Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-07-21
GOV. sLEAsE IS OPPOSED.
Doesn't Believe In Educating Boys In
Science Of War. .

II
Governor Blease, says the Columbia
Record Of yesterday, does not by any
means agree with Adjutant General
Moore, in the latter's opinion that 1t
would be a good thing for this state
| to adopt the California plan Of organ
lizing high school students into mill
| tary companies Of forty men each and
drilling them with Krag- Jorgensen RI
| lfes. Adjutant General Moore told re-
porters the other day that he heart
| lily approved" the suggestion OF Mr..
Robert Shaw Oliver, acting assistant
secretary Of war, that other states
adopt the California system.
| In transmitting Mr.. divers letter,
lAdjutant General Moore wrote to Gov.
Blease In part as follows: II heartily
concur in the suggestions offered and
also approve Of most Of the sections
incorporated In this (California) act,
but I feel satisfied that In order. to
have q sirhilar act passed by the legis-
lature of this state Il VIII be necessary
for the war department TO provide at
least the arms and equipment neces-
sary without cost to this state. togeth-
er with the assignment Of an officer
from the regular army or from the re-
| tired list for instruction and superV-
sion of such schools as may come un-
Governor Blease addressed to Mr..
oliver Thursday letter In which he
presents in plain terms his views,
which differ radically from those OF
Adjutant General Moore.
The governors letter follows:
Hon. Robert Shaw Oliver,
Acting Secretary Of War and Presi-
dent of Board for Promotion Of Rife
Practice, Washington, d. c.
Sir:-Your letter of July 18th,
transmitted to me July 18th, by Adj
Gen. w. w. Moore. received. In reply
beg leave to say that cannot con-
cur with the adjutant general OF my
state in approving your pill.
In the first place ! do not believe
this country is in danger Of any seri-
Gus war, now or hereafter, as ! think
arbitration Is more humane than war
and that by peace conferences differ
ences between countries will be settled
without bloodshed.
do not believe in educating every
boy that he has to shoot somebody.
They have enough Of that in them al
ready. Furthermore, our state has
not the money to make the appropri
alton necessary to carry out this bill.
However, my most serious objection
to your bill Is that am unalterably
opposed to arming negro school chill
dren with rifles and ammunition. Our
state has trouble enough with Federal
bayonets in the hands Of negroes and
their allies. 1t was only a few years
ago that our adjutant general dis
banded all the negro companies Of
the state militia, for which he had my
most hearty approval.
The white schools Of our state, un-
der the provisions Of your bill, requir-
ing forty or more students fourteen
years Of age or over, would be at a
disadvantage, because in the white
schools there are sometimes not as
many as forty students and they gen.
orally cease to go about the age OF
nineteen, while in the negro schools
there are nearly always forty and they
range in age from five to thirty. Con-
sequently, in my opinion, the bill you
propose would be disadvantageous to
the people Of my state. Therefore
cannot recommend the passage Of
such a bill, and II passed would be
compelled to veto II.
Very respectfully,
COLE L. BLEASE,
Governor.
Columbia, July 20.