The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1898-07-13
FAIR PLAY.

One of the cardinal principles OF
the Reform Movement is the reduc-
tion of Offices, and another is the ef-
fciency and honesty of the officers;
but if we are to believe the reports
which come to US from the campaign
meetings so far held, one would sup.
pose that we had in this State the
most rotten and inefficient set OF
officers to be found anywhere in this
world and that intelligent and honest
men have apparently forgotten that
they are intelligent and honest in
this unseemly scramble for Office.
They certainly have had no regard
for the sacredness of the reputation
of others in their unholy effort to pull
down that which cost the labor OF
years to build up and jealous watch
fulness to sustain The most silly
and the most nonsensical charges
have been made during the present
campaign that should cause intelh-
gence to blush for shame and honor
to weep in disgrace.
We are taking no mans side at
present in the race for Office; but JUS
tice, to our mind demands that this
campaign of abuse cease and cease
at once.
Governor Ellerbe has undoubtedly
had a very perplexing and annoy
ing time since he has been Governor.
His path, while not devoid of roses,
has been filed with thorns and
thistle. The large number of vacan-
cies which have occurred during his
term, and which he had to fill by ap-
pointment, is the chief ground of
complaint against him and this has
been seized upon by his opponents
to unjustly infame the minds of the
friends of the disappointed appli-
cants against him. No other Gov,
error in our recollection has bad
similar experience. He has been
charged with deals in making ap-
pointments with view of strength
ening his political fences. A little
consideration on the part OF the peo-
pie will clearly show the falsity of
this charge. For every appoint there
were at least dozen applicants, in
some instance many more, all of
whom were strongly endorsed. In
making the appointment be gave the
claims of each applicant due consid-
Grafton before arriving at decision,
and when the name of the fortunate
one was announced he made one
friend and eleven enemies, to say
nothing of those among their friends
and sympathizers. And it has been
the same with all the appointments
he has been called upon to make.
1t is silly to say that the Governor
has favored the Conservatives to the
neglect of Reformers in making ap-
pointments to ensure his reelection
by controlling the vote Of the former
faction. The Reformers outnumber
the Conservatives at least two to one,
and if the Governor was the unscru-
pulous and designing politician his
enemies claim him to be, dosen't COM
mon sense teach that he would seek
an alliance with that faction which
can give him the most votes, especi
ally so when his inclination and SYM
pathies are with the larger faction.
The whole truth OF the matter is
that Governor Ellerbe's record
has been so pure and unsullied and
unselfsh that even his enemies,
after turning the penetrating search
light of investigation upon his ad-
mipistration, could find no spot upon
which to lay the finger of condemna-
tion and in order to crack the party,
were compelled toresort to the trump.
ed up andunsupported charge of deals
and trades in making appointments.
By his patriotic course in dealing
with public questions he has Won his
way into the confidence of the peo-
pie and they will endorse him at the
polls.
The President has determined to