The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1915-03-17
TILLMAn RECITES
HISTORY OF BILL
NO "FAMILY AFFAIR" IN
DISTRIBUTING
'so JOBS
~ 49,
PRAISE FOR BYRNEs
With Help of Congressman Sena-
tor Says He Was Able to
Create Court
To the Editor of The State:

i have just seen in The State of Sat
urday Mr.. McGowan's report of how
jobs caused by the creation OF the
western district were portioned out as
n sort of family affair
Mr.. MCGOWAN insinuates that l am
the most interested and that only
those near TO me. perhaps relative"
of mine, will get the best plum--the
clerkship.
His statement Is so full Of errors
and malice that l am constrained,
againet my riIl to tell Just how the
bill became Law. 1t has the appear
ance OF Dragging TOO much for me to
enjoy il; but thu credit, IL there be
credit, fer this Iiece OF Legislation,
Is due almost entirely to Congressman
Brynes. He got it through the house
this, too, by my help-and perhaps
l was the only man in Washington
who could. have accomplished it.
Wyatt Aiken introduced the bill
early last year, but it lay asleep in
the judiciary committee of the house.
l introduced Aiken's bill in the senate
and tried to get it out of the judiciary
committee there. but failed because Of
an unfayorable report from the attor-
ney general and the objection of g
Western senator whose State needed
Judge much more than South Caro-
lina." he said.
After the. primary election was over
and all were safely reelected, the
members of the South Carolina dele
CATION in the house got busy on the
Ecourt bill. An agreement was reached
among themselves as to where the
courts should be , II. This was the
rock upon VIII; ! uiIe, bill foundered
bnce before. Finley and Latimer could
trot agree as to where the courts
Should be held, and the bill died in
conference, after. having passed both
bhouses. al! ..nf.5 IT..
When the court bill, as,i amended
by Aiken, wasscalled up i'm the house
and unanimous consent asked for its
consideration, Mr.. Mann objected,
which put qyietps on IL for the time
being. Byrnessfernd out what Mann's
grievances was and reported to me.
Mann, had selected as his candidate for
Judge Congressman johnson, and was
unwilling to have the bill passed I'M
less johnson Was to be made judge.
Mann had to he pacified or the. bill
would never have. become n law. I
had introduced Afken's' bili' in the
senate the day. after he, introduced it
In the house. AT the opening OF con-
gress / urged Johnson on the presi-
dent as good piece of judicial tim
ber, looking stei isfs. ppointment+to a
judgeship in the District Of Columbia,
or to n place ION the interstate COM
merce commission. Therefore did
not hesitate to set In motion instru-
mentalitiegto find out what Mr.. john
sons chances were in case the court
bill became q law.
A cabiuet' officer, whose assistance
invoked, after talking the matter over
with President wilson informed me
that the president liked Johnson and
would be most likely to appoint him.
Mr.. Byrnes called this cabinet officer
over the phone and got hirF in COM
munication with Mr.. Mann. Thus the
way was paved for the bill to pass the
house. q S, - s.,,,,.
BY hard, work among my personal
friends on the senate Judiciary COM
mittee got the bill out OF the COM
mittee on March with favorable
report. 1 did not know whether to
have 1t put on the calendar and wait
for an opportunity TO call 1t up, or to
hold It back. & was in this dilemma
when told by Mr.. Byrnes that the
house bill had bassed, with the Cullop
amendment. Under the ADVICE OF q
Republican senator, IN cid Friend OF
mine, / got itsNdf tRfs 5endar with
this favorable report about p. m.
March Q. The house bill was hur-
ried to the printer to be engrossed ana
signed by the speaker. 1t SIT back
to the capitol between 8 and . O'Clock
and held the messenger, who bore ~
over to the senate, sitting on soia IN
q corner of the chamber until talked
to three or four Republicans ana one
cr two Democrats who we're opposed
To its passage. Nobody Thought the
bill could pass at all; did not think
so, hut had determined to make Rn
EFFORT. When the senate was thmnea
out TO q bare 20, or such o matter
nt- sumner. etcy---I had the messenger
from the house report the bill TO the
nresidinr officer. Senator Burton OF
Ohio was in the midst OF q speech
when this was done. He suspended his
talk long enough to have the clerk OF
the house report Il, and ] ht& the
brass-aithough I had seen itSuolte be-
fore--to ask Burton's permission Tor
Immediate consideration of the Dllt.
He dernurred at first. brt when \ as
anred him IL r.; sed so any debate 4
Would not insis. aud the presldlng OF
ficer told him that be would not lose
the floor, he gave his consent tor It's
consideration. The bill was rend Tor
the Information ,Df the senate, anu
The usual question asked: is there
objection to ste inimed ediate eouside deraS
tion7 The chair hears none,i The
house bill was read third time ana
passed almost before those VINO are
reading this htsve been able TO srasp
It's meaning. The senate bill was Of
course indefinitely postponed,
was sufprisad. everybody else was
surprised: nnf the mast tlell ted and
surnrisea niafi S1k the bunch WIS