The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-18
JUDGE WILLIAMS
DENIES CHARGE
Says He Did Not Play Politics in
Electing School Super
intendents.

| intendents.
In response to n letter published In
yesterdays issue OF The Times Dis
patch by Fletcher C. Campbell, de-
feated candidate for reelection as d.
vision superintendent of schools for
Amherst County. Attorney General
Williams gave out yesterday the fol-
lowing reply which he has sent to Mr..
Campbell. Judge Williams denies that
he was Influenced in his vote for di-
vision school superintendent by tho
paign, and says that Mr.. Campbell
failed of recollection, not because of
the political influence of Senator
Bland Massie and others backing c.
l.. Scott, who secured the position, but
because Mr.. Campbell is in bad health,
and physically unable to perform the
duties of the office.
Letter to MIR. Campbell.
The letter of Judge Williams to Mr..
Campbell follows:
July II. 1913.
Mr.. F. C. Campbell, Lynchburg. Va:
Dear Sir,-Your letter Of July 2
which was published by you, or with
your consent. in the Richmond Times
Dispatch of this date, was of such a
tenor that I did not consider that an
u.
you have chosen to publish this letter,
to be used evidently for campaign pur-
poses against me, L shall answer 1t.
Your first inquiry Is as follows:
cd Did you promise your vote as
a member of the State Board of Edu-
cation to any candidate for the Office
of division superintendent, or to any
friend of such candidate prior to the
public meeting OF that board on June
23?'
Answer: No, but did state that if
investigation showed that my informa-
ton was correct, that you (Mr. Camp
belD was suffering from an aggravated
case of tuberculosis, I would not vote
for you for division superintendent OF
schools of Amherst County, l did not
know thon how many candidates there
would be for this office.
Your. second inquiry is as follows:
"(2) Did you promise any one prior
to that meeting that you would OPP
pose the appointment of any specified
candidate for the Office OF division SUI
perintendent?'
Answer: No, except rs above stated
Your third inquiry is as follows:
"(S) Is it n fact that in reply to n
gentleman from Amherst County,
stating that the people of that county
wished the reappointment OF the then
incumbent you asked, Why didn't you
boys tell me Il month ago?-or words
to that effect?'
Answer: In conversation with a
friend of mine from Amherst County.
he gave me numerous reasons which
in his opinion tended to show why MIR.
Scott should not be elected, and / did
say to him substantially as follows:
Why did you delay telling all this until
the last hour when the matter is COM
ing up before the board for immc-
diate action?
Your fourth inquiry is as follows:
90 Were you, in casting your vote
for or against any candidate for the
office of division superintendent in
huenced by it's probable effect on your
candidacy for reelection?
Answer: No
The facts are that you have been an
inmate OF the Catawba Sanatorium;
that you arc now suffering from an
aggravated case of tuberculosis, q fact
which l would under no circumstances
allude to, either in a letter, or in the
public press. if 1 were not compelled
to do so in sclfdcfense and in ex-
planat ton of my action as member
of the State Board Of Education, and
OF the action of the State Board OF
Education itself.
A fixed rule of the superintendent
OF Public Instruction. backed and
supported by the State Board OF Edu-
cation, is that every division superin-
to visit his schools regularly. You
are admittedly physically unable 10
comply with this requirement. This
alone rendered your election lmpossi-
BILE at the hands of the board. The
public mind OF this state is very much
interested on the subject of prevent
ing the spread OF the dread disease Of
tuberculosis, and If you We're able to
visit your schools the board did not
"a nj = toll tn ha
patrons. the teachers and the pupils
of Amherst County to the possibility
OF contagion from the visits Of SUI
perintendent suffering from tubercu-
losis. This fact also rendered your
election impossible at the hands of
the board 1t was your misfortune,
and not my fault or the fault of the
board. that YOU were not reelected.
AS to bringing the schools into poll
tics, do not care TO do more than 10
deny most emphatically that in this
case, or in any other case, I, as men,
Der of the State Board OF Education,
was actuated by political considera-
tons in selecting any school superin-
tendent. or In doing any other act as n
member of the State board, but l al
ways acted according to my best judg-
ment for the best interests OF the
schools; and in this connection I beg
to say that whilst great deal has
been said about not bringing the
schools into politics. or politics into
the schools. yet 1t seems that great
many of the isappointed aspirants and
their friends are very willing to rush
into politics to visit their disappoint-
ment upon the only member of tho
State board who is now candidate
for reelection in the State primary.
Your letter having been published
In the Richmond Times DisDatch I'M
sending n copy of this letter to each
OF the papers published in the city of
Richmond
Hoping that I have fully answered
your inquiries I am
Very truly yours,