The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-06-07

hAuiminQ.
he had lived there always except
while attending college and serving
as Comptroller General.
Governor Ellerbe Was practical
flrmar, and in his early youth his
hands were hardened by constant
contact with the plow and hoe han
dies. He always applied himself
steadily to his business, and was -
successful in his chosen pursuits,
and whilst it was not necessary after
he reached manhood's estate that he
should engage in the manual labor Of
the farm he was fully qualified for
work CT any kind that should be
found necessary.
Governor Eilerbe went from a
common school in his own county to
Wexford College at Spartanburg, but
before graduating there be entered
Vanderbilt University. On account
of i'll health he was prevented from
finishing his course ct the latter In
stitution, and, returning to his home,
took up the pursuit of farming as his
life work.
In the memorable campaign Of 1890
the same convention that nominated
Capt. B. +. TillmaD for Governor,
and in which the Reformers, OF
course, were largely in the majority,
there were two men nominated for
Comptro!ler General. Messrs. Stokes
and E!lelbe, the latter being a smooth
faced young map, very boyish in ap-
pearance and entirely unknow in pol
itics. He was regarded by his friends
as a moderate Reformer. His oppo-
ponent was a much more extreme
partisan. The vote showed Ellerbe's
opponent to be in the lead, but at
the solicitation of q Columbia news
paper man four of the Richland dele
gaticn changed their votes before the
result was announced, and Mr.. Ell
lerbe was nominated by a small ma
jority. He did not make speech in
that campaign.
Ia 1892 Mr.. E!lerbe was renominat-
ed and elected Comptroller. This
important office, for the four years he
was at it's head, was acknowledged
on all sides to have been ably, hon
estly and impartially conducted.
In 1884 they had what was called
Reform primary scheme to let
Reformers choose their candidates
and shutting out Conservatives. MIR.
Ellerbe entered this as a candidate
for Governor against Evans, Ilndal
and Pope. He was opposed to the
plan which shut him of from tie
support of all the people, but in the
conditions then existing be Was help
less. TIE result of the contest was
the nomination of John Gary Evans.
A free for-all primary would have un-
doubtedly resulted in the choice OF
E!lerbe.
III the summer Of 1896, Mr.. Eiler-
! be again announced himself candl.
date for Governor and received seven
| ty-odd thousand votes as against
1900 as the combined strength OF
Messrs. Harrison and Whitman, al,
though Senator Harrison was man
OF considerable political strength III
the State.
Governor Eilerbe assumed the GU
bernatorial daties with large fol-
loving Of all classes, more than any
other Governor has had since
| Governor Richardson's retirement,
and every one predicted for him q
safe and prosperous administration.
Time rolled ca. The Charleston
metropolitan police force ard other
complications, too numerous to men
ton, characterized his administration.
! He had a hard time Of it from first
to last.
Then the campaign last summer
came on. The Governor stood for
re election. TIE story of that cam
paien is still fresh in The minds OF
all. Governor iiilerbe attended prac-
tically all the campaign meetings,
and really broke himself down.
Tnen came the close election, the
second primary, after several days OF