The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-07-02

were largely depended upon in the trying days
of '76. The late lamented Major Z. ). Lana mas
time and again said, II could always entruSt
any mission to little Ap' and feel safe that
everything would 90 well; Ap was always ready.
willing and true" I have known you to be
trusted in responsible positions long before these
enemies came here. Your social standing has
always been the very best; in fact before and
since YOUR marriage you were regarded favor
ite in society. and 1t does strike me as very
strange that men who are not so we'll known as
yourself can find that you have been decelVlng
this people for over . quarter OF century
They should be forced to show up or shut up.
Approaching the motive prompting
this ANONYMOUS writer we give space to
his letter, although against our custom
to publish any unsigned communication,
but there is so much in the above we
will make an exception in this case, and
reply briefly.
Our readers we'll remember that we
announced it to be our purpose to lg-
more our enemies and, we have endeav-
ored to live up to that announcement.
We will not be dragged into a newspa-
per controversy with any man or set of
men who do not conduct newspaper
upon journalistic principles. 1t IS re-
pugnant to our ideas OF decency to con-
vert newspaper into vehicle OF abuse
and SANDER, and we do not feel called
upon to 60 hunting for bushwhacE;ers.
If our life in Clarendon county has not
been sufficient to contradict the villain
Gus and malicious insinuatlons emanat-
ing from enemies, then nothing we can
say row, when the frost Of years is
whitening our head, will have the least
effect.
We came to Clarendon when child
and our conduct was such that the very
best homes in the county were thrown
open to US, and whenever there was a
call to perform public duty we never
shirked, but tried to do our full duty,
as many of our best citizens know. We
do not feel that it is necessary to offer
proof of character. The men, women
and children Of this town who are not
blinded and poisoned with the hatred
of few personal enemies will be our
voluntary witnesses should it ever be-
come necessary. We defy any man to
show blot upon our private character.
We defy any man to show blot upon
our public career. 1t is possible that
we have made mistakes-who has not?
But if doing a full, conscientious duty
toward the people without regard to
cliques, clans and combinations is a
mistake or dishonor, let it be shown
conclusively to US and we will fall down
and worship any idol the cliques, clans
and combinations may set up.
What is the grievance against US?
As a watchman on the tower, looking
out for the interests of the people, we
sounded the alarm, when we dlsccy-
cred that the people had cause to be
dissatisfied with the manipulations OF
the tobacco market, and by hard knock
ing we, in measure. had this evil cor
rected. Then the cotton market was
great source of complaint, and in the
Interests Of our merchants and our far
mers we gave free expression to our
views on that subject: as result Man
ming will have this fall better market
than ever before. We also expressed
ourself freely and emphatically on the
subject of the combination OF cotton
seed oil mills in which some of our vilest
enemies are deeply interested, and for
this. they propose to turn all things
earthly-mopev and power-to accom-
plish our political and business destruc-
tion. We defy them, and tell them TO
do their worst. The last county con-
vention is specimen OF their methods,
and we caution our friends throughout
the county to watch. We know these
scheming manipulators cannot succeed
in defeating US, because the people will
not be misled Or deceived.
Our record, private and public, IS like
an open book for all men to see, and
while we have not the means to employ
workers, we have an abiding faith in
the justice of the people for whom we
have devoted our best efforts to take
care of their interests. We can afford
to treat with scorn the houndlngs of
hired prosecutors: their utterances are
too contemplate to give Us the annoy
ance intended. If we have defeated the
purposes of the gang now bounding US
through their hired maligners, it shows
to what extent and how low such men
will stoop to carry out their purpose to
cripple US politically and financially.
Some Of them pose as piouS men when
their fellowmen would not trust them
out of sight: they go to their churches
and, at sacred altar, wash down their
hypocritical throats hatred for their
felIowman with sacramental wine; they
outwardly pray God to bless mankind,
and inwardly breathe malice against
those who thwart them in their unholy
schemes. In our opinion, unprofessing
as we are, we believe our chances for
respect among our fellows is better
than theirs.
If our election to office will be d ca
lamitv, it has not been the case these
many years we have been in public life,
however, while it may not De "a calam-
ity" to the people, it might be "a Ca
lamity" to the gang who want Us re-
moved and bring back the days when
jurors had to discount their paper:
the days when the county was burdened
with debt, and the taxes almost unhear-
able. When those days return the
pockets of the spectators swell, while
the pockets of the people shrink. The
people know they are safe with Us on
the watch-tower: we have often been
tried. never denied. and the people will
not be prejudiced against being willing
to try US again, in spite OF money,
power. SANDER or abuse.