The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-02-07
WHO W THEY Are
Governor Blease Gives Names Of Those
Holding 1--we Positions.

/ / IlLIMAu HEADS. ] ! / !. LIST rs
zhe Lever Sent TO the COMMITTEES ts'
tts Names Those H Whom the Governor .
Considers are Openly Violating
I. the Lester esd We'll ( as ' the Spirit
sss3 OF the Law. . & (.
Governor Blease, in a letter to the
Scommittee appointed to investigate
the holding Of two position Of "proft
!zor3 trust name es these hom3 he con-
.saiders are Openly violating the let
.ster and spirit Of cur State Consti-
& tuition 9: II eading the list given to
1.-THE. committee in Governor Blease s
letter lis the Hon. Benjamin Ryan
I sr1llman, senior Senator from South
$t5erolina, who is also a trustee Of
acIemson. The following Is the let
S,Ger4 Of Governor Blease which he Fri
45day addressed to Senator Mauldin::
s=:.5 ours Of the End instant re-
3sceived. ...3 ..s 4 I: .s:s y.
"In reply will state that 7 am
Informed that:4the Hon. B. r. Till
sman, is q United States senator and
trustee of Clemson and Winthrop
colleges. f5$, 33.
& .ssSs"That the Hon. Francis H. Weston
: lisa State senator and trustee of the
University Of South Carolina. -
3 That the Hon. John G. Richards
aiis railroad commissioner and trus-
stee Of Clemson College. !;y as
s''That the Hon. Alan tombstone is
"a State senator a trustee Of Clemson
College and president of the board
S;of trustees of Glen son College.
w s1l..That the Hon D. j. Bradham Is
Z q trustee Of the colored college and
: a magistrate. ,i5 - s.
49, u; .That the Hon. D. w. McLaurin, is
land agent of the sinking fund and
& trustee Of Winthrop College.
,5.sliS.'At the time OF the message you
speak OF in your letter, the Hon.
HartWell4 NJ Aver was a member OF
the house Of representatives and a
trustee OF the State reformatory.
.n.The Hon. L. M. Gasque was a
Hmembe 3of the house of representa-
{tiyes and a member Of the board OF
FISH commission for; South Carolina.
he,e may be others; I have not
taken; the pains to look the matter.
u2.t,iT These have been called to! my
attention and believing that each Of
= the. positions held by them, respec-:
Stiyely,s came within the meaning of
the State constitution, I sent in the
message referred to. z ..s.:s
4; Article 2, section 2t5of the cosnti-
I stitution Of 1895, reads: isii. 4
E:The Constitution.
"a, -. s1rl person shall be eligible to
.5eat In. the general assembly while
4 he Il holds any Office I. or position Of
profit tir trust .un der this State, the
United States of. Ann erica, or any OF
them, ,:,5r under any other power, etc.
tfIf the trustees Of a college that
handles hundreds Of thousands Of
dollars. and by his vote may. expend
The same, IS not g position, I AM
& at a loss. 70 know the meaning Of the
word. If q railroad commissioner Or
!, United States senator Is not an
office, II am. badly misinformed.
'tThe constitution says or under
any other power Can man hold
an Office or position without 1t being
under some power? Is a mans will,
dopating large amounts Of money,
to be held in trust for certain pur-:
poses, atpower; and, is not one of
the trustees holding a position OF
Z trust? ,z.: sz.
@The supreme court of this 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 can not
>=be sued, and dismissed Hopkins
complaint. That question Is now
before the supreme court OF the
United States. 5. 5.s-.-
"If your committee hold that
these men are not State officers, then
7 submit that the general assembly
should pass an act, allowing these
men to bring their suit. While l
think thcre is no merit in their
claim, yet if the supreme court is
wrong these men should have right
to trial by jury.
"Article 9, section2, Of the consti-
tuition, provides:
".But no person shall hold two
Offices; of honor or profit at the same
time
"It Is needless for me to repeat
that which construed, that all OF
the. gentlemen named are openly
violating the letter and the spirit OF
our States constitution. Others may
differ with me. This is my construc-
tion c,f the law and I felt that it was
my duty, under my oath, to see that
the constitution and laws Of my State
are upheld, to call the matter to the
attention of the general assembly.
"Personally, J. have absolutely no
interest in the matter. I hold the
highest office within the gift of the