The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-07-28
Is BRYANT Off His Base!
HARrsHILLE.- S. c.. July

HARTSEILLE, >. u, July ~, -.
Editor MANNING TINES:
While attending the campaign
meeting at this place today, my at
tention was called to some very
strange paragraphs in your paper of
the 21st inst
Manning you say in one sentence that
South and her cause, and stated that
while i was impossible for an honest
man to outline his policy if elected
to Congress, that if elected | should
cooperate with the Democratic party
in every effort to obtain a just and
equal portion Of the benefits of
national legislation
In the very next sentence YOU say:
Time did not permit his discussion
of the money question, but it is IN
derstood that he is not in accord with
the wishes Of his party" In another
place you say | am a "diSciple of
Palmer and Buckner," and again you
say that am gold bug not a
Legitimate candidate" etc.
Now, Mr.. Editor, paid YOU five
dollars for the publication Of my card
in your paper. Paid the Executive
Committee of Clarendon County
twenty-five dollars for the privilege
of becoming candidate in your
County for Congress and after all
this think it a piece of base ingrati-
tude for the very paper | have pat
rcnized to try to ruin my political
prospects by voluntary misrepresen-
tations. You know that | am not a
gold bug and you know that | am
in accord with the wishes of my par
ty, and have never given utterance
to word that would justify any
other conclusion. Again you repeat
with apparent delight the base and
groundless charge made by innuendo
by my competitors that ! was a can
didate on fusion ticket, and say
that l admitted being voted for on
such a ticket. You know that | de-
MED the existence OF a "fusion ticket
in Marion County in 1890, then how
could l admit that | was voted for on
it? say again that there was no
fusion ticket III Marion County in
1890 that ever came to my knowledge.
l was nominated for the House Of
Representative at that time by as
good Democrats as are in the State
and they put no negroes on the ticket
with me, but the other gentlemen
who were nominated with me were
and still are the very best of white
Democrats and men of the highest
integrity. None of us were candi-
didates. None of US thought Of be-
ing elected-made no effort in that
direction and paid no attention to
the matter one way or another. And
any person who tries to make capital
out of that now, simply aims at mis-
representation. The negroes did af-
terward indorse our legislative ticket
and had it printed at the head Of
their own County ticket, but we had
nothing to do with that.
Ny politics as a true Southern
Democrat has never been questioned
by anyone who knew me. | am now
in favor of bimetallism as a Demo
craft. demand; and still a Southern
Democrat anxious for all the benefits
to the South that can possibly result
from a just and equal administration
of the national government.
am willing that YOU shall advo-
cate Mr. Ellerbe or any one else you
choose, but please do not do so at the
expense of his innocent competitors.
We all want the place, but none Of
US wish to rise on the dead carcass of
our competitors.
Hoping you will give this space in
the next issue Of your paper, am
Yours respectfully,
FERD D. BRYANT.