The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-04-01
MADE fine SPEECH
LEVER TALKS TO TEACHERS OF
THE COST OF IGNORANCE.
IS AGAINST FREE Tolls

Popular Congressman Intends to
Stick to President Wilson and Vote
for the Taxpayers Interest-Takes
Statesmanhke View of the Ques-
ton.
Congressman A. F. Lever deliver
ed an address on 1.-THE High Cost OF
ignorance" to the South Carolina
Teachers association at Spartanburg
in the Converse college auditorium
Saturday night. He spoke Of the loss
caused by ignorance in farming meth
e6s, in the conversation of the public
health and in other ways. The au-
dience of eighteen hundred gave him
an ovation.
CONGRESSMAN Levers address was
frequently interspersed with humor,
which was appreciated by the audi
ence. The speaker dealt at length on
the alarming depreciation Of the ex-
ports of some of the most important
crops Of this country, and declared
that so years hence there will be a
dearth Of foodstuffs in this country
unless something is done to educate
the farmers of this generation. His
frequent reference to what the Will
son administration is planning to do
for the farmer elected much ap-
plause.
The speaker told Of the great Pc
cuniary losses being sustained by the
American farmer as result Of his
ignorance Of the best and latest meth
ods Of farming. The present day
farmer would do well to pattern after
the members of the boys corn clubs,
said Mr.. Lever. These boys are show
ing what may be done with little
land scientifically cultivated. Hog
cholera, the Texas tick, and other
plaques are doing great injury to the
farmers Of this country, and in the
life of the people typhoid fever and
tuberculosis have become great perils,
mainly because Of ignorance Of the
best methods of treating and prevent
ing these direases The farmers and
their wives need to be taught sant-
tary methods in their home life, de-
clared the speaker, and not until this
is done will the great loss Of life from
these diseases be checked.
The small salaries now paid the
various officials who are supposed to
educate the farmer and his children
were deprecated by Congressman
Lever, who declared that so long as
the state of South Carolina continued
to allow such little pay to the county
superintendents of education it could
not expect to secure the logical men
for these Offices. No man, possessing
a large amount of brains, can afford
or will consent to work IL months for
$500, the average salary paid in this
Office. One of the chief reasons why
teachers So quickly desert the pro-
fession for more lucrative ones IS be-
cause they receive such inadequate
remuneration for services rendered
the public.
While in Spartanburg Congress
man Lever defined his attitude to-
wards the repeal of the free tolls bill
as follows:
ct regard President Wilson's posi-.
tion in reference to the canal tolls to
be absolutely sound, statesmanlike
and patriotic from domestic as well
as international point Of view. We
gave certain international obligations
which are solid and binding on all
parties, and which in their moral
force are second only to the obliga.
ton OF the Constitution itself.
From domestic point Of view
the Democratic party throughout its
long career has always opposed subsi'
dies, and to relieve the coastwise
trade Of the payment Of canal tolls Is
as much a subsidy, as If you should
take that much money out Of the
federal treasury and hand it over tc
the shipping interests.
s:It is estimated that it will cost
100000 year to put through the
canal the coastwise trade Of the coun.
try. Some one must pay this ST.
100000, either the coastwise trade
who are to be the benefciaries of the
canal, or the taxpayers of the country
through the federal treasury.
'tI prefer to vote with the president
in the interest of the taxpayers Of the
country, rather than to stand with
those who would hand over $4,000,
900 annually to the shipping trust.
shall, therefore, vote with the presi
dent, regardless Of the alleged plat
form declaration on the subject
which I do not regard as having beer
considered by the convention in the
light Of existing treaties and condi
tons.
ga majority of the Democrats yot'
ed against the exemption act when il
was before the congress, so it can not
be claimed the act of my Democratic
associates. It is my opinion that the
presidents position will be over.
whelmingly sustained by the Demo.