The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-04-04
PUBLISHED THREE TIMES A WEEK.
DENIES A SLANDER
BLEAsE ANSWERS A SLANDER.
OUs STORY ABOUT STATE.

W o4oAsA <A1S~NA - >S'~e
The Governor Rightfrlly Denies the
Statement That South Carolina
Has Asylum for IllegitimaSes.
Governor Blsase received Saturday
letter from Nevada which aroused
his indignation and brought forth a
characteristicauy picturesque reply.
His correspondent, writing from
Reno, said he and others wers trying
to "clean up things" at Rene, in re-
spect to the divorce industry, and In
consequence this State had been op-
enly attacked in the legislative de-
bates, a leader in the Nevada. assem-
bly, going so far as to say that 1.-The
State of South Carolina, on account
of it's public immortality, occasioned
by the absence Of divorce, had been
compelled to erect large asylum for
the maintenance of illegitimate chill
dren."
South Cardinals standard of mo-
rality, Governor Blease replied, "is
higher than that Of any other State
in the urion." The governor de-
nounces as absolutely false, mean and
malicious the statement quoted in re-
spect to a State asylum. for illegiti.
mate children. "South Carolina, .
says Governor Blease, "has no di-
vorce law, and her people are very
proud of the fact"
The Correspondence.
The very interesting correspond
ence on the subject follows:
Nevada Realty and Finance Com
pany, Anderson building, Reno, Ne
vada.
P. l.. Flanagan, president; Dix W.
Smith, vice president; D. Ford Smith
secretary-treasurer.
March rs, 1911.
Hon. Cole l.. Blease, Governor OF
South Carolina, Executive Cham
Der, Columbia, S. c.:
My Dear Sir:
We are in a hot fight out here in
this Western country concerning easy
divorce. We are trying to clean UP
things out here, organized oodrse
of lectures and i enclose card de-
scriptive thereof. Also send you un-
der separate cover copy Of my lee
ture and the attack upon me by one
of the newspapers here, all Of which
will bring good results.
An attack has been made by the
legislature here upon South Carolina,
as I understand, your State grants
no divorces. have timber interests
in the South and know the high grade
of citizenship and morality that OBJ
tains in your State One of the lead
ers in the legislature told ma yester-
day that the State of South Carolina
on account of Its public immortality
occasioned by the absence of divorce,
had been compelled to erect a large
asylum for the maintenance CT illeglt-
innate children, and I write this let
ter to inquire if that is a truthful
statement.
Would it be too great favor to
ask for you to write me briefly If the
absence of divorce in your State tends
to immortality.
Thanking you for the courtesy OF
an answer, beg to remain,
Very sincerely yours,
d. F. Smith.
The Governors Reply.
Mr.. D. Ford Smith, Anderson Build
ing, Reno, Nevaua.
Dear Sir:
Your letter of March 25 received.
South Carolina has no divorce law,
and her people are very proud of the
fact. The betrayal Of the virtue of
one of her women means death. The
standard of her morality is higher
than that of any other State in the
American union, and the statement
that she has an orphan home for lille
gitimate children is absolutely false.
There may be some institutions of the
kind in the State, but the State her
self has no such institution and the
assertions set out in your letter as to
such statements being made in your
State are mean and maliciously false.
Very respectfully,
Cole l.. Blease, Governor.
Columbia, April /.