The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-07-05
STANDS BY The BOARD
GOVERNOR BLEASE SATISFIED
WITH WHAT IT DID.

GOVERNOR BLEASE SATISFIED
WITH WHAT IT DID.
Says the Members in Their Actor
Were Just as Conscientious a
Swearingen Was.
Governor Blease Wednesday after
noon issued a statement in connec
ton with the text book contract mat
ter. Governor Blease said:
81 have seen Superintendent Swear
ingen's statement. have no com
ment to make. He is entitled to hi
opinion, and I have the highest re
gard for him, and, if he is can
didate for reelection, he has M bes
wishes for his success, for I thinl
he is conscientious and trying to d.
what he believes is right. However
after a most careful and thorough
investigation 7 am satisfied that ths
seven gentlemen who represented
the State by appointment on thi:
board, (and who were appointed b.
my predecessor are equally as con
scientious and as honorable gentle
men, and did what they believed wa:
for the best interest Of the children
Of South Carolina.
"I considered the changing of The
board. Certain newspapers were very
loud In their denunciation Of me il
contemplation of such action anG
spoke in the very highest and lauda
bic terms Of these gentlemen, and il
appeared from their rawlings that hat
I removed these gentlemen I would
have been subjected to the most sc.
we're censure.
"Now, that the adoption is over
some Of these same papers are criti.
cising these gentlemen. II they car
make their position consistent, after
publishing these contradictory state.
ments, all right, for it will only
be in keeping With the casino Of their
conscience for their other fatsehoods
and vituperation in which they have
engaged.
"On the morning of the beginning
of the book adoption I was called
away from Columbia and, therefore
was not present at the adoption OF
the books on the morning Of the first
day. Neither was present when the
vote was taken on the question raised
by Superintendent SWearingen-that
each man record his vote on each
book. If I had been present I would
have voted for Mr.. Swearingen's s
plan; and, If any one is interested
enough to now, I will be delighted
to state how I voted on each book
that was adopted during my presence.
think my record in the House OF
Representative and in the State Sen
ate and in the Governors Office will
Justify me in saying that have al
ways been free and open il every
act that I have ever committed, and
have no apologies to make to any
man or set of men. I recognize no
boss but the people, and, when !
60 before them to them alone will
1 give an account
s'I refused on several occasions to
see book men. Notably in this class
were the agents of the American
Book Company, and have been in
formed that Mr.. Fair, one Of their
representatives was rather severe in
his criticism of my not allowing him
to see me and discuss his books with
him. When book men called, I de-
clined to see them-stating to some
to see Mr.. Swearingen, that he was
State Superintendent of Education,
and that the people had elected him
to perform that duty and not me.
As to CHM & Co., I guess Mr.. Wal
ker will hardly say that I had any
favors for them. The only agents
with whom I did have any conversa-
ton of consequence, did not get even
book, except Prof. White.
GAS I have said before, my fight
was for Southern books. and we
adopted Thompson's, Kinard's. Wal
lace's, Whites, Sims's and other
South Carolina authors. AS to the
Wheeler reader, while was not pres
ent when they were adopted, they
are by a Kentuckian and many OF
the other books adopted were by
Southern authors; and in my opinion
our people would rather pay alittle
more and have their children taught
the truth in Southern books, than
to pay less and be taught books by
Yankee authors, and taught to be-
lieve that their grand fathers, and
thei1 great-grand-fathers were trait
ors to their State.
"I regret that Superintendent
Swearingen looks at the matter as ne
does.
GAS for my part Of it. ignorant
as was as to the needs of the chill
dren, I did the best could. AS fol
the balance refer the people te
Prof. O'Driscoll; Mr.. Rice, Prof. Dan
ie1s, Prof. Rembert, Prof. Toms, Prof
Thackston and Senator Glenn. !,
this is a Blease board. or if these gen
tlemen were controlled by me, or Il
they are corrupt, then lay all the
blame on my shoulders, and I vii
gladly carry it until the people O.
South Carolina give the command
clay it down"
Elks Club Raided.
At Talladega, Ala, Thursday Sner
if Connect raided the Elk's club, Sc
curing fifteen casks of beer and hf