The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-05-28
Yours truly,

Mr. E. I. Reardon,
City.
Dear Sir:-I received your unex-
pected communication and read the
same with great surprise.
II you will refer to Volume One of
the Statutes Of 1902, Section 1897,
you will see that I have strictly con-
formed with the law in nominating
this Board of Health. My recollec-
tion Is, that you suggested to me
sometime ago, that before 1 appoint
ed the new Board of Health, that
you would like to have q talk with
me and make some suggestions in ref
erence to the appointments. / told
you that when 1 felt that 1 needed
any suggestions, 1 would call upon
you. Up to the present time, I have
not felt that 1 needed any from you
or any one else, and I have not call
ed for any from any one.
Referring to that part of your let
ter, which is as follows:
"A great many citizens of Sumter.
Democrats and friends of mine. have
approached me with regard to the
appointment of the new city Board of
Health, which a number of citizens,
myself included, candidly believe,
was appointed purposely with a view
to removing me as Secretary and
Health officer, or, was at least, ma
nipulated, possibly without any
knowledge on your part, with that
end in view."
l would say that 1t is absolutely i'm
material what the citizens you refer
to think, or you either, and the sug-
gestion that there was any manipu-
lation whatever to compass your de-
feat as Health Officer is treated with
the contempt it deserves, but, 1 will
say, that the thought of defeating
you as Health Officer never crossed
my mind, and to each of the gentle
men who. were appointed, when ap-
preached to serve, your defeat as
Health Officer was not suggested nor
mentioned, and so far as I know, they
never thought of any such thing, and
1 can speak for myself. and say, that
such an idea never crossed my mind.
In making the appointments, of
this Board of Health 1 tried to select
gentlemen, who. thought would GER
tainly look out for the health and in
terest Of the city, and consider that,
at least above one man. who wished
TO remain Health Officer, and 1 now,
think that the Board Of Health GER
talnly consists Of more than the
Health Officer, and 1, at least, think,
that the board elected by City Coun-
Gil without a dissenting voice, consist
ing of five gentlemen, equally as COM
petent as any other five that could
possibly have been selected to con-
stitute the Board Of Health, and I
know these five gentlemen to be of
the highest character, and 1 do not
believe there is any one else unless il
be you, who would think for a mo-
ment, that any one could not get a
square deal with them.
L have strictly complied with the
law in making these nominations, and
made them absolutely on my own re-
sponsibility, without even consulting
you, and under no circumstances will
L for moment hold up the qualifying
of this board, and request the City
Democratic Executive Committee TO
hold primary for the election of a
Board Of Health or Health Officer
either. / feel sure that the city will
get better results when it's affairs are
administered from a business stand
point, unmixed with politics and ac-
cording to law, and 1 am satisfied If
you would devote that part of your
time in attending to the duties de-
volved upon you as Health Officer.
that you are seeking without solicita-
ton to devote to my duties as Mayor,
that the city will get better results,
and / will be less annoyed.
1 consider your communication. not
only an insult to me, but an insult to
those gentlemen who have been elect.
ed on the Board of Health, and, in
A
directly, an insult to the City Council,
and L shall lay your communication
Doth before the City Council at its
next meeting, and before the Board
OF Health when organized. 1t seems
TO me, that you have unduly magni-
fled your Importance, but | have no
hesitancy in saying, in my opinion,
you are as competent an Health OIL
Ger as could be found anywhere, but