The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-01-18

hihiScit 10 general prohibition and
h"tninE but that. circumstance hat
made me even more hopeless of the
pr"mniion of my local option plan
through him than through (:ovcrnnr
Ellrrbr. because WAS sure Mr.. Frath-
rrst"r would do What ne said. and
| wns not sure that Governor Ellrrbc
would.
That afternoon, September when
went {" he St"'r office | found Il more
ON my table from the cashier stating
that NJ. Weston and Col. Neal had
bcrll fo the office t" s,c me and. failing
to q" so. asked me to bc si,l,. and meet
thcm that night at MIR. Wcstnn's bank
office. ! kept the appointment.
we talked Tor nearly an hour ON diff
irrcit topics AT last Col. Neal said to
me, slnppimg his knee:
well. let = come down now tu bust
ness. Nearly every paper in the State
Is jmmpinsnn the t;uv..innr; he's pretty
badly worried. and is very anxin,,s for
! replied that | had told Governor
EIlerbc all along that | would not
support him for denomination If he.
stuck To the diSpcnSary, and he had
stuck tO it.
Mr.. Weston said: "'rhr simple fact
OF the matter is that the Governor
feels he is obliged to have the support
of the State. and we have asked Won
here I" tiil ont on what conditions You
will support him"
Without hesitation and on the spur
at the moment, | replied: "lf he will
pledge himself to me inwriting tn urge
the Legislature to piss ~ local option
law. allowing each county to decide
for itself between high license. prui,i-
hitinn and til. .liAp.nsarv. sill! s,,r-
port him" This i.l,;. had been with
me for IL wear: 1t had been the object of
all my effort during the previous fill
a,ld winter, and it, came spontaneously
tn my lips. did not stop to consider
the price might have to pay in public
misunderstanding of my motives ii he
should accept my terms.
MIR. Weston looked at Col. Neal and
then said: IL don't think there will he
much trouble about that. do yOil, Colo
nrli'' and Col. Neal replied. to me: IL
think he'll d" it easy enough; he's got
to d" it il you insist"
Mr.. Weston then asked me il verb
q! assurance would satisfy me. told
question about Ellerbr's verbal nssllr-
ancts already; must have it in black
ami white for my own prOtectinn-bnt
ilc could tell the G"vcriiOrt hat would
not show the pledge to anybody unless
he failed 10 observe it. in which case |
would Then Mr.. Weston asked (:
"NHuld y"l object to having thu. letter
addressed to mes am going tn
Charleston to try aud help the Govern
or down there. and w"liI'i like t" he
able to show it to some of the poll
iiclans." answered that wnnll not
object tn that, but that after he had
llStat 1t III Charleston must have the
c,lstn,ly of the paper.
The conference broke up with the
assurance that they would see the
Governor next day and bring me his
answer.
The next day, Friday, September ..
Mr. Weston came, to my room and
hnntlcd me ;ln envelope belriiig the flu
miliar engraved lettering, estate of
South t'alnlinn, Executive Chmmber.
Columbia" and addressed: .'Mr. r. II.
Weston, Columbia, >. g., Personal"
Opening it, read:
State of South Carolina, Executive
Chamber, Columbia; 5. g.. September
8. 1893. COntitlential-Denr Frank: In
reply 10 yt;;lr inquiry will smy-I fm!ly
concur in your view lis to the best s0lm-
tinn of the liquor question. After
minglinK with the people for three.
months and thorough consideration, |
have come to the conclusion tlult th.,
Dispensury Act should b. so amended
sD AN to allow each county t., settle the
liquor question for itself, and have de-
termint'i to nuke such rscnnlnen.la-
ton to- the next General Assembly.
To Mr.. F.. H. Weston.
All of this. except the printed cap-
tinn an:! slats.. sins.. was in Governor
wrOng-npe day behind. IT. WAS not ns
precise: II pledge as l would have die
tateti. but whnteverOf vagleness there,
might be iii the phrase. "AllOw each
county to settle the liquor question for
itself" wns offset by the initial at,,ts.-
.ment, 81 fully concur in Your view ns
to the best solution of the liquor q,lea-
tom" l knew: md it WAS II matter nf
public knowledge and record. that Mr..
Wtst"ns view was the same as my
own; that hn favored c.,i,nty choice. be-
tween the slisncnsary, high license and
prohibition. While | did not have any
confidence in GOvcrnor Elltrl,e's sim
Pile wOrl, did nnt believe he would
dare tu incur the oblnquy of exposure.
for vi"lnting this pledge, and Thought
! had him fust. As MIR. Weston wis
going that afternoon to Charlpst0li,
and wished tn uSe the original to Ne
th'k a copy Of the letter. ON his prom
ists to hand me the original on his re-
turn. He did return il. and have
kept it in my packet most Of the time
since. l MUST cOlIfpas that the Gov
ernnr's prompt compliance with my
ultimnttm wna not H!tUget her CRAFTY
ing, for had thnnght the matter over.
and concluded tl,ut to carry Out my
part "f the ng cement would subject
me to much criticism ami lH.ri,nl,s, s,,s-
pIcIOn at my motives. ni,tt tlint | would
ilhve to withhold my stiiicntinn uutil
the Legislature met. On this account
half regretted my imp,llsivenrss,
which ind entnilstl upon me a severe
ordeal. But the. thing was done, and I
went tO work in good fnitl, to curry
ont my pnrt of the c.'inIuct. having
the sntisfuctinn uf feeling that / had
acted wholly for the public gn,ml. The
next Im,rming the State contained II
sig,wl editorial urging high license
voters to support Ellrrhc. anil each
day. until the election. the paper did
its best for him. IL it changed az
many aS 2.GfW votes. which wUul.i
Ntlierwisc have gone to Fcathrrstori..,
is is responsible, regret to s;l,, for his
nomination.
! did not see the Governor from the
time ! returned from Cuba until some
three weeks after Ilis nomination by