Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-08-10
J. VIM. Thurmond in an Open
Letter, Scolds Senator

Letter, Scolds Senator
Dial.
To the People of the Western Dis
trict of South Carolina:
April 22nd, 1915, I qualified as
United States Attorney for the Wes-
tern District of South Carolina, and
was reappointed by President Wilson
twice to that Office, but my tenure
ended the 4th instent, when ny Re
publican successor qualified for that
position.
NV sincere appreciation is hereby
extended for the courtesies shown
me by those with whom l have been
associated while. in Office, especially
to the agents of the different depart
ments and the lawyers of the dis
trict.
1t is more than pleasing to me to
be able to say that my relations with
all Court Officials, Prohibition Agents
and the lawyers who have had bust
ness in the court are genuinely cor
dial.
Ash retire to private life, I will
make a few observations:
President Wilson sent my name to
the Senate for reappointment on jan
uary 28th, 1920 and, if I had been
confirmed in due course, I would have
held the position until January 1924,
but Senator Dial opposed my reap
pointment, which opposition resulted
in ousting me at this time, for a Re-
publican.
The Republican Acknowledgement
has announced his policy to be that he
will not interfere with officers who
have been confirmed until they have
served their regular term.
A brief history of the fight made
by Senator Dial against me, as / am
Informed, is substantially as follows:
He endeavored to prevent the At
torney-Gieneral from sending my
name to the senate, when he learned
that it was the purpose of President
Wilson 20 reappoint me, but was no
tilted by the Attorney General that
nv record as District Attorney was
excellent and that my name would be
sent to the Senate for confirmation.
Senator Dial then went to the White
House, after my nomination had
been made and sent to the Senate,
and urged the President to withdraw
my nomination. on the ground that
however, the President, after investi-
cation, declined to comply with his
request. Later the Senator had a
conference with the Attorney-Gen-
eral and insisted that my name be
recalled from the Senate, giving as
his reason, that l had voted for Till
man against him in 1912, and the
Attorney General stated to him in
reply that my name would not be
Withdrawn from the Senate and it
was up to him to have it rejected by
the Senate, if he could.
Senator Dial knew that he could
not do this, and saw that his only
hope was to have my name pigeon
holed in the committee, and with this
intention he went to Senator Over
man, the ranking Democrat in that
committee, and urged him to hold up
the confirmation of my appointment
on the ground that l was objectional
to him, and Senatorial courtesy
promted Senator Overman to hold my
nomination in the committee; and
since the expiration of my term in
February, 1920, I have discharged
the duties of the Office under the law
which provides that I should do so
until my successor is appointed and
qualities.
while Senator Dial was at Edge
field in the campaign of 1918, he
dined with me in my home and he
and his friends made the impression
on me and my friends that all would
be well with me if he was elected.
Senator Dial recommended, in 1920
the appointment of Hon. Thomas P.
Cothran, for the position I held, but
Mr.. Cothran did not care for the
place Che aspired to the District
Judgeship) and after Senator Dial
had nominated him, Mr.. Cothran,
with fifty odd other members of the
GreenviIle bar recommended my re-
appointment and many business men
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