The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-04-09


ring In his nose all right and a rope
In the ring. i am not at all surprised
at his signing the note. as we put Il
up TO him and he had to come across
He couldn't stand the gaff." was the
comment OF Comptroller A. w. Jones
this afternoon. when shown the inter.
view Governor Blease gave out ac.
companying his statement that he had
Affixed his signature to the note for
$4,000 In borrowing money for the
rural schools. the Comptroller Cen
erai and the State Treasurer having
previously signed their names.
The Palmetto Bank today informed
the Governor that the note was not
negotiable unless signed by him along
with the Comptroller General and the
State Treasurer. He signed the note
and the Palmetto Bank on the note
signed by these three officers loaned
the state $4,000 necessary for the
common schools to finish out their
term this year.
In an interview the Governor charg-
ed that the Comptroller General. the
state Treasurer and the superintend.
ent OF Education had tried to injure
him politically In this matter by hop
Ing that he wouldn't sign the note and
thus be able to say that he closed the
schools. 1t was In reply to this criti-
cism that the Comptroller General
made the comment quoted when ask
ed IL he had any statement to make.
s.ate superintendent OF Education
swearinsen was more emphatic In his
Characterization Of the Governor Said
he:
Politics have not Influenced my
course In this matter. Finding that
he had to sign the note for $50, 900
or to bear tho reproach OF closing the
schools. the Governor quit his crazy
foolishnes and affixed his signature. /
am compelled to believe that he did SO
with reluctance. No intelligent man
will claim that the money could have
been borrowed without the Governors
signature. He waited month to give
II. although I have asked him once In
person and twice I'm writing to lend his
cooperation. He imagined that the
note would never be presented to him.
He tried every means to avoid signing
II. R.s bull-fighting interview is not
the shout Of the victorious matador,
but the dying snort Of the vanquished
bull. suffering from the ring in his
nose placed there by his own folly.
The spleen and billingsgate of the
Governor do not vex me. He tried to
defeat the t-mill school tax by vetoing
the law. Fortunately the legislature
passed II over his veto. He tried TO
nullify the operation OF the law by
refusing to borrow the money to make
II effective. He has failed a second
time. The cry Of politics is made simp-
ly because the Governors political
ambition will probably suffer because
of his self-centred statesmanship
The school trustees Of Anderson
meet May TO discuss this situation,
and the school trustees OF Greenville
meet May to have the same discus
sion. The country people whose schools
may now run six or eight weeks long
er should feel grateful to the Chief
Executive for the benevolent interest
he has been forced to manifest In the
educational welfare OF their chill
dren."
In similar vein State Treasurer s. It.
Carter fays the Governor. He says:
The Governor. as usual, has so
distorted the facts that his interview
is hardly worthy Of note 1t Is a ques-
tlon az TO who put the ring In his nose,
hut II served the purpose. The Gov
ernor is probably ohaflng from his
failure TO stab the Comptroller Gen.
eral and state Treasurer In the back,
behind closed doors. when he sent a
request to the Senate finance COM
mlttee asking that others be put ON
the borrowing committee in their
place and because he went openly be-
fore the Senate and asked that his
request be complied with.
III this last circus performance Is
"a sample Of the lessons taught by the
Governop. he will have to continue his
school"
After quoting a copy Of the letter OF
Cashier Matthews. OF the Palmetto
Bank, To him. and OF the cashier "a
The attorneys OF the bank and their
reply which. In substance stated that
the note to be legal and binding OF
the state must he signed by the state
Treasurer, Comptroller General and
the Governor. Governor Blease. In nj.
interview says;