The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1898-02-09

tiun offered l;in. a,:.l Which i. kvn"u
to be secretary for his friend, Cor
Ercssman Norton. Ar Ep!cn eX-
planned to Mr. Delham that be had
scarcely entered upon his duties. and
O course was not ready t. pledge
himself to retain any enc; HAT be
wauted to examine into The work 50
as TO act with all the lights before
him. Aud furthermore. he was only
appointed until TIE legislature con-
vened. when an election must lie
held, but e would be glad for NJ.
Derham to remain in bis Old place
until that time. Blu: this did rot
satisfy Mr. D,lham. WHO c3ntinncd,
however, to bold bis place under Mr..
Eptop, and when the Legislature mct
announced himself an opposing car
oidate. Iu the meantime, Mr.. Epton.
lal oring under the impression that
Mr.. Delham Intended to resign, ap
pointed Mr.. Bradley, Of AGbevillc
county, in his place, to assume the
dutiss should he be reelected Mr..
Smith. who has for many years drawn
1890 salary as book keeper in the
comptroller's Office, is a Pc D. mar,
and Mr. Epton intended to refrain
him. But be did exactly hight to
omit Mr.. Derham in making out his
new list Of appointees, for it would
have Eeen unfair to cur upper section
to nave retained two Pc Dee men in
his Office Wbile.Gfn. Norton was
comptroller, he appointed none but
Pc Dee men, and yet nothing was
said or thought Of it. But just be-
cause Mr. Epton saw proper to give
the smallest salary at bis disposal to
an up COZ ntry uan, a great lue ani
cry was laised.
But those members of the legisla-
ture who are carrying their person. |
resentment against Gov. Elleibe to
such extremes are going entirely too
far, and the people Of South Carolina
will rebuke them when the time
comes. Gov. Ellerbe has been ul-
fortunate in having so many appoint
ments thrown upon his hands by
death and resignation. for whele lie
grati6es one man be arrays against
himself all the opposing candidates
AID their friends. But IN iuvestiga-
tion Of the appointments made by
Gov. Ellerbe will show that he has
named honorable and entirely con-
petent men to fill every position
within his gift. He has made mis-
takes, but even the Governors bit
terest enemies, have never charged
that even the slightest blct of sus-
picion rests upon his private OF
official record. He has given South
Carolina clean and honest admin
istration. and during the year that
he has served as Governor, our State
has been entirely free from the taint
of scandal. The diSpensary, in spite
of having to meet competition from
outside dealers. is making money,
and not dollar has been lost though
cfilcers selected to administer its
affairs. The penitentiary has paid
off the last dollar of its indebtedness,
and turned handsome sum into the
public treasury. In fact, every de-
partment of our State government is
honestly end economically admins
tered, and it is thought, in spite Of
all drawbacks, and the loss of phcs-
phate royalty, that taxes will be re.
duced this year.
L. is but just and fair to Governor
Ellerbe to accord him praise where
be merits it, and no one can truth
fully deny that he has given, and is
still giving, South Carolina clean
cut aud business-like administration
Gov. Ellerbe's mistakes have all been
political mistakes; and when the
people repair to the ballot box they
will not count as much.
1t was not the people who de-
feated Mr.. Epton, but politicians,
and that is proven when certain
members of the legislature stopped
to fight one man through another.