The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-01-24
A Texas View of the Governor.
Houston Post.

<fcortoh tost. Z.
Governor Coleman l.. Blease. of
South Carolina. has been talking. as
the Constitution Of that State re-
auires. to the Legislature. and he Is
strong for retrenchment and reform.
In the way of retrenchment he asks
the Legislature 10 abolish the offices
Of bank examiner. game warden.
scoiogist. insurance commissioner
and several others. lie also says
South Carolina Is spending too
much for higher education and sug-
sests that such sums be materially
diminished. The bureau OF agricul.
turs is sharply criticised for not &C
complishing the results 1t ought to
accomplish. considering the money 1t
spends.
These suggestions for retrenchment
are important and we have no doubt
the Legislature of South Carolina will
adopt them. So long as South Caro-
hna can have a great statesman like
Blease I'M the Capitol at Columbia. we
sec no need OF having any other Of.
hces at all. and the colleges. OF course.
ought to be closed. Biease has in
tsiiigcnce enough for the state. and
future generations ought to be able to
rock along pretty well with his
speeches and State papers. without
incurring Unnecessary expense for
education Of any kind.
Like an alarm at midnight sounds
his warning against employing as
architects. teachers. preachers or pro-
fsssors the residents Of other States.
Take the home article. every time.
says Blease. and quit discriminating
sainst the home talent for the Yam
Aees. III South Carolina's institu-
tons do not graduate everything in
the way Of men and women the State
needs. why close the institutions. You
can't beat Cole for home industry.
Cole strongly advises the substitu-
uon q; the electric chair for other
methods OF inflIcting the death PEN
any, Perhaps you may think that
we should say method" instead of
methods" but you are wrong and
unacquainted with the South Caro-
lima system. Listen at the Governor:
1T gcsms To me that this (electrocu-
tom "a n much more humane man
ner cf execution than the barbaric
form of hanging. or even worse.
standing n man on the ground and
Jerking him up. which Is practiced In
some counties"
Now people wonder why We have
stFivcn so hard To do something for
have attempted to organize bath
tub league In Charleston and accom-
plish other reforms. Here is the Gov
ernOr himself denouncing as barbaric
a form OF legal execution. practiced m
some counties. which Is standing a
man on the ground and jerking him
up" instead OF dropping him accord
ing 10 old customs.
Whatever the Legislature does
We Spderstand II is a wild and woolly
body lie, II at least institute this re-
form. Let II abolish all the offices
save Bleases. IL II will. and let 1t
close all the schools. " that be it's
purpose. but. for Heavens sake.
whatever II does or fails to- do. let
II stop the practice OF standing a
man on the ground and Jerking him
up. Otherwise, we shall despair Of
ever doing anything great for South
Carolina.
Governor Blease is a noble eNem-
plar of tho higher civilization. II
we crn keep him In the office and get
the tath tub league ON a going basis,
we feel sure that our prayers and ef-
forts will bear fruit In time.