The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-24

have made to run for Governor, but
circumstances were such as to bring
him into tho field as the logical op-
ponent Of John Gary Evans. sup
ported Ellerbe, and tho history of
that campaign is too we'll known to
need recapitulation. 1t is worry I'm.
| pleasant for man to be forced to
differ with the leaders of his own
party or faction, and after the elec
ton of John Gary Evans l gave his
administration loyal support, and
hoped to see it success. His pucrile
and arbitrary administration was
odious to the people Of South Caro-
lima, and every fibre in my nature re-
volted at the thought of having such
Governor of my State. When the
senatorial bee began to buzz in his
bonnet it WAS dulcet sound to my
| ear, for | saw in his selfish desire
to supplant the man who had made
him Governor tho opportunity to rid
the State Of an incubus. | thought
that the election of Ellcrbe would
prove n benediction and blessing to
the people Of South Carolina, and
that the capacity of John Gary
Evans for harm would be far loss in
the Senate of tho United States than
in the Governors chair. My chief
desire then was the election Of Gov.
erIor Ellerbc, and | subor,linutcd
everything else TO that end. He was
elected Governor by almost an un-
animous vote OF the 1907 II. The
failure Of his administration to real
izo tho reasonable hopes of h s
friends is too painful for me to dis
cnss. l bHlieve that Governor El-
'crbe is constitutionully boncst, and
>that he has faithfully tried to meet
the requirements Of situation be-
yond his power, and possibly be. ond
that of any man.
l am now and always will be his
friend and L do not propose to soy
ore word in this letter in exculpaton
of myself which will add to the diff
culties now surrounding him. have
endeavored to cooperate with the
men In South Carolina whose object
was to reunite onr people, Tho il
quor question is "the old man of the
mountain" in the politics of this
State. / have done all ] could look
ing to just and correco settlement
Of the liqnor problem. AS things
now go in this State nothing but eviI
can como CT it. My object has been
to eliminate the liquor question from
State politics. 1t is local matter
which should he lett with the people
Of tho various counties. 1t is mani
festly impossible to enforce the same
liquor law in Charleston and Colum-
bia that you can in prohibition Marl-
boro and Anderson. [ believe that
the question should be submitted to
the people Of each county to say
whether they want the dispensary
high license with constitutional re.
strictions, or prohibition. 1t is a
local question aud the people of ono
community or county, in my judg-
ment,. have no right to forco the peo-
pie of another county or community
to accept sumptnary laws repugnant
to local sentiment, traditions and
character of the people. [ have felt
this very keenly and l have not Il
doubt in tho world that this will be
the final solution of rho liquor ques-
| tion IN South Carolina. None other
is in accord with the principles Of
Democracy. A question is never
settled until it is settled right. You
may for a time by force Of circum-
stances, as has been the case with
the uispensary law in this State,
deny local self government, and an
opportunity for free expression of
public opinion, soonc' Or later, how
ever, free people will assert their
rights at the ballot box, and woe TN
to him who stands in the way. The
advocacy of local option is no now
idea with me. Last May ia tho An.
derson county convention that stal,
wart champion Of popular rights,