The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-03-30

present in the city.
These were used merely as an Incl
dental part Of my report.
The statistics were duplicates of
compilations on file in the Offices of
the mills throughout the State.
The statistics were obtained by let
ter in several instances from the de-
partnent of agriculture, commerce
and industries and were not obtained
by the scissors. as has been erroneous
ly stated and, in some instances, de-
signedly misrepresented
In some cases the statistics were
, not used at all in my report, but data
obtained by me were given.
Actual Physical Inspection.
The greatest misrepresentation
| that have been made as to the work
done, consisted Of the impression
sought to be created that the sta
tistics constituted my entire reports
Only briefly has it been mentioned in
the press that my reports consisted of
% printed pages. What then consti-
trted the bulk of my reports
Any one familiar with the inspec-
ton laws knows that it is required
that inspections Of mills be made as
to: l. Hours of labor 2 Child la
Dor. 3. Sanitary conditions and 9TH
er important phases of the manufac-
| turing industry in this State. OF
course the actual physical inspections
| of mills are the most important fea-
ture Of the work. Statistics constitute
| only part Of the matter, as I under
stand the laws. In my reports l
dwelt particularly on the question of
child labor and upon physical condi~
| tions, etc. as mentioned above. This
statement can he verified by a read
ing Of the reports in the senate jour-
nal.
AS to my authority to visit mills:
1t will be noted in the quotation from
the commission given in the first part
Of my statement that / was expressly
given authority to "enter buildings" ="
etc. The commission, Of course. was
so framed as to give me the author
ity needed to do the very work that
[ was to be engaged in. Yet some
of the newspapers have stated that I
| inspections.
The insinuations of long distance"
inspections hardly deserve to be no.
ticed. My reports in a general way
showed what inspections were made.
In many cases the authorities in
charge Of mills probably were not
| aware that l was making inspections.
1t suited me in some cases not to
make my presence known in advance
and, sometimes, not at all. In all Of
which l was guided by the desire to
do what was right by the State in
making the inspections worth while.
AS to the work that l am now do
Ing L have nothing to say. except to
suggest that your own statement
might We'll be seriously considered by
some of the biased newspapers of
South Carolina when you say and
whether We like Mr. Blcase or not we
cannot S,c why he is not entitled to
the same rights as other governors -
That is the cruX of the whole mat
ter. | might add that the people of
our state are beginning to awaken to
the fact that the press has made an
effort 10 shut out one side of the
propositions that face our people. J
ann speaking Of the large majority o'
the newspapers of this State thar
have taken such a bitter stand in
politics that their news columns are
| often nothing short of editorials.
am glad to see that The Enquirer
is not in this list. And some of the
| things The Enquirer has written late