The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-01-25
Col. Meals Address
to Fellow Citizens.
He REVIEWS HIS COURSE
IN SOUTH CAROLINA
POLITICS.

To the People of South Carolina:
For six years / have been super.
intendent of the South Carolina pen.
itentiary The condition of the in.
stitution speaks for itself, and l chal-
lenge any criticism or investigation.
Had / had been content to attend
strictly to nay official duties. my man
agement of the institution has been
such that I could have held the
position of superintendent. without
opposition, as long as cared to re-
main in public life. Fortunately. or
unfortunately, however, I have had
aspirations and hopes beyond the
mere routine of official life. l have
been inspired by an ambition to be
of practical benefit to the people of
my State, and I have never enter
tanned for moment the thought that
being public officer debarred me
from the privilege exercised by every
citizen of attempting to influence for
good the affairs of my State. In
fact. I have felt, as public servant,
that it was my duty to do all in my
power to better the condition of
public affairs. have firmly and
consistently, without regard to the
effect on nay individual fortunes, sup.
ported the best men for Office
and the policies that l believed
would best conserve the public
interest. There is such a greed
for Office IN South Carolina that it
makes towards of most of those hold
ing or seeking Office have earn
estly striveu not to allow this blight
to wither my manhood or patriotism
If South Carolina needs anything,
she needs men who are not afraid or
who are not prevented by selfish
interests from following the dictates
of conscience and duty. In the very
beginning l felt the need of reform.
and was an original Farmers Move.
ment" man. supported Tillman in
1890, and almost without solicitation
on my part was elected superinted-
ent of the South Carolina peniteptiary
in 1892 / had lived op my farm and
knew but little of public men or
pubic affairs. l had great confidence
in the ultimate good purpose of the
Reform Movement In 1893 the
dispensary system was inaugurated
in South Carolina It was new and
untried experiment I had a great
deal of confidence in Tillman, and
gave him my cordial support in his
endesvor to make the law success
As long as Tlllman was in the gov
ernor's Office his natural force aud
popularity with the people enabled
him to keep the machinery running.
though with a great friction. fore
saw during TiiIman's last term that
when smaller and weaker men under.
took to WELD the autocratic power
necessary to secure the enforcement
of the dispensary law, it meant dis
aster. The dispensary as originally
enacted was meant to fit the stern
and autocratic attributes of the first
farmer governor, but such harsh ad-
ministration of the law creating such
radical change in the habits Of the
people could not long be continued
among q liberty-loving people accus-
toned to govern themselves When
it came to be enforced by an "apist,
imitator and weakling," trouble be
gan.
10 1894 I was invited TO go,o Wash.
ington to attend a conference. I was
preseu. in Irby's committee room
wheo it was determined to make John
Gary Evans governor of South Caro-
lima There was only one man who
raised bis voice against it iu protest.
[ was a witness to the scene when be
withdrew in anger from the conference.
l came home from Washington convinc
ed that it was impolitic and wrong for
caucus in Washington to select
govcrror for the people of South Car
olina, and when the infamous Colleton
plan was proposed, By which the Cepser-
vatives cf the State we're disfranchised
and put upon the same basis as the ne
gro. determined that if | never held
another public Office. would oppose
such q piece of political villiaDy. At
that time Governor Ellerbe was not the
selection | would have made to run
for governor. bat circumstances we're
such as to bring him Into the field as
the logical opponent Of John Gary
Evans. I supported EIlerbe, and the
history Of that campaign is too we'll
known to need recapitulation. 1t is
very unpleasant for a man to be forced
to differ with the leaders of bis own
party or faction. aud after the electioo
Of John Gary Evans l gave his ad
ministratiou loyal support, and hoped
to see it success His puerile and