The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-01-18
SUMTER S. c.. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 1899.

an argument for the retention of :be
dispeosary system, although it did
make a brief aud bare suggestion as to
letting the people OF the counties settle
the question for themselves. He did
not like il, he said. | told him that
if she message did not cone up to prom
ise I would show up Ellerbe rutblessly.
The next day, Saturday. Mr. Weston
gave proof of the liquor section of the
message. with an invitation from the
Governor to call on him at the mansion
at o'ciack that afternoon. l read tbs
proof and was greately incensed at what
I found 10 it. My disinclination to see
the governor was strong. as | was
afraid Z could not control my temper
after this revelation of his duplicity !;
bat as I did not wish to bring Col.
Neal and Mr.. Weston into the matter
las I must do If exposed Elierbe-I
6nally determined to keep the appoint
ment
At 5 O'Clock uens to the executive
mansion and found che governor con.
versing with visitor. When che lat
ter lefs told him that | had read his
LIQUOR Recommendation and was great
ly surprised and disappointed that be
had cot said what be had pledged him
self 80 ssy !; that he had defeated mis-
half way endorsement of local option by
other recommendations Of the strongest
character. He asked me to specify. |
pointed ou. this paragraph fer one: It
(she dispeusary) muss be firmly and
permanently established or completely
done away WITH" Phis, I said, clear
II meant the establishment of the dis.
pensary on its present basis or It's elm.
inasion from the whole State-it was
adverse to partial elimination under the
influence of local option Then | show
ed that the context of bis reccommeada-
ton as to local option limited the choice
to prohibition and the dispensary only.
wholly ignoiing high license as an al
ternssive. This. I said, was not what
he had promised me; ifadopted it would
defeat the very policy to which I was
committed and which I preferred-high
license. [ went on to say that the
whole deliverance was obnoxious to his
professions aud pledges. and that T
quite understood his motive in limiting
sbe choice to prohibition aud the dispen.
sary aud it's imposing special and onsr-
ous burdens on prohibition countiss-
be sought to force the dispensory on the
people as the only endurable alterns-
tive.
He had made the word of promise to
the ear aud broken it to the hope, /
said He replied, with marvellous eft.
fronsery, that he had made no promises,
that Frank Weston had not acted prop
erly in concealing from me what he had
said, aed that be would make him pub.
lish his litter, l answered that / would
do that; that I proposed to show the
public that at least had acted in good
faith. I got up bade him good evening,
aad walked out of his sitting room,
while he vas saying; "You can do as
you please. -
So this is the eud Of nv hope of do
ing something through w. Il. Ellerbe
for fair aud democratic solution of
the liquor question. have made my
try and failed, and all the men and
papers that have been saying the mac
was fai.hless aud the State newspaper
aod Colombia would be buneoed can
have their fling at me. am fair game !;
I have been buncoed. l can only plead
that thought had guarded against it
by securing his pledge ia wrisiog. 1
believed him quite capable Of violating
any verbal promise, but did not think
be would be quite so shameless as to
invite the production of proofs in his
Own handwriting that be had lied.
To do him exact justice, do not be.
lieve that Ellsrbe has acted spostaue-
ously in shis matter, but under dire
mpulsion; that he has taken what be
considers the safest choice between
evils. I believe that Senator T,llman
holds his written pledge to support the
dispensary, in terms more specific than
those of his letter to me-or else some
paper the publication of which would
damn him. Tillman, I am informed,
vas here last week aud week before
last; be whipped Ellerbe back to his
feet year ago and it is quite likely
that he put his collar on him again the
other day.
However that many be, l plead
guilty to being cheated l expected to
be lied to, but | did not expect to be
brazenly swindled. l did not think
that w. 81. ElIerbe would adopt the
device Of sueakiog out Of an obligation