Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-04-20
Misesllameous 8eadins.
The PROHIBITION CANDIDATE.
Interesting Sketch of Joel +. Brunson, Of
williamsburg.

tionists of Hon. Joel E. Brunson for
gubernatorial honors reached Kings
tree, there was general rejoicing among
the citizens of his home town. While
it has been said that the nomination Of
Mr.. Brunson was somewhat of a sur
prise to the people of the state it was
not at all so to his friends here who
wanted and expected to see him made
the leader of the Prohibition forces in
South Carolina.
Joel Edgar Brunson was born in
Sumter county 81 years ago, and as
was said in the convention last night,
he has been Prohibitionist from his
birth. He has served longer in the
capacity of grand chief templar than
any other man Ill the state. When he
took control of the Good Templars III
this state in 1889 the organization had
a membership of little over 400, and
when he declined 10 be reelected Il"
The position Of chief templar three
years thereafter, the fourth time he
had been offered the place, he by earn-
est and organized effort had in his or.
ganization 4,542 members, aud had
paid of q debt that had been given
him by the organization and had sew.
eral hundred dollars in the treasury oi
the Good Templars Of the slate.
For the past 25 years MIR. Brunson
has been one of the most prominent
advocates of Prohibition in The stat,
and more worthy champion no cauSr
could possibly have. He is man who
has always had the courage 10 speak
his convictions aud has his whole life
fought for prohibition, straight and
simple, with no compromise halevcr.
Mr.. BrunSon is a man Of wonderful
Intellect and broad knowledge and he
has few peers in the knowledge oI
parliamentary law. He has been call
ed upon to preside at almost ever!
Prohibition convention or other body
that he has been member of for se>-
al Years past, and he is we'll known
all over the state as All earliest nld
effective worker. The mananagemrnI
Of his private business affairs has
shown HIM to he a man Of uniUm bird
judgment in business matters and he
uas never been known 10 fail III Il single
undertaking that he has attempted.
For years he has successfully OPERA
ted at Sumter one of The largest and
most prosperous sash, door and blind
factories in the state and his lumber
factory at Kingstree is one Of the
largest in the south. BY that knack
and energy which knows only success,
Mr.. Brunson has accumulated consid.
erable money and he has devoted con-
siderable means to the cause of prohi'
bition and the uplifting Of his fellow
men.
Mr.. Bruuson has never been prom
inent in political matters except to ad'
vocate the running of a distinctive
non- n-compromising State Prohibition
ticket which idea he has pushed for The
past 10 or Is years and it is very fitting
that he should be the first now chosen
to hold the standard at the top Of the
ticket when such ticket was selected.
He is fluent speaker and is always
ready to defend the cause he has 50
long espoused as was evidenced by his
eloquent and admirable impromptu
speeches delivered before the conven-
ton last night. Nor is he confined to
the one subject of prohibition in speech
making, but upon almost any subject
he speaks we'll and fluently. He is a
man of unusual mental grasp, Of noble
qualities and resolute purpose and
when called upon to defend any right
principle he is always ready to respond.
Mr.. Brunson has been an active and
influential member of the Baptist de-
nomination of South Carolina since
his youth and he is honorable and rev.
cred wherever his name is known. He
is the man of all men prominently fit
ted for the position for which he has
been suggested and he will make a
winning fight. He will make an inter-
esting debater on the stump in the
coming campaign. The Prohibition
lists of South Carolina have certainly
made no mistake in the selection of a
standard bearer for their cause in
choosing Joel E. Brunson as their
leader.
Hon. Joel E. Brunson, the next gov
ernor of South Carolina, arrived here,
his home, tonight. He was met by a
large crowd at the depot and there
was great cheering and an immense
Mr.. Brunson was met
by committee consisting of Messrs.
Chas. J. Lesesne, Louis J. Bristow,
w. w. Grayson and G. P. Nelson, and
driven up in carriage accompanied
by a great crowd, cheering all the way
to Barr's hotel, where he was met by
a larger crowd and renewed cheering.
Mr.. Brunson was introduced by MIR.
Lesesne and made a short talk to his
friends which was received with ap-
plause. At the conclusion of the
speech Mr.. Bristow was called. He
simply announced that a Prohibition
league would be formed which was
then done, a strong membership being
enrolled.
A steady stream of kilograms has
been coming in to Mr.. Brunson during
the entire day from all parts of the
state, congratulating him and the Pro-
hibition party. This is the first time
Williamsburg has ever been honored
with candidate for governor and we
are especially proud TO know that we
are able to furnish such one as Joel
+. Brunson. The writer claims the
honor of being the first in the state
to propose Mr.. Brunson's name as a
o,n1;dota for uovernOr throuph the