The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-11
RECALLS ELLERBE's PLEDGE.
Editor Gonzales Says the Governor
Has Broken His Promise.

Has Broken His Promise.
Columbia, S. c., Jan. 10.-The liquor
selling monopoly maintained by South
Carolina under the name of the dispensary
system, already attended by grave and
frequent scandals, is about to develop one
more, which will make a profound sensa-
ton.
In the campaign for the Democratic
gubernatorial nomination last summer the
incumbent, Gov. William H. Enerbe was
a candidate for denomination. He sup
ported the dispensary system. His COM
petitor was c. C. Featherstone. an advo-
cate of prohibition.
The rules of the primary REQUIRE ma
Jority vote to nominate, provision being
made for a second primary in case of
necessity In the primary there were six
candidates for Governor. Gov. Enerbe re-
ceived plurality, but not a majority. Mr..
Featherstone came next. In the interval
before the second primary every daily
newspaper in South Carolina with the ex-
ception of the Columbia State, supported
Featherstone and bitterly attacked Gov.
Ellerbe There was such antagonism to
The dispensary system and TO Ellerbe per
sonally that it was generally predicted and
believed that the votes of the candidates
distanced in the first primary, could go to
Featherstone on the second and nominate
MIN.
The State (newspaper) was anti-dispen-
sary and anti-prohibition, and had been
for year supporting a mode of settle
ment by county local option between high
license prohibition and the dispensary. On
account of the absence of its editor in
Cuba, it had not taken an active part in
the campaign
few days before the second primary
Editor Gonzales returned to his post and
three days before the primary, in a signed
editorial came out for Ellerbee promis-
ing the local option and license advocate
that it would be their interest to support
him. The second primary resulted in a
scant majority for Ellerbe. Efforts to
draw an explanation from the State were
unsuccessful 1t asked its friends TO
await the meeting of the legislature.
The legislature convened to-day, and
Gov. EIerbe's message was read. 1t sug
gested county option between the dis
pensary and prohibition system, but with
such onerouS conditions on counties voting
for prohibition as to discourage the adop-
ton of that system. 1t ignored high Ii
cense altogether and made a long appeal
for the maintenance and fertilization of
the dispensary system.
In the State tomorrow, Editor Con
zales will have a signed editorial printing
pledge in writing made to him by Gov.
Ellerbe before the second primary that
he would recommend to the legislature
that each county be permitted to settle
the liquor question for itself, and stating
that he fully concurred in the views held
and advocated by the State as the best
solution of the liquor question. The pledge,
he declares, was the condition exacted for
the support of Gov. Ellerbe by his news
paper when the Governor pleaded for such
support, and has been held by him for
public justification of his course, if the
Governor should break his word. The
Pledge having been violated, he prints it,
with remark not at all complimentary TO
the Governor.