Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1909-11-11
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.

Congressman ID. 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: II.
II. 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 lgressman
Lever, to whom the credit of the soil
survey of South Carolina ghould be
given" Then again. Ia the same
article. the following sppears:
Congressman Lever. who Is O mem
Der of the agricultural committee
OF the house of representatives. has
done more towards securing a soil
survey of the State than any r;i. :
man, and 1T is largely through his
efforts that the federal government
has taken so much interest"
Then. n few days later, we note
In The State: 'Mr. Bennett has Just
had conference with Director Har.
per or the State experiment station
and leaves today for Lexington for
conference with Congressman Lev
er, who had the soil survey work
started in this State and who has
done much toward It's establishment
upon a practical basis. not only in
South Carolina but throughout the
United States"
These statements go too far in
claiming for Mr.. Lever. and in reali-
ty. are calculated to do him injury
IL Is certain that Mr.. Lever would
not claim as much for himself. Tn
fortunately for tho force Of the
statements made by the correspon-
dent to The News and Courier. he
published in the same article a 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 Oconee
surveys, embraced almost entirely the
Third district which | have the honor
to represent, covered an area OF .
iOS square miles. The survey OF
Olane dburg, Lee and Sumter, all
the work done in Mr.. Levers dis
trict, covered 1907 square miles.
II this matter has been left exclu
sively to Mr.. Lever. as his frieno
would do him the injustice TO init
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
vey made in Mr.. Levers district was
the Orange6urg survey. made in
1904. and the two other surveys
were in Lee and Sumter in 1907.
1h" survey in Abbcvillo county
was made in 1905. while Senator
Latimcr was in congress, and before
Mr. Lever was member of the ag-
ricUltural committee The surveys in
Darlington and Horny were made tho
same year. while Mr.. Scarborough
WAS in congress. These mon had
been serving for some years when
the surveys were made. and both OF
them were known to be active and
able representatives. Mr.. Lever was
then a new man in the house. and
IL is unreasonable to suppose that
these men of longer service would
appeal TO him. even before his ap-
pointment to the agricultural com
mittee, to have surveys made in their
respective districts
Without assuming TO speak with
reference TO the surveys made In
Finley's district. which. 10 say the
least of it, he was competent TO have
secured on his own motion. | may
and do speak definitely of the sur
vcys in Anderson and Oconee. !
know that these surveys were made
upon my request direct 10 the de-
partmcnt. and not through anybody
as intermediary.
There were surveys at later dates
in the districts of Messrs Johnson
and Legare. They would probably
want some credit for having them
made.
This Is written In no uufriendly
spirit for Mr.. Lever. who esteem
highly as a personal friend. and ap-
preciate as an able and faithful pub
lie servant. And 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 ia
Mr.. Lever and his colleagues II
is not likely that soil surveys were
made here immediately on the re-
quest OF any person. as preliminary
arrangements are always necessary
And yet there we're soil surveys bere
as early as 1902.
Mr.. Lever is doing a good work
in his efforts 10 push the soil sur
voyS. II other members arc no.
equally successful. Il Is not because