The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-12-27

What was a grave and practical
minded committee of congress to think
OF prosecutor and lawyer who came
before 1t to arraign another for brlb-
cry and vote buying armed only with
hearsay testimony against the ac-
cused and discriminating evidence
against himself?
What was the committee to do
with testimony that was not only hear
say and incompetent for the prosecu-
tion' but which was offered by 4
witness who impeached himself and
positively testified to the illegal ex-
penditures and vote buying on the
part or himself and his friends which
ne suspected, but had no positive evil
dence to prove had been practiced by
the other side
1T is not strange that, hemmed
IN by such an impossible situation,
Mr. Grace, when he was put on cross
examination, lost control Of what lit
tie sense and propriety he may have
peen possessed Of and played the role
or an ill-tempered, spoiled child, stuck
out his tongue at and called every
body names that crossed him in his
ungovernable wrath, not excepting
the chairman of the congressional
committee himself, and concluded by
denouncing by wholesale as corrup-
tionists the people of the city OYER
which he presides and of the State
of which he Is a native?
Concluded, do we say? we'll. not
quite. He capped the climax by liken-
ing himself in his position before the
committee to Christ before Pontius
Plate"
And then the committee washed
It's hands Of the Whaley-Grace matter
entirely.
Would you blame it?"
The report goes on:
MIR. Grace did not disturb the
open and notorious dive run by This
man, Frank Hogan. 1t was conducte
in such disgraceful manner that the
governor Of the State Of South Caro-
lima was compelled to eradicate it,
and 1t Is fairly inferable that Mr..
Grace placed him on the payroll Of
the city Of Charleston in order to
make him one Of his adherents. Mr..
Grace frequently, during his appear
ance before the committee, admonish-
ed it to the effect that the charges
came from him, the mayor of the
city Of Charleston, and insisted, IL for
that reason alone, an investigation
should be had. In contrast to this
attitude on his part, We point with
some degree of pride to the attitude
and conduct Of the sitting member.
He did not appear before the COM
mittee, when Mr.. Grace was present.
However, he informed the chairman
Of the committee his reason for not
so doing-that Grace was so bitter and
hostile toward him and was so OBJ
sessed and insane by personal hos
tiiicy toward him that it would he
most dlsgraceful for him to endure
the vituperation that Grace would en-
deavor to cast upon him. We be-
lieve that the sitting members con-
clusion was thoroughly justified from
the subsequent conduct Of Mr.. Grace.
From the hearsay testimony pro-
duced before the committee the ma
jority is thoroughly convinced that
Mr.. Whaley was elected to congress
by the very best element in the First
congressional district Of South Caro-
lima. Mr.. Whaley served II years as
representative in the State legisla-
ture in South Carolina; he was chair
man Of many Of the most important
committees Of his State legislature and
was chairman Of the judiciary COM
mittee Of that body for four years; he
served one year as speaker pro tenn
pore, and was elected and served four
years as speaker Of that body; lie was
unanimously elected as president Of
the State Democratic convention in
South Carolina in 1910; in 1912 was
elected in his district as a delegate
to the national Democratic convention
at Baltimore: this year he was elect d.
ed as representative in congress
from the First congressional district
OF his State"
Representative Frear in making his
minority report said:
with over 40 witnesses in person
and by affidavits alleging under oath
that money has been corruptly spent
to nominate and elect Mr.. Whaley.
and positive opposing testimony, it is
submitted that some one il mistaken.
The declaration Of Mayor Grace and
o<y xvyto f,,r oh a