Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-03-19
TILLMAN Tells The tale.
Western District Result Of GOOD
Piece Of Work.
POLITICAL PIE PRETTILY PARTITIONED

POLITICAL PIE PRETTILY PARTITlONED
Senior Senator Says that Disappointed
Job Hunters Have no Ground to be
Kicking; but They Should be Pleas
cd at tho Way their Representatives.
Have Managed a PerpIexins Prob
lem.
Open Letter to the Press.
I have just seen in the State OF Sat-
urday Mr.. McGowan's report OF now
Jobs caused by the creation of the
western district were portioned out as
sort Of family affair"
Mr.. MCGOWAN insinuates that 1 am
the most interested and that only
those near to me- perhaps a relative
of mine, will get the best plum-the
clerkship.
His statement is so full Of errors
and malice that / am constrained,
against my will, to tell just how the
bill became law. 1t has the appear
ance of Dragging too much for me to
enjoy It; but the credit, If there be
credit, for this piece Of legislation, Is
due almost entirely to Congressman
Byrnes He got it through the house
this, too, by my help-and perhaps
I was the only man in Washington
who could have accomplished it.
Wyatt Aiken introduced the bill
h,,t q
the judiciary committee Of the house.
I introduced Aiken's bill in the senate
and tried to get it out Of the judiciary
committee there, but failed because OF
an unfavorable report from the attor-
ney general and the objection Of a
western senator whose state needed q
Judge much worse 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
court bill. An agreement was reached
among themselves as to where the
courts should be held. This was the
rock upon which the bill foundered
once before. Finley and Latimer could
not agree as to where the courts
should be held, and the bill died In
conference, after having passed both
houses.
When the court bill, as amended
by Aiken, was called up in the house
and unanimous consent asked for its
consideration, Mr.. Mann objected,
which put a quietus on 1t for the time
being. Byrnes found out what Mann's
grievance was and reported to me.
Mann had selected as his candidate for
Judge Congressman Johnson, and was
unwilling to have the bill passed un-
less johnson was to be made judge.
Mann had to be pacified or the bill
would never have become law. I
had introduced Aiken's bill in the SEN
ate the day after he introduced 1t In
the house. At the opening Of congress
I urged johnson on the president as
a good piece Of judicial timber, look
ing to his appointment to judgeship
in the District Of Columbia, or to a
place on the Interstate commerce COM
mission. Therefore, did not hesitate
to set in motion instrumentalities to
find out what Mr. Johnson's chances
were in case the court bill became a
law.
A cabinet officer, whose assistance I
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 him in COM
munication with Mr.. Mann. Thus the
way was paved for the bill to pass the
house.
By hard work among my personal
friends on the senate judiciary COM
mittee, l got the bill out Of the COM
mittee on March Q, with favorable
report. I did not know whether to
have it put on the calendar and wait
for an opportunity to call 1t up, or. to
hold 1t back. was in this dilemma
when told by Mr.. Byrnes that the
house bill had passed with the Cullop
amendment. Under the advice Of a
Republican senator, an old friend Of
mine, I got it on the calendar with
this favorable report about p. m, on
March 2. The house bill was hur-
ried to the printer to be engrossed ana
signed by the speaker. 1t got back
to the capitol between 8 and 9 o'clock
and I held the messenger, who bore 1t
over to the senate, sitting on sofa In
a corner Of the chamber until I talked
to three or four Republicans and one
or two Democrats who were opposed
to it's passage. Nobody thought the
bill could pass at all; did not think
so, but had determined to make an
effort. When the senate was thinned
out to a bare 20, or such a matter
at supper, etc-I had the messenger
from the house report the bill to the
presiding officer. Senator Burton Of
Ohio, was in the midst Of speech
when this was done. He suspended his
talk long enough to have the clerk Of
the house report it, and 1 had the
brass although had seen it done be-
fore-to ask Burton's permission for
immediate consideration Of the bill.
He demurred at first, but when I as
sured him If it led to any debate I
would not insist and the presiding Of
ficer told him that he would not lose
the floor, he gave his consent for its
consideration. The bill was read for
the information Of the senate, and
the usual question asked: us there OBJ
lection to it's immediate consideration?
The chair hears none" The house
bill was read third time and passed
almost before those who are reading
this have been able to grasp its mean
ing. The senate bill was of course
indefinitely postponed.
was surprised; everybody else was
surprised; but the most delighted and
surprised man Of the bunch was
Jimmie" Byrnes, who had been my
principal lieutenant in this neat piece