The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-29
cor. ELLERBE,s PROMISES.
An Editor Springs n Secret Campaign Let
ter Which ShO VS. DupIicity.

| An fO1tOr springs n secret campaign lsct-
ter Which ShO VS. Duplicity.
South Carolina ls very much stirred over a
controversy that IL going on between n. q.
! Gonzales, editor OF the Columbia state. and
Gov. william II. Ellerbe. The lie has been
passed. and as both men are hot-tempered and
plucky. n personal encounter is feared. Many
members OF the Legislature seem deter
mined on Introducing n measure to impeach
the Governor. The cause OF the controversy
dates back to last summers campaign, when
seven candidates for the oflce spoke in every
county OF the State. each telling the people
why he should be elected Governor. Three OF
these. Eilerbe. Watson and Archer. ran on a
dispensary platform; one. Featherstone, ran
as a prohibitionist. and two, Schumpert and
George D.. Tillman. an cx-Congressman and a
brother OF Pitchfork Ben. announced them
selves in favor OF local option. Whitman. who
has run Tor every Office from County Coroner
to United States Senator. also canvassed the
State on his merits and n T| model bicycle,
The election was 10 CLOSELY contested that
for several days IL was not known who would
be In the second primary. hut the full returns
placed Ellerbe and Featherstone in the lead.
The vote was very interesting in that the local
option vote held the balance Of power. Neither
Ellerbe nor Featherstone could win without
1t. But the probabilities we're that it would
81 " III hhh VIZ .
and the dispensary advocates were filed with
dismay. Their defeat meant the breaking up
OF the machine. with al its patronage. free
liquor samples for the clan and rebates for
some one in Utopia.
Mr.. Gonzales had spent the summer in Cuba
fEhting with the insurgents and did not reach
Columbia until a few days before the second
primary. lie announced that. having no COM
prehensive idea OF the situation. he would be
hands off, in regard to the election. Then
the next day he declared for Ellerbe. Such a
quick change aroused Many sus-
pected a deal of some kind. beca use Gonzal es
had always doomed local option. and Ellerbe
was committed to'the dispensary. Although it
was we'll known that Ellerbe could not afford to
lose the support Of. the machine. the States
change OF attitude convinced the majority OF
local option men that Ellerbe was at heart
one OF them. To this he owed his election.
Nothing was said about liquor problems I'M
til the Governors annual message came recon-
mending the continuance OF the Dispensary
law in its essential features. Then the State
published an editorial artiole over the sigma
ture OF Mr.. Gonzales. showing that a political
trade had been made and broken. On the
day OF his r"t"rn from Cuba Mr.. Gonzales had
been appio. he'd by W.. A. Neal and I. II.
and also local optionists. They asked Com
zoles to support Ellerbe. Gonzales refused to
do SO unless Eli erbe would commit himself in
writing to local option, which after some few
bitches was done in the GLOWING letter writ
ten to Weston:
DEAR, FRANK In reply to your inquiry will
say | fully. concur in your view as to the best
solution OF. the liquor question. After ming
thorough consideration. l have come to The
conclusion that the Dispensary act should be
so amended as to allow each county to settle
mined 10 make such recommendation to the
next General Assembly. ! YSpF frisnd,
With such a promise in his pocket and hav-
ing performed his part Of the compact. Con |
tales was sure he had the Governor in his
the Governor refused to be held, To be tricked
was not pleasant; and the laughs and Ieers of
such an exposure caused a sensation. That
the chief. executive OF the State could be guilty
such duplicity and, trickery and could have
reputation mortified many. while others rc-
fused to believe or to form any opinion until
be Interviewed except to say that Weston acted
II bad faith TO show a private letter; and that
letter was written in his presence and handed
to him to be used in securing votes. then to
be given to Gonzales.
Gonzales clearly, showed in his editorial ar
tirle that Ellerbe knew fun we'll from two In
terviews that his duplicity would be EXPOSED
should he not act M to his written promise.
visit to bia Just previous to the appear
ance OF the message was responsible for tho
lerpe was simply caught in his own net. he
hal promised dispensary in his public
letter Iafsr"o and h. he had TIIImas. w '2Si Is pssTo% II e
for tho disEensnry's existence. TO review his
lie chose the easiest way and bun
Several OF the daily papers have suggested
impeachment, and 1t is believed that imneach-
gust; but 1t IS very improbable that buncoing
editor can re- construed az either high
or mi9demeanOr.