The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-03-24
CLAIMS SOME CREDIT
IN MATTER Of
DISTRICT BILL
SOME HISTORY CONNECTED
THEREWITH.
Mr.. Editor

Mr.. Editor
Senator Tillman's statement
few days ago in reference to the
establishment of the new Federal
court, in the light of the facts known
to all the delegation, is amusing
and amazing. His painstaking eff
fort to deny me credit for the pas
sage of my own bill would seem to
leave no question but that the un-
derlying purpose of his article is to
minimize my work in the interest of
some one in whom he may be more
vitality interested. This taken in
connection with the announced pur-
pose of his own son to offer for
Congress in this district next term,'
might, in the minds of uncharitable
people lead to the conclusion that
the Senator is using this juicy Fed
eral pie, indirectly, in the interest OF
still another of his personal or politi-
cal family. Some people might
think that Mr.. Byrnes' residence in
another district added something to
the glory of his work in the Sena-
tors mind.
That Congressman Byrnes was
very active and helpful in the pas
sage of the bill no one will deny;
but that he deserves more credit
than I, it's author and promoter,
he will not even claim, with his
knowledge of the. facts, for Mr..
Byrnes is a fair minded man who
would not attempt unjustly to rob
a colleague of that which is due him.
I am charitable enough to believe
that Senator Tillman could not
have been thoroughly conversant
with the facts further than that Mr..
Byrnes was generally the mediary
between the Senate and House ne
gotiations in all of which Mr.. Byrnes
and I had a thorough understand
ing and a mutual interest along
with all the other members of the
delegation.
Nothing is so distasteful to me as
to recite my work as public SER
want, and especially if, in doing so,
there is the slightest seeming of
taking aught of credit from any of
my colleagues. However, the fact
that I was the author of the bill,
coupled with the further fact that
the senior Senator, whom the State
has honored exceptionally, and for
whom l have entertained great re-
spect and even admiration, should
publish an article to all intents and
purposes ignoring my part in its
passage, should at least call forth
public statement from me. / have
waited several days before pub
fishing this statement, in the vain
hope that the Senator in some of
his addendums would make amends
for what seems to have been his sin
of omission if not of commission.
Since he has not done so, "candor
compels me" even with the more or
less frequent use of the pronoun Il"
to say word in defense.
The fact is the effort to put
through this new district bill has
engaged the attention of the dele
cation for more than two years with
varying chances of success. Some
months prior to the last general
election the whole scheme seemed to
have fallen to the ground with little
hope of resurrection. The Chair
man of the Judiciary Committee in
the House (Mr. Webb, was very
much opposed to it and while he
expressed a friendly sympathy with
my efforts to obtain a favorable re-
port on my bill he designated it as
a steal. He said the data presented
to the committee was totally INSULT
cient. Upon this hint, went to
work and dug up all the facts going
to show that by comparison with