The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-01-17


most valuable institution the State
mas, for she will turn out young men
graduates who will be in position "a
hcip you in some OF vour greatest
problems in the matter Of ridding
yourselves of some Of our greatest
evils such as tuberculosis. pellaera
ana other scourges. I commend this
institution to YOU"
Governor Cole L. Blease charges
the eminent jurist H. A. NJ. Smith. OF
charleston, with violating tho consti-
tuition IN holding on to his position as
a member of tho State Historical com.
mission, while serving as q United
states judge. In this connection Gov.
ernor Blease also rapped Senotor
Iiilman for holding on to q college
trusteeship, although Governor Blease
does not mention Senator Tillman bv
name. The controversy with regard
to holding OF two positions is a matte,
OF public history in South Caroline
and every member OF the general as
sembly probably knew that the cover.
nor was referring to the senior sena-
tor Senator Tillman is a. life tru.-
| tee Of Clemson College.
Under the head Of Historical Com
mission" Governor Blease wrote "A
| follows:
I'm this connection, gentlemen. /
| want to call your attention to viola
tions Of the law by those high in au.
thority in connection with the His
torical Commission Of this State-an
| open defiance Of the law by a United
States judge and q lawyer who has
served as special judge in this State.
For some time We have had a
United States senator defying the law
, Of South Carolina by holding college
trusteeships while he is a member OF
tho United States senate, and we have
had other men in high Office, holdins
two positions in plain violation of tn
constitution.
Now comes the historical con
mission, position as member OF
which we have all presumed does no.
pay any salary. but is one Of honor
and here we have an open defiance o.
the law as I conceive it, by Unite,
States Judge. The attorney general OF
this State has held that this Judge
. vacated his position upon the His.
torical Commission when he accepte,
the 5udgeship.
Il appointed a successor to him.
but at the meeting held in the cit,
Of Columbia on the 18th Of Decembe,
this very distinguished gentleman no,
only held that he was still a member
Of the commission. but defled the
opinion Of the attorney general, and
stated that he would be glad t.
take the matter to the supreme cour
ith the attorney general
"Of course Mr.. Smith is a high judge
and should not be criticized for vio-
lating the law, but 1 am simply show
ng you still another open Haunting of
the law by my enemies. II Mr..
Smith were q little negro crap shoot
er, or some poor white man who hap
pened to sell little whiskey this same
judge would give him a criminal SON
tsncs for doing what he is now doing
in my opinion.
Next time he sentences someone
e should say, I am violator Of tn,
aw: you can't sentence me, but will
sentence you; you are q common citi-
zen but / am big CD Judge: / car
'iolate the law and defy it. but 70,
title shrimp, l will teach you a les
on
II used to think Mr.. Smith a learn
d man, but now ! conclude that he
little cheap partisan politician
Who thinks he knows all the law
While the lawyer before him knows
none. ! am not further surprised al
IFS accepting a judgeship from a Re
publican while claiming to be Demo
crat."
Attacks Another Member.
Mr.. Smith is not the only member
Of the historical commission to com
in for criticism by the governor In
his annual message.
The governor continued with refer,
snce to the historical commission:
Another instance is that Of Mr. Nc
CollOugh, who also vacated his po-
sition on the Historical Commission
by serving several times as special
Judge. which has been held to be an
Office in this State. Yet, Mr.. Nc
Collough, like Judge Smith, in open
defiance of the law. holds to his po-
sition on this Historical Commission
and continues to act. and he and Mr.
smith, with two other members OF
tho cO,,, Nacars Lonnad,, ond