The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-04-21
GOVERNOR BLEASE ON
MILITIA ENCAMPMENT
CITES WHOLE HISTORY OF
TRANSACTION.
Writes Secretary OF War Quoting En-
tire Correspondence i'll the
Natter.
Special 10 The Herald and News.

Special 10 The Herald ana News
Columbia, April 20.-Governor
Blease's position in the war depart
ment controversy is explained in the
following letter to the secretary OF
var, which includes the entire his
tory of the transaction:
Columbia, April 1S, 1914.
Hon Lindley NJ Garrison, seScretary
of War, Washington, D. c.
Dear Sir: Your telegram bearing
date Washington, D. c., April Is, has
Just been handed to me. You say:
your Telegram of April 18th just
received and l note that in it you state
that you maintain the position which
YOU have hitherto taken with respect
to the joint encampment. The war de-
parcment, proceeding in the regular
way, after communications neld with
the adjutant generals Of the various
States concerned, selected the Isle Of
Palms, South Carolina, for this en-
campment, and that selection was
made public. You had previously
wired this department recommending
this place to be chosen. Subsequently
and on the 9Th of April, you wrote
personal letter to me stating that un-
-. ,-o,, ,-o,o f,,r%bor ooDculfa6 ohOut
this mater, you did not propose to
nave troops brought into your State
Allow me, sir, to correct you.
First, / know nothing of any COM
munications held with the adjutanl
general of this State. The adjutant
general in this State is merely a sta.
officer upon the staff of the governor,
and has no powers except those given
directly by statute law, and all orders
of every description issued from his
Office are issued by the governor, and
only countersigned by the adjutant
general Therefore, I held, and con-
tinue TO hold, that under the constitu-
lion of this State which makes tle
governor the commander-in-chie Of
the military forces Of this State, and
under the statue laws of this State,
that il was a proper courtesy due to
me as commander-in-chief OF the mil
itary forces of the State that the war
department should take this matter
up with me- l so hold now, with all
due respect 20 the secretary of war
Of the United States
Your statement just quoted, "You
had previously wired this department
recommending this place to be chos-
en- is incorrec;. I presume as to
that, you have been misinformed by
those handling this communication.
The communication, copy Of which
now on file in my Office shows, is as
follows:
Charleston, S. c., Feb. II, 1914.
-,Adjutant General Mills, Washington,
D. c..
Regarding tae Southeastern Ma
1ional guard encampment for next
summer, l beg leave to suggest that
you have Inspected the Isle of Palms,
at Charleston, S. C. In my opinion,
this famous resort possesses equal ia
cili:ies for this encampment with any
place in the South.
Cole. L. BIease,
governor and Commander-in-Chief.' ,
There was a controversy going on
between this location and others in
this State, and l assure you, my dear
sir, that under no conditions or Cir
cumstances would l have chosen be-
tween those sites, unless it had been
matter in which my duty required a
decision. I nave been in politics too
long to be caught in that kind Of a
snap. Therefore, have never re-
quested, nor do I now request, that the
encampmen. be held at the Isle OF;
Palms, but I do request hat it be held
within the State Of South Carolina,
On the 9Th OF April, having heard
no more CT the matter, having been
entirely ignored by everybody con-
nec:ed with ii: congressman and Unit
ed States senators from this State,
secretary Of war, chief of division mil
tia affairs, and everybody else con-
1ected with the matter, when I re-
ceived letter from you in reference
20 ne reinspeai:oa O! cIttail military
companies in this S,ate, in my reply
to that letter l did take occasion to