The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-02-02
A SLAP THAT WILL PROVE A BUM
FRANC.


tearing off the scabs made by the old
sores of 1890 are now gloating over
victory which in our judgment will be
sbort-lived. The recent election by
the General Assembly may be regard
ed as slap at the chief executive, al
though it is disclaimed By many OF
The members who voted against the
Governors appointee. When a va
cancy occurred in the Comptroller
Generals Office by the election OF
General Norton to Congress, the Gov
ernor was called upon to fill the place
until the General Assembly elected
successor. Governor Ellerbe had
short time previously appointed
United States Senator from the Sixth
District, and the Governor himself IS
from the Sixth District. The chief
clerk in the office OF Comptroller Gen
eral became an applicant for the Of
fee, and was endorsed by many
prominent men, but being also from
the Sixth District, the Governor nat
urally felt that the Sixth District was
well supplied with public Offices and
honors. He therefore cast about tor
suitable man to Ell the Office, and
lie found in Spartanburg L. ?. Ep-
ton, who was reputed to be one OF
the best auditors in the State. The
appointment was rendered and ac-
cepted by this gentleman, and nearly
every newspaper in the State com
mended Governor Ellerbe for his
wise selection. Mr.. Epton resigned
the Office of Auditor of Spartanburg
and entered upon the duties OF Comp
troller with such a familiarity OF the
work that there was not the slightest
hitch. As chief OF the tax depart
ment Mr.. Epton had the authority to
organize his staff of assistants; he de-
termined to make change IN the
chief clerk. As soon as he gave no.
tice OF this determination the pohti-
clans became enraeed and at once
went to work, ostensibly to build up
sympathetic sentiment for Derham'
but really to give covert slap to the
Governor. The fight came on and Der
ham won by a very narrow margin;
it was however, sufficient TO answer
his purpose and the purposes OF the
Governors enemies 4 chief clerk
in the Office of Comptroller General
is the confidential clerk of the princi-
pal, and the principal is responsible
for his acts. If Mr.. Epton had not
have used his right and allowed the
politicians to have kept Derham lp
his position, there would not have
been any excuse for opposition to
Epton's election, but Epton wanted
another, and as he was to be respon-
sible for his appointee, he proposed
to have a chief clerk Of his own Sc
lection. For this he was made the
victim of those who are endeavorlng
} obstruct the healing of the differ
ences in the Democratic ranks OF the
State and they succeeded.
No one has sught to say against
Comptroller General Derham, and no
one blames him for endeavoring to
get the position, but We believe the
action OF the majority will not be en-
dorsed when tie matter is submitted
at the polls. Governor Ellerbe in
making the appointment of Mr.. Ep-
ton had an eye single to the welfare
ofthe State, and was not considering
the feelings OF the politicians, and be
showed wisdom in his appointment
as is evidenced by the excellent work
done by General Epton the short
while he had charge of the Office. As
it was with this appointment, so it
has been with all OF his appointments,
and we are firm in the belief that had
there not been a primary election for
the nomination of a United States
Senator, this General Assembly would
have turned down Senator McLaurin
to get even with and spite the Cover
nor. The majority, it seems, do not
care rap for the wishes OF the peo-
pie, fitness. efficiency or anything else.
They havemade up their minds to slap
Governor El!erbe as punishment
for not allowing himself manipulated
by them.
If the people Intended for their
chief executive t. become the plant
tool of scheming politicians, they
made a grave mistake when they
placed William Fl. Ellerbe in the gu
bernatorial chair; but if when they
elected him they expected him to be
the Governor of South CsxAina, just
and free from partisan Q exc
onto rho laws honestly Afullv,