was q State In.
stead Of a Columbia Affair, Notwith-
standing Columbia Reserved the
Right to Say Who Was Who.
Editor w. E. Gonzales Of the Colum-
bia State on last Saturday issued the
following statement with reference to
the Columbia luncheon affair:
AS a member of the central COM
mittee and as the individual primari-
ly responsible for the method Of Pres
dent Taft's entertainment at luncheon
at Columbia, a method characterized
by B. r. Tillman as indecent" and
criticised in chorus by more or less
thoughless, uninformed, or malicious
newspapers, make the subjoined
statement Of facts. The vicious as
sault upon Columbia by Tillman
broadcast throughout the country In
press dispatches, is a reflection upon
all South Carolina.
Last winter the president elect was
invited to Columbia by the governor,
the president Of the South Carolina
Bar association, and the president OF
Columbia Chamber Of Commerce. He
could not then come. Later the in
vitation was renewed by the gov
ernor, the mayor, and the president
of the Chamber Of Commerce. He
accepted that invitation. Three
months ago organization for the care
of the president and his entertain
ment was begun by the formation of
a central committee, Of which the
governor, representing South Caro-
lima, was chairman, Mayor Reamer
and myself being the other MEM
bers.
The first suggestion for the presi-
dents entertainment was by Gov
ernor Ansel, who proposed tender
ing him a luncheon. I opposed that
plan on the ground that the coming
of the president to the capital, on
the invitation of the city and state,
was statewide In its significance, and
the hosts should be the representative
men Of the state, that any formal
function at the mansion must Of phys
ical necessity be restricted, and there
fore the idea Of a state entertainment
could not be carried out. AS SUBJ
stitute I suggested inviting a certain
number of representative men Of
South Carolina to participate in CIV
ing this luncheon. The cost was esti-
mated at $40 for each host, there to
be no guests" except the president,
his immediate party and members Of
his cabinet. This plan was accepted,
the governor deciding to give the
president a breakfast, Mr.. Taft at
that time expecting to arrive here In
the morning.
Members Of committees were later
appointed, and the committee on In
vitation forwarded to the thousand
persons selected to be given the OPP
portunity to participate in entertain
ing the president, card Of invita-
ton, in stereotyped form, bearing. as
symbolical Of the scope, an engraving
Of the flag Of South Carolina. There
was absolutely nothing upon that card
suggesting Columbia as the host An
other card carried the information to
South Carolinians invited that the
first three hundred to avail them
selves of the invitation, and pay the
amount fixed upon, would participate
in the luncheon.
Invitations were essential because
limitation and selection were neces-
sary. No one was invited because he
could pay his way. Official South
Carolina, the press, the men Of learn
ing and of worthy achievement were
recognized as fully as possible in the
effort to have assemble here a repre-
sentative and distinguished body Of
South Carolinians to meet the coun-
try's chief executive. Private enter
tainment in Columbia would have
aved the committees infinite troubles
and trials, but would necessarily have
that state feature Of the
to which the president
so feelingly referred in his address
here.
Further carrying out the state
wide conception, a reception commit
tee was appointed. on which every
county in South Carolina had repre-
sentation; there were two aldermen
from Columbia and probably a dozen
members Of the general assembly on
that committee.
The design and inscription for the
menu card, chosen by the luncheon
a full month before the
event, emphasized the scope Of the
function. In addition to the engrav-
ing Of the capitol, the coat OF arms
of South Carolina and a palmetto tree,
the declaration that the luncheon
was "Given to President Taft by South
was conclusive of Its
purpose.
At the beginning Of the preparation
It was declared that there should be
no quests" at the luncheon except
the president, his party, and men,
bers of the cabinet. And there was
none. Every South Carolinian pres
ent was there as host The report
ers for The Columbia Record, The
News and Courier and The State. the
members Of all committees-the men
who bore the responsibilities and did
the arduous work Of preparation
were hosts each contributing his
share toward making fitting South
Cardinals hospitality to the nations
official head.
There are two practicable methods
Of defraying the expenses OF public
banquets. One is by using the tax
payers money to pay for an enter
tainment from which more than SO
per centum of the taxpayers must OF
necessity be excluded, and the other