Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-01-23


for the sacrince Of this property Of
the state at this time.sS>
Another reason, gentlemen for my
declining to sign the measure Is the
fact that this property: is worth mil
lion and a half or two million dollars.
Why should you place its value at a
million dollars when you know 1t Is
worth more?
In addition, gentlemen, the people
of South Carolina in the last election
refused to vote bonds for the State
Park investment, and to go ahead
with IL at this Time would be to null
lily the action of the people. You
have no right to thwart that election
and to attempt to force the matter
upon the people Of this state. 1t has
been argued that the people did not
understand the proposition
because II was not sufficiently ex-
planned to them. Then pass another
Ii to the people, again next year. and
get a set of men to run for office who
are not afraid Of what they have
done, and who will not simply go
around abusing one man, but who
will take up the issues and discuss
them like men, and face these issues
before the people.
Another and very important rea-
son for my veto is this: Both your
houses know, and every member of
your general assembly knows that
there are members Of the sinking
fund commission today who do moi
speak to each other. You know there
IS intense and bitter political strife In
that commission, and yet, knowing
Of that enmi,y, knowing that they are
now struggling in law suit in the
supreme court on the refunding or
your state bonds, you are willing to
place in their hands $1,500,000 or ST.
100000 worth Of property, and bring
another lawsuit, another struggle
and another scramble. Some men,
bers of your sinking fund commission
do not even attend its meetings. Did
you know that, and was 1t your pur-
pose to place the sale Of this property
IN the hands of three or four men,
bers Of that commission, depriving
the others Of the right to have any
thing to say in the matter, and yet
bind them by acts of the three or
four? II you did not know this, you
certainly must not read your news
papers, or even your reports and mes
sages, for 1t certainly has been
III ihlo JOok CoAo eAoe ehS
sinking fund commission has strife
hardly be ended, for ] asked you to
help me end it. but you did not. And
why you should pass a bill Of this
kind, and place the disposal Of this
property in the hands Of this commits
sion, knowing Of the ill-feeling and
knowing Of the strife, is beyond my
There is another very dangerous
provision in the bill. Section 1888,
/, code of laws Of 1912, pro-
vides: THE lot upon which the hos
pital stands. containing four acres,
etc., Is vested in the board of regents
Of said hospital and their successors
In office, for the uses and purposes
Of the hospital" Now in order for
the sinking fund commission to give
title to this property, this section has
to be repealed. II 1t Is repealed, this
property evidently Is taken out Of the
hands Of the regents. And then who
Is to control this property and to per-
form the other duties now imposed
upon the regents. pending this sale :?
You will see that you are attempting
by this act to authorize one commits
sion to sell land which is already
SSSlCu dIlOluCIy dtlu ~ oCClilo W lhC
that II the title is to be given to this
property it should be made by and
The sale conducted by this board Of
regents, in whom the title now vests.
I am satisfied that a close study of
this section Of the code and a close
study Of your act will show that there
Is an inconsistency that Is irreconcil-
able, and which certainly will give
sufficient foundation for raising a
doubt which will justify securing a
decision of the court in reference to
the title before any purchaser will
accept a deed from any other than the
regents. I am fully satisfied, of course.
that the regents cannot make a sale
Of this property except by order Of
he general assembly.
I shall certainly fight the disposal
Of the property at this time and in
this manner. Even II you should pass
this measure over my veto, would, If
necessary, go into court and ask for
an injunction, through the attorney
generals office, holding up this sale.
shall do everything in my power
that is fair and honorable to keep this
property from being sacri-
feed, and warn you now that what
ever may be the cost or expense, or
the result, the responsibility will rest
upon the shoulders Of those who force
this bill through, II 1t Is forced
through. l beg you not to make the
and will cost taxpayers Of
South Carolina-I cannot say what
sum of money, but certainly a con-
siderable sum-in lawyers fees and
lawsuits before it is completed. What
ever the cost, I shall make the fight
in their interests.
Such a thing as this might have
been forced down the throat Of some
governors, but it is not going down
mine, gentlemen, and you had just as
we'll know 1t right now.
If any Of you had been kind enough
to have advised with me, or consulted
me in regard to the matter, what am
now stating to you would not have
been kept hid from you. The bill has
not been presented to me, and I am
giving you my reasons fully and
frankly.
Put it in the hands of the sinking
fund commission! Gentlemen, 1t is
II you did not want it sold
you ought to have said so, for this is
certainly a most astute dodge. hope
you will not pass the bill and bring
auOul ally luIliiSi uHpictodulHSSS
among some Of your state officials,
for we have had enough. But the
most serious objection, as I have
stated, is the sacrifice Of the peoples
interests.
There is another serious objection
to the bill. You have a provision
here, which, in my opinion, is clearly
in violation of the constitution Of
your state. Section Of the act pro-
vides: Each member Of said sink
ing fund commission shall receive, as
for his services, the
sum Of SIS per day and all necessary
expenses" etc. Now gentle
men, your governor cannot accept
that; your comptroller general cannot
accept it; your attorney general can
not accept 1t; your state treasurer can
not accept 1t. 1t is clearly unconsti-
and upon that ground alone
am satisfied suit could be won,
asking for an injunction against the
operation Of this measure. But I do
not want the turmoil and strife, gen.
tlemen, and / ask you to save me, to
save yourselves, and to save the state
from 1t.
I would respectfully advise, and
urge. that this matter be
eft open until the next session Of the
general assembly, for lawsuit would
probably hold matter In statu quo
until that time anyway.
am pleading, gentlemen, for the
interests Of the people of South Caro-
ina in this valuable property.
H-I