Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-01-24

respectfully request your committee on
claims to provide for their payment,
The comptroller general, in his report,
says that other claims Of Mr.. Corley
have been paid. II so. then why did
not the comptroller general pay this
one? He paid claims for Mr.. Creigh-
ton throughout the entire year Of 1911,
but after he fell out with me after the
session Of 1912, he refused to pay
Creighton's claims until they were
itemized, which were displayed with
great headlines in the newspapers
thereby not only trying to reflect upon
me, but hampering me In the enforce
ment Of the law by exposing to the
world that Mr.. Creighton vas working
in that capacity.
Neither the claims Of Corley nor
Beard have been paid, and I, therefore,
respectfully request that you make
provision for their payment. -
/ have already called these matters
to your attention in my annual mes
sage, and would not refer to them
again except for the report of the
comptroller general.
notice he calls special attention to
the fact that he refused to pay a claim
out OF my contingent fund that was
for an advertisement In regard to my
the general assembly for free anti
toxin. In this, he was exactly correct
the only time have known him to
be so In the discharge Of his official
duties since began my administra-
tfon as governor, and wish to pay
him this acknowledgment. My former
secretary, Mr.. Rowland, in some way
when this bill was received from the
Record Publishing company, made the
claim out against the state, and 1t was
handed to me with bunch. of other
claims. which were signed and passed
on through the office, without my no
ticing, at the time, what the claim
covered. When I was informed Of the
matter, took 1t up with Mr.. Rowland
and Immediately wrote the Columbia
Record q letter.
(The letter Is embodied In the mes
sage.)
paid the News and Courier, and
other papers, out Of my own pocket,
for publishing the same article, and
this letter shows what my intentions
were towards the Record Publishing
company. ] am sorry Mr.. Rowland
made this mistake. It Is the only one
Of its character that he made that has
come within my knowledge, In refer
ence to payment Of claims, and ] think
during the rush Of the campaign last
summer, that IL this small amount was
the only thing overlooked in the trans-
actions Of the campaign and the gov
ernor's Office, that we all should be
complimented for our efficiency, and
not held up. or attempted to be he'd
up, to ridicule, for political spite, by a
bitterly prejudiced comptroller gencr-
al.
am perfectly willing, and would be
glad for your two houses to appoint a
committee to investigate thoroughly
every transaction in the comptroller
generals Office, and every transaction
In the governors Office, and report to
the general assembly which Of the two
is more efficient in the discharge Of
its public duties; and, IL the governors
office should be, in the minds Of that
committee not more efficiently manag-
ed than the comptroller generals de-
partment, I will pay, out Of my per-
sonal pocket, the expenses OF such In,
vestigation with great deal Of pleas
ure. '- ~
am very sorry to have to call this
matter any more to your attention, but
the comptroller generals report was
headlined, with big type, in the news
papers, calling attention to this mat
ter, while my report has not even been
printed in said papers at all. It, there
fore makes It necessary for me to call
these matters directly to your atten-
tion, In order that the records may be
kept straight.
There Is now in the governors Of
fee a new and complete, and perfectly
handsome outfit; waterworks have
been installed; ice water is kept; new
carpets and new furniture put In; the
walls Of both offices painted, and
pride myself In saying that I do not
believe that there is another governors
office in the union that is more neatly
kept or is more neatly furnished, with
out extravaganza or without attempt
at luxury. than the office of the gov
ernor Of South Carolina.
When came into the office 1t was
in a deplorable condition. At very
small expense, the change has been
brought about, and I would be pleased
for you to come down and inspect II.
Trusting that have not unduly inn
posed upon your time. @
Very respectfully,
COLE L. BLEASE, -
~ Governor.