The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-03-26
Aiken Makes Reply
Mr.. Editor

Senator TilIman's statement a few
days ago in reference to the establish
n2ant of the new federal court, in
the lie, Of tie facts known to all
the delegation, is amuzing and amaz-
ing. His rainstaking effort to deny
me credit for the passage OF my own
bill would seem to leave no question
but that the underlying purpose Of
ais article is to minimize my work
in the interest of scme one in whom he
may be more vitality interested This
taken in connection with the an
nounced purpose of lis own son to
offer for congress in this district next
term, might, in the minds Of unchar-
liable people lead to the conclusion
b.at the senator is using this juicy
federal pie, Indirectly, in the interest
of still another Of his personal or po-
litical family. Some people might
4 ink tnat Mr.. Byrnes' residence il
another district added something to
the glory OF his woork in the Senator'S
mind
That Congressman Byrnes was very
active and helpful in the passage CT
1ae bill no one will deny; but that
ne deserves more credit than I. its
aut or and promoter he will not even
claim, with his knowledge Of the facts,
for Mr.. Byrnes is fair minded man
who would not attempt unjustly to
rob a colleague of that which is due
him.
am charitable enough to believe
that Senator Tillman could not have
been t. oroughly conversant with the
facts further than that Mr.. Byrnes
was generally the mediary between the
senate and the house negotiations, in
all of which Mr.. Byrnes and I had a
thorough understanding and mutual
interest along with all the other mem
bers Of the delegation.
Nothing is so distasteful to me as
TO recite my work as public servant,
and especially if, in doing so, there is
the slightest seeming of taking auga.
OF credit from any of my colleagues.
However, the fact that l was the au-
thor of tie bill, coupled with tie fur
tier fact tat the senior senator,
whom the State mas honored exception
ally, and ,tor whom l have entertained
great respect and even admiration,
S-ould publish an article 10 All lnIents
and purposes ignoring my part Ill its
passage, ss-ould at least call forth a
public statement from me. 1 have
waited several days before publishing
this statement, in the vain aope that
the senator in some OF his addendums
would make amends for what seems
TO 4aYe been { is sin of omission if not
of commission. Since he has not done
SO. ''candor compels me- even with
the mere or less frequent use of the
pronoun Il" to say word in de,ense.
Tie fact is the effort to put through
this new district bill has engaged t.
attention of the delegation Ior more
tiaan two years, Ulth varying chances
of success. Some months prior to the
last general election the whole scheme
seemed to lave fallen to Ee ground
with little nope of resurrection. The
chairman of the judiciary committee
in Il house (Mr. Webb, was very
much opposed to it and while he ex-
pressed a friendly sympathy with my
efforts to obtain a favorable report Oh
my bill, ne designated it as a steal.
He said the data presented to the COM
mittee was totally insufficient Upon
this hint, went to work and dug up
all the facts going to show that by
comparison with other States, South
Carolina was entitled to anot er dis
trict, whica facts subsequently print
ed in the Record; and l say unhesi-
tatingiy, but for this data, furnished
by me tsere would have been no favor
able action on the bill in tie house
and there would ave been no new fed
eral district courts in South Carolina.
Senator Tillman claims credit for
removing the opposition OF the Repub-
-ican leader in the house, whose in
fuence in the press of time mig1t have
KILLED the bill The senator is utterly
'obliviOus of te fact that strong Re-
publican influences in South Carolina
had been brought to bear on Mr.. Mann
TO withdraw his opposition, as the new
judicial district was really a public
necessity. So the question of WHO 81
fenced Republican leader Mann, his