Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-05-08
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POLITICS OR TRIBUTEe

| Result.
The political sensation Of last week
was furnished from Columbia. 1t grew
out of tender Of the postmastership at
that place to General Hampton, by
friends of Senator McLaurin. The
thing was supposed to have been done
in confidence; but somebody talked, the
enemies of Senator McLaurin saw a
conspiracy" and the whole story
quickly came to the surface. The first
publication was in the daily papers OF
Saturday morning. The following from
August Kohn's correspondence Of The
News and Courier, opens the record:
For several days the rumor has been
in circulation that Gen. Wade Hamp-
| ton had been rendered, or would be
rendered, the Columbia postoff1ce The
report seems to have been founded on a
report that a Columbian, who Is close
friend of Senator McLaurin, told
friends of General Hampton that If he
would accept the appointment, without
any conditions whatever attached, his
| (McLaurin's influence would be used
to get the appointment for General
! Hampton.
The further statement was made that
when the matter was brought to the at
tention Of General Hampton by his
friends, General Hampton replied that
his health would not permit of his ac-
cepting the position. This correspond
ent called to see General Hampton dur
ing the morning, and had long talk
with him about matters in general.
When the rumor Of the postmastership
was brought up General Hampton said
that he had no tender from President
Mckinley or Senator McLaurin.
| When the rumor in it's entirety was
stated to him, he said; "You may say
that would not even consider tender
from such a source, and want you to
say to the people of the state that not
only would I not accept a position from
such a source, but I would not even
consider it,
He said that he would have remained
in the position of railroad commission
er had President Mckinley retained
him, as he (he president) would like
to have done; but he did not want to
consider a proposition in any way con-
nected with Senator McLaurin.
| He said he felt that the people of
South Carolina knew that he had new
er been for sale, and that he would new
er be.
The Columbia State printed a similar
story, except that the reporter refrain
ed from mention Of the fact that
Hampton said he would have remained
in the office of railroad commissioner,
had President Mckinley retained him.
The story was telegraphed over the
country as an effort on the part Of Sen
ator McLaurin to buy the good will of
General Hampton. and through him,
his friends. On Saturday afternoon,
Editor G. r. Koester, of the Columbia
Record, gave out the following:
| MR.. KoEsTER's STATEMENT.
The publication Of the rumor concern
ing General Hampton and the position
he took upon the matter was a decided
political sensation here today. There
has been considerable talk about how
the whole matter started, and good
deal Of light has been thrown on the
matter by the following signed state
ment from Mr.. George r. Koester, ed
itor and publisher Of the Colum-
bia Record, and a strong personal
friend Of Senator McLaurin: I'm view
Of General Wade Hampton's interview
in this mornings State, brief state
ment from myself seems necessary. AS
| is generally known, I am a close per-
sonal friend of Senator McLaurin and
have been ever since he first came to
| Columbia as a member of the legfsla-
| ture in 1890. 1t has been falsely said
7 wanted the Columbia postmastership
as reward for my friendship for the
senator. Some Of my friends tried to
get me to apply for the Office, but de-
clined to do so, though they said it
would be easy for me to obtain it.
told them that I would not even accept
the Shanghai consulship, as it was my
intention to remain in Korial har-
ness. Discussing this matter with Sem
ator McLaurin, he asked me whom /
would recommend for the Columbia
postmastership and led me to believe
that my recommendation would have
great weight with him. l could not
| recommend q man unless he was ut Tor
the office and willing to accept it. I
knew General Hampton was we'll quail
fled to discharge the duties Of postmas-
ter Of Columbia, but I did not know
whether he would accept the place or
not. From what was said at the time
a home was given to General Hampton,
! I supposed that such a salary as that
Of postmaster of Columbia would be pc
culiarly acceptable to him as placing
him in a position of independence. But
I knew he was old and cherished bit
terness toward all who were in any
way responsible for his retirement from
the United States senate, and did not
intend to have my friend tender an Of
| flee to General Hampton and have 1t
rejected. So I told Senator McLaurin
| I would make my recommendation la
ter. I then talked the matter over
with three Columbians and I asked one
of them to ascertain il General Hamp-
ton would accept appointment as post
master of Columbia, and to make 1t
perfectly plain that absolutely no con-
ditions would be attached to the ap-
pointment, but that if he accepted it he
would not be trammeled In any way
and would be absolutely free to support
or oppose whom he pleased. 1t was an
honorable offer, couched in courteous
terms. It was meant as recognition
of Hampton's worth and past services
to his state, services which, however,
did not entitle him to election to rep
resentative office, If his views were at
variance with those Of the people whom
he would represent. The gentleman
saw General Hampton and the reply
was as courteous as the offer, being
that General Hampton would not ac-
cept the appointment. There had been
no suggestion of buying" General
Hampton in the offer and there was no
scorn in it's rejection. So his words. as
reported in today's State, are sur
prise. to say the least or them. Nelther
McInurin nor Mckinley offered an Of
| flee to General Hampton.
I'm conclusion I desire to state that
the information of my offer was not
given the public by me. I told McLau-
rim of what I had done. and he said 1t
would have given him pleasure to have
used his influence in behalf of General
Hampton to secure him an office with
out pledge or condition. I said nothing
about the matter to anybody else and
am at a loss to understand how 1T be-
came public"