Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-05-15

the public whether our view was not
more charitable to the morals Of the
schemers than Gen. Hampton's view.
4. This is a very contemplate in
sinuation; but fortunately it can be
turned to the confusion Of it's maker.
Four members Of the staff Of The State
were volunteers in the war with Spain.
One, Lieut.. C. B. Smith, a former
Citadel captain, secured his commits
sion by doing most of the work of or
ganizing a company which would not
otherwise have been organized, and, as
Is usually and most invariably the case,
was commissioned because Of such SER
vices, the men having chosen him with
knowledge of his merit and efficiency.
He was appointed on no suggestion or
request from this office, and his posi-
tion on The State precluded the possi
bility Of his paying for his commits
sion with influence. AS for the three
Gonzales brothers, all had reasons Of
heredity and sympathy for engaging in
the war to liberate Cuba. One obtain
ed an appointment in the United States
army without any aid or suggestion
from Governor Elberbe, and his SER
vices in the army probably resulted in
financial loss to him. Another was
chosen by Major H. T. Thompson as
adjutant Of the Independent battalion
and appointed to that position by Gov.
Ellerbe because, as he told Maj. .Thomp
son, the position was Of such a char
acter as to entitle the major command
ing to have his will in filling it. On
the organization Of the Second South
Carolina regiment this officer was pro-
NOTED to the captaincy of one Of the
companies, as Col. Thompson tells us,
for very efficient services and at the
particular request of himself, Colonel
Thompson-no other influence being
employed in the matter. This officer
for his services in the army received
$500 less than his previous years earn
| ings and 5000 less than he earned the
next succeeding year. The editor Of
The State knew that himself, on ac-
count of his ability to aid Gov. Ellerbe
to a denomination, could have obtain
ed a commission from the governor by
merely asking for it, without making
any pledges. This he would not and
did not do; but instead joined the Gu
ban army, received no pay and pro-
viding his horse, arms and equipment
and paying his own expenses for six
weeks at Tampa while waiting for the
expedition to start. The experience
cost him in salary and expenses some
$7OO. Anything farther from bargain
ing influence for a place could not we'll
be imagined.
s. There are three falsehoods in this.
In the first place the contract was not
at all advantageous" involving In the
end actual loss. In the second place 1t
was not received from the administra-
ton. In the third place, The State was
not then hostile, bitterly" or other
wise, to the Ellerbe administration.
The work was sublet from young Mr..
Calvo who was awarded 1t for the re-
mainder of his fathers term as State
printer, The State company paying
large sum for it. The editor Of The
State opposed application for the State
printing at the time, for the reason
that The State was already supporting
Gov. Ellerbe and its enemies might in
terpret it's receipt Of the contract as an
evidence of favoriteism. The president
Of the company stated, however, that
the corporation was in the printing as
we'll as the publishing business, and
| that it had a right to compete for any
printing work, without regard to the
policy Of the paper. On this the editor
of The State visited Gov. Ellerbe and
urged him not to allow an award Of
the printing to The State company, for
the reason that he did not wish the
motives Of the paper to be under even
unjust suspicion. Finally the award
was made to Mr.. G. B. Calvo, and The
State company paid him for taking the
work off his hands. This Is the plain
story Of that transaction, and Mr.. Will
| liams slander is not only vainly but
foolishly made.
G. The Greenville News, Of which Mr.
Williams is half-owner, is supporting
McLaurin and Mckinley and the Spar
| tanburg Herald has congratulated the
other half-owner Of the paper upon the
certainty Of his appointment as post
master of Greenvile. Whether this
constitutes a case against Mr.. Williams
we leave it for the public to say. He
Is probably not without influence with
the editor he chose for his newspaper,
and that editor Is "whooping up" Nc
| Kinley.
7. Mr.. Williamss political plumage"
has certainly changed in most extra
ordinary manner since he was BOOM
ing "brave Ben Tillman," and trying to
upset the government Of South Caro-
lima in conjunction with that delecta-
BILE agitator.
| g. This is an insinuation against The
State. 1t is false. The State from the
beginning supported Cleveland because
of his tariff and administrative record
during his first term; but at the same
time declared that 1t was for free Sill
yer. The silver issue at that period
was not a vital one, and only became
dominant years afterwards.
9. This is not true. The editor Of The
ctota did nOt lead q cOnteSting delega-
ton to the national convention Of 1892.
There was no contesting delegation.
10. True; but Mr.. Williams fought for
him until the day he was nominated,
backing Tilman in every slander
against one of the purest governments