Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-05-27

his own lips that while he was
charged With running the Dispen-
sary and until the new Board took
charge, he frequently had "sam-
pies" shipped to him, but low thy
had quit coming. (Does he feel
slighted?) Now he says, "the law
is no respecter of persons. and !
would like to ask if he had the
constables t.. seize these "free sam
pies" improperly" shipped to
himself? or is he above the law?
| assure the Governor that l want
no rights under. the law superior
to other people, though L dislike
being made sn example. All ask
is, don't hit me below the belt.
Brave men don't fight that way,
nor punish innocent parties. ]
care nothing for the beer or its
seizure, except the motive that
prompted it. What remains of the
beer is in the sample room of the
Board of Control, addressed to me
as Member of the Board of
Control" agd is properly "certif-
Gated" and the Governor is guilty
of ordering the illegal seizure of
legally shipped package of beer. |
don't believe the Governor would
have treated any other member of
the Board, or any other citizen, as
he did me, and that's all | object
to in the whole matter.
Now as to the editorials of some
of the county papers: To arrive
at true conception of the Cover
nor's "motives" as reflected by
these editorials it will be neces-
sary for me to go into some of the
recent political history of the
State.
I was elected to the Legislature
in 1894, and went there with my
head full of what Iexpected to do.
Like most of we "fool farmers" [
thought the government was in the
hands of farmers and Refcrmers
at that time. and expected TO find
everything O. K. Imagine my sur
prise when l found that a little
band of "pap-suckers" had formed
all "oligarchy" of select men and
was, carrying the Reform move
ment and the government to the
devil as fast as time and trickery
could do it. l abandoned all that
I was going to do, reversed my
policy and tried to keep the "other
fellow" from doing too much.
When the session of 1896 came
or, | was pretty we'll %oaded" and
began to ashell the woods" i'll the
interest of candid, honest govern
ment, L foresaw that history was
repeating itself. In 1875 the peo-
pie became tired OF the yoke of
oppression and rose in arms and
established a representative gov
ernment. selfshness is the pre-
dominant trait of the human
character ana degeneracy soon set
in. Disappointment, Indifference,
suspicion and the WANT of conf
dsnce resulted in the up-heaval of
1890 and the beginning of new
political era in South Carolina,
"Like causes produce like effects" 7"
I foresaw where we were drifting
and threw myself in the breach to
try to arrest the tide and prolong
good government and the interest
of the people in public affairs,
The whole power of the admihis,
tration was (for various reasons)
brought down on me to crush me,
out came out OH top, as NY elec-
ton to the Board of Control shows,
The Governor even threatened 10
withhold his signature to the Dis
pensary bill until after adjourn
ment, so that he could have the
appointment of The Board
and keep me off, This lit
tie "oligarchy" attempted to de-
stroy my influence in the General
Assembly by clubbing me evil
liams the crank, cheap John, pea
nut politician" but / warned my
friends on the floor Of the House
of it in advance and "held my
own" My friends told ne I'VE
want man of your character and
nerve on the Board of Control and
will put you there, because we
know we can trust you:" and |
will always have the most grateful
recollections of those men.
My foremost political creed has
been that q dollars worth of taxes
should buy a dollars worth of gov
ernment, and that alone accounts
for the hatred visited on my head.
l think this little "history" should
prepare the public to understand
the Governors "motives" in seiz-
ing my beer and the intent of
these little editorials. He feels
like I have been telling tales out
of school," and if l can hold the
confidence OF the people that they
will kick him and his little crowd
out of good job, This tells the
whole tale,
He has failed to create the i'm
preston that anna crank, and now
he seeks to besmirch my charac'
ter and destroy confidence in me.
He wants the public to believe