The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-02-08
HOLDERS OF two POSITIONS.
AME OF SENATOR TILLMAN
HEADS BLEASE LIST.
Letter Sent To Committee Appointed
To Investigate Alleged Violation Oh
South Carolina Constitution by OH
cials Holding More than One Office,
Names Those Whom Governor Con-
sidcrs are "Opcnly Violating Letter
and Spirit" Of Law.


Columbia, Feb. 3.-Governor COic-
man l.. Blease, in a letter To the com
mittee appointed to investigate the
holding OF two position of profit or
trust" names those whom he consid
ers are openly violating the letter
and spirit Of our State Constitution"
Heading .,ae list given to the com
mittee il Governor Blease's letter is
the Hon. benjamin Ryan Tillman,
senior Sea ator from South Carolina,
who is al a trustee of Clemson.
The c,ramittee. consisting of two,
members OF the Senate and three
from the House, will get to work i'm
mediately. under the concurrent reso-
luton naming them to investigate the
charges brought by Governor Blease.
The letter Of Governor Blease, civ.
en- TO the press today, follows:
Yours Of the I'd received. In re-
ply will state that / am informed that
the Hon. b. r. Tillman is a United
States Senator and trustee of Glenn
son and Winthrop colleges.
THAT the Hon. Francis II. Weston
Is State Senator and trustee OF the
University Of South Carolina.
THAT the Hon. John G. Richards
is a State Senator, trustee of Glen.
son College and president of the board
of trustees Of Clemson College.
THAT the Hon. u. ]. Bradham is
a trustee Of the Colored College AMI
a magistrate.
THAT the Hon. d. w. McLaurin Is
land agent Of the sinking fund and
trustee of winthrop College.
AT the time of the message you
speak Of in your letter the Hon. Hart
well NJ. Aver was member Of the
House OF Representatives and
trustee Of the State Reformatory.
THE Hon. l.. NJ. Gasque was a
of the House Of Representa-
tives and a member OF the board Of
fish commissioners of South Carolina.
There may be others. / have not
taken the pains TO look the matter
up. These have been called TO my
attention, and believing that each Of
the positions h,ld by them, respect
uyit hn &C
State Constitution, sent in the mes
sage referred to.
article 3, Section "a, of the Con-
stitution Of 1895, reads: No person
shall be eligible to a seat in the Gen
eral Assembly while he holds any
office or position of profit or trust un-
der this State. the United States of
America or under any other Power,
ETC.
IF the trustee of a college that
handles hundreds of thousands OF
dollars and by his vote may expend
the same is not a position, 1 am at a
loss to know the meaning Of the word.
II a railroad commissioner or a Uni
ted States Senator is not an office l
am badly misinformed.
THE Constitution says or under
any other Power Can a man hold
an office or position without it being
under some Power? Is a mans will,
donating large amounts Of money to
be held in trust for certain purpose,
a power. and Is not one Of the trust
ees holding a position Of trust?
The Supreme Court of the State.
in the case Of Hopkins against Glenn
son College, holds that the board OF
trustees are State officers and holds
that, for that reason. they cannot be
sued. and dismissed Hopkins COM
plant. The question is now before
the Supreme Court of the United
States.
IF your committee holds that
these men are not State officers, then
/ submit that the General Assembly
should pass an Act allowing these
men TO bring their suit. While think
these is no merit in their claim. yet
If the Supreme Court is wrong these
men should have right to a trial
by a jury.
Article 2, Section 2, Of the Con-
stitution, provides; But no person
shall hold two offices OF honor or
profit at the same time
1T is needless for me repeat
that which | constructed that all OF
the gentlemen named are openly vio-
latng the letter and the spirit of our
Constitution. Others may differ with
me. This is my construction of the