The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-02-21
RICHARDSON WINS BY | VOTE.
HOUSE PASSES BILL EXTENDING
WARDEN'S TERM.
Cothran and Hughs, Riehey and
SearsOn Among Spokesman of OPP
posed Views.

Columbia, Feb. 1S.-After a hard
fight into which the question Of fac
tionalism was more than once inject
ed, the house yesterday afternoon
passed on third reading the game
warden bill, which as amended takes
from the Audubon society the duty
of recommending the chief game war
den, puts the question in the general
election and retains the present war;
den until the fall of 1918. The pas
sage vote was 54 to 48. A similar
bill has passed the senate.
When the bill was up for second
reading there was a lengthy debate.
Yesterday on third reading there was
a motion to recommit, which the
house rejected by one vote, SO to ST.
Gentlemen, I insist that a more
determined effort has never been
made in the legislative history of the
State to hold a man on a job when
he was not wanted" said Represen-
tative T. P. Cothran of Greenville.
"The governor does not want this bill,
does not want the incumbent and will
not reappoint him.
Representative Martin of Orange
burg stood by the chief game war
den. II simply take the position that
&c h,,f ;o1,< 20; -
has made a good game warden. ac-
ceptable to the legislature and to the
people; that it is not right, not fair
to cut off his head for being per-
nicious in politics."
Il am tired of debating this ques-
tion," said Representative Searson,
who favored the present game war;
den, land 1 think we should settle
it once and for all as affects the pres
ent game warden and the present
governor"
Representative, Hughes of Oconee
made vigorous speech, declaring
that If an official was pernicious in
politics. he should stand or fall with
his side. -
This is a slap in the face Of the
governor" said Mr.. Hughes. He de-
clared also that those who were sup
porting the present chief game war
den were doing so through personal
friendship. He asked the question:
IF Gov. Blease had been successful
and the game warden had been ac-
tive for Gov. Manning. how long
would the game warden have remain
ed in Officer"
Representative Fromberg of
Charleston said that If the legislature
did other than indorse the present
chief game warden, the people of the
State wouldn't stand for it.
This is no factional fight with me-"
said Representative Byrd of Laurens;
y never supported Gov Blease." Mr.
Byrd thought Mr.. Richardson had
done his duty and on this ground,
Mr.. Byrd said he supported Mr. Rich
ardson.
Representative Richey of Laurens
said he wanted to go away with the
knowledge that he had not injected
politics into any fight that had come
up. He said that Representative
Hughs was being made a tool of and
that Representative Cothran backed
by the governor of South Carolina
was trying to inject politics into a
fight to cut off the head of one of
the most eff cient officials in the
State.
The legality of the matter was dis
cussed by Representative. N. G. Evans
of Edgefield, who said that man
should not be legislated out of office
and that man should not be legis-
lated into Office. "All this hullabaloo
about Bleaseism and Manningism is
beneath the dignity of this house."
said Mr.. Evans He said that it was
the legislatures duty not to tie the
hands of any part of the government,
especially the executive. Mr.. Evans
had copy of a report from w. w.
Bradley. State auditor, on the chief
game wardens Office for June-Decem-
Der, 1916, and he analyZed it, criticiZ-
ing the amount spent for travelling ex-
penses and automobile and boat hire.
Columbia, Feb. 1.-THE Victor
Monaghan Mills of Greenville has