The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-03-07

u
lumbia Record in his hand. lie stated
that he had come to the house foi
the purpose Of delivering a message
in person.
/ Before he had spoken a score of
words Pringle T.. Youmans, member
of the house from Richland county
was on his feet. He questioned the
right Of the governor of South Caro-
lima to delive" what might be termed
a political speech.
You are afraid to let me speak,"
shouted the governor at Mr.. You
mans.
NO, l am not" hotly retorted Mr..
Youmans When a ruling was given
by the Speaker the governor and Mr..
Youmans apologized for their re-
marks.
on the right Of the governor to
speak, Speaker Smith was asked to
give ruling. He read from the con-
stitutiOn, showing that the chief cx-
ecutive had the right to deliver mes
sages to the general assembly con-
corning the general condition Of the
departments of the State government.
The chief executive then proceed
ed with his message. He charged
that he had always been misrepre-
sented by the press of South Caro-
lima, that others had been quoted
correctly, that the newspapers al
ways told lies" about what he sa;d.
that he had just read the report in
the afternoon paper OF Columbia on
the debate OF the forenoon on the
asylum resolution and that he cou' q
no longer refrain from appearing
before the house, in person, to de-
nounce certain statements as lies"
Il can't say gentleman l mean
the member from Chesterfield" said
the governor, introducing his ad-
dress.
The governor charged Mr.. Steven
son with being q paid attorney for q
railway He read sections of the
newspaper report on the speech of
Mr.. Stevenson, and declared that if
those statements were true he would
have personal satisfaction before
morning. IF you want satisfaction
you can get it," shouted the governor,
pointing his finger at Mr.. Stevenson.
AT this point Mr.. Stevenson arose
to take part in the controversy that
the governor was waging furiously.
Mr. Stevenson asked the governor to
read from the newspaper the specific
statements to which he took excep-
ton. The governor read the sections
relative to the asylum probe. In
answer, Mr.. Stevenson told the house
and the chief executive that he was
not giving his personal opinion in
his speech, but that every statement
that he had made was based Oh ;ho
sworn testimony Of the chief execu-
tive, given before the special legisla-
tive committee. Mr.. Stevenson read
sections OF the report and said that
he drew his conclusions from these.
Next the governor discussed the
report that had been filed with the
general assembly relative to the
asylum probe. He contended that
he had not been given a square deal
by the committee; that the members
had failed to make a report on the
report was one of sarcasm, abuse and
ridicule for Blease, that he could not
sit still longer and that he had t.
speak regardless OF the circum-
stances or results" He charged that
the report of the committee was one
Of "glaring injustice
Discussing the details of the re-
port, the governor denied that he had
tried to GUST j. w. Babcock, NJ d.,
as superintendent; that he had
waged a fight on the character OF
Eleanora Il. Saunders, M. d., and that
his "underlings and satellites had
tried to manipulate the sale Of the
old asylum property. He said that
on these questions the committee had
/ "dodSed the issue" He claimed that
! he had stepped into the breach
and saved DR.. Saunders from being
dismissed as an assistant physician
at the hospital. He called the mem
charged that mcmbe, had been mos,
unfair. He referred to the fact tha;