The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-01-03
WHAT BLEASE SAYS
DENIES OFFERING E. J. Wat
SONS JOB TO 4. D. HUDSON.
Nor is Ira ". Williams Transfer to
Georgia Due to Feeling Between
Himself, the States Executive.

Himself, the States Executive.
When asked while at Newberry on
Thursday as to the report that Ira
W. Williams, Of the Government farm
demonstration work, has been trans
fsrred from this State to Georgia,
supposedly because Of opposition to
the Governor" and that Commission
er Watson is to be displaced when his
term expires, and that Mr.. Watson S
place had been offered to A. D. Hud-
son, OF Newberry, Governor Blease
said:
u have seen the article in to-day
Columbia State, to which I suppose
you refer, I was informed some time
since that Ira. ". Williams was to
be transferred from this State. To
what point I do not know. Mr.. VIII
liams supported me in the sampaign
OF 1910, so have been reliably in
formed, and he and I are the best OF
friends, and I am sorry that he is go
ing to leave this State. The state
ment that he and I are at ennity,
or that he is leaving on account OF
any feeling between himself and NY
self, is absolutely and unQualitedly
false. I would be glad if Mr.. Will
liams would stay in the State, and If
ne will stay-I will ask the Legislature
to keep up the appropriation for his
department and do next year, as |
have done this year, all in my power
to assist him in his demonstration
work.
"I have never offered Mr.. Wat
sons position to anybody, but merely
stated on one occasion to John Fitch
ards that was sorry he accepted the
railroad commission position, because
| expected to appoint him commits
sioner OF agriculture, and the report
that I have offered Mr.. Watson's
position to one or two others is abso-
lately false.
Gas to Mr.. Hudson, he told me en-
phatically on two occasions that he
did not want Watson's position.
am informed, however, that ne would
accept the position held by Williams.
GAS to the letter to Commissioner
Watson, wrote him that my under
standing was that ne was appointed
commissioner Of agriculture for South
Carolina, and not the United States,
and that if be left the State again
without my permission I would de-
clare his Office vacant and put some
one in it who would stay at home
and attend to it. I meant that ana
shall carry it out to the letter. Cop
les Of my letter and his reply are one
file in my Office, tc which the news
pauers are welcome, as there are no
secrets IN the Governors Office. EV-
erything that is done there is open
and above board, is placed on the
nrblic files, there are no secrets from
the newspapers.
Gas to the next State farm demon
stration agent being acceptable TO
tbs Governor, as 7 understand this II
is a matter in the hands Of the Unit
cd States department, with which
have nothing to do. know nothing
OF Mr.. Bakers candidacy for the posi-
ton. I shall uphold the department
o. agriculture and the farm demon
st-otion work, and do everything
within my power to make it a sue
cess. And if I had been consulted
this year in regard to the depart
ments. I think I could have given
some very valuable suggestions, and
possibly saved some people from put
ting themselves in very awkward po-
sitions. But as I have not been con-
suited in regard to any matter, l am
in no manner, shape or form respon-
sible for the turn affairs have taken.
when Nr. Watson's term expires
i will be time enough for me to con-
slider whether I shall reappoint him
or give the position to someone else
+ understand that the Constitution
forbids life tenure Of Office, and l co
not presume there is any exception
made in the case Of the COMMISSION
er Of agriculture.