Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-03-26
FACTORY INSPECTION MATTER.
Col. L. M. Green Sets Himself Clear
Before the Public.
iitor The YorkYille Enquirer:

EQlIOT Inc 1OThVlllc EuQuIOEs
The editorial appearing in The York
vile Enquirer of March % with refer
ence to my work as factory inspector
last year and with regard to my recent
appointment, affords me the first real
opportunity Of making public any state
ment as to these matters. The Enqui-
rer has always been regarded a paper
that seeks the truth and, notwithstand-
ing my previous intention to ignore
the unjust newspaper attacks that have
been made upon me, the following Ian
guage used in The Enquirer's editorial
has caused me to make this statement:
1T Is a fact that Mr.. Green used In his
report quite a lot Of matter that had
been prepared by Mr.. Watson, and to
this extent Mr.. Green was being paid
for work that had already been done.
AS to what original work Mr.. Green
may have done we do not know; but
somehow we have never been very
much impressed with all this talk that
has been going on about Green. He
used to be regarded as a bright, able,
high -principled young man, and we are
not inclined to think that he has un-
dergone any change Of character"
It is not The Enquirer's kind refer
ence to me that leads me to have
something to say at this time, but 1t Is
your evident desire to know the whole
truth about the matter and your Of
fering Of this opportunity Of making
reply to your editorial that presented
upon reading, an opening to me OF
which / am glad to take advantage.
At the outset wish to impress that
I have never been asked for state
ment by the morning paper In Colum-
bia that printed the first story Of the
factory inspection matter. have been
in the newspaper work for q number Of
years and not once have / ever writ
ten an article about man without Of
fering him the opportunity OF making
reply to anything that he desired. Even
prisoners taken to the penitentiary un-
der life sentence have been asked
whether they wished to say any
thing for publication. This Is q
rule among newspapers Of the right
kind. Throughout the range Of criti-
cism that have received from the
press Of this state-biased as II Is In
a large majority of cases-I have been
asked only once for statement OF any
kind and that REPRESENTATIVES offer OF
the columns Of his paper-came from
Col. William Banks Of the Daily Mail
of Anderson, with reference to the
published statement in an upstate
newspaper that I was the campaign
manager for Governor Blease. or
course, when l say that the offer Is
made to men about whom articles are
written for them to make replies, /
mean in cases where some reflection Is
cast. However, 1t Is usually the Gus
tom in all cases to permit a public
statement to be made in the paper pub
fishing the original article. The people
OF South Carolina may get just little
glimpse from this Of what Governor
Blease has been up against. So far
as the general public Is concerned only
one side Of the picture has been held
up to the light. Except for those who
have seen the official record OF pardons
that has been printed, in accordance
with law, I wonder how many people
have been permitted to know the rea-
sons for the governors pardons In
large majority Of the cases, particu-
larly since last summer. But, this Is
just "by the way"
Those Statistics.
Now with reference to the factory In
spection: I was appointed factory In
spector last summer, my commission
bearing the date: First day OF Au-
gust" 1911.
The commission gave me the follow
ing powers: "A special agent and here
by empower you to make arrests; to
enter buildings; to interview persons;
to call upon any officer or officers In
this state to give you aid and assist
ance, and, If necessary, to summon
posse comitatus to assist you In the
discharge Of your duties" etc. I shall
add the following section Of the COM
mission: you are to receive salary
of two hundred $4,000 dollars per
month, payable monthly, from the
special appropriation for the enforce
n1ent of the laws" The commission
was in force during the pleasure OF the
governor, and, as already stated by
Governor Blease, / retired from the
service December 81, 1911.
I have no reason other than the de-
sire to set my friends, including The
Enquirer, exactly right in the matter,
to explain the situation as to the Wat
son statistics, for Governor Blease,
from whom I received my commission,
has officially stamped my work with
q well DONE"
It will be seen that served only five
months in the work Of factory inspec-
ton. In that time I did the best l
could. I merely wish to call attention
to the fact that did not serve for an
entire year.
Beginning on page q Of the senate
Journal of Wednesday, January II.
1912, will be found copies Of my re-
ports to Governor Blease and his mes
sage conveying the same to the SEN
ate. These reports were sent In to the
governor monthly. The reports run