The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1908-07-10
IN REGARD TO FLORENCE
POST OFFICE
Set himself Straight About Inter.
view Giv.n Out by
Ellerbe. J
Florcncs Times

explaining his position in the
Florence postoffice wrangle. MI
Ra2sdale received the undivided
attention Of the large number OF
voters present and was frequentl,
applauded. At the conclusion OF
his attack on Congressman Ellerbe
he was given ar ovation. In til,
curse of his speech he was fro
Guently interrupted by applause.
A little more than a year ago, 7
think it was in the early part #
1907, Mr. CP Berry came to my
Office and asked if | would draw a
petition for his appointment a
postmaster at this place to Il
coed the incumbent, } f. Wilson,
a negro. | drew the petition and at
Mr. Bcrly US request | signed it
Mr. Berry had not supported me
but had worked and voted tor Con
gresham Ellerbe and the sole
question at that time to be consid
cred was whether my influence
would go for a white man or II
negro. His petition was subscqucnt-
ly circulated in Florence and sign
ed by number Of prominent clti
zens and Mr. Berry claimed that
Congressman Ellcrbe had pledged
him his support and had promised
MIR u A Wilcox Of Florence,
S G, and Mr. VIM Godbold OF
Marion, 5 G., to give Mr. Berry
his support. In the summer of
1907 a smoker" was given Mr.
Ellcrbc by the Board of Trade of
Florence and at this smoker"
Mr. Ellerbe pledged himself to
support anyone for postmaster
whom the people of Florence sell
cctcd. A number OF candidates
were in the field and in order to
centralizc the support of the white
men and Democrats upon one can
didate, a meeting was called
i'll January, 1908, at which Mr.
Ellcrbe was expected to be pres
ent. He did not come and nothing
was done at this meeting. A sec
ond meeting was called for the
same purpose and when | went to
this meeting and learned that Mr.
Ellcrbc would not be present, |
left. | am informed that Mr. j
w Stroud was endorsed at this
meeting and two days afterwards,
his s%on-in-law, DR. n w Hicks,
came to my Office and requested
me to go to a meeting at his Office
for the purpose Of trying to secure
the appointment of a white man
as postmaster here. | went to
this meeting and found some Of
the most prominent business men
of Florence assembled to discuss
ways and means to accomplish the
removal of the negro and the APP
pointmcnt Of a white man. A
number of suggestions were made
to pay Wilson a sufficient sum
of money to secure his'rcsignation:
to tell him that sentiment was too
strong to allow him to remain in
oilicc-to try to deal through John
& Capers and others. Finally we
decided to go traight to President
Roosevelt and appeal to him as
President of all the people to lay
aside all politics and consider the
interests involved. To call his at.
tention to the feeling that existed
on account of the retention of a
negro in a position of this kind.
TO present { for his consideration
the number of business houses in
Florence conducted by whites and
how few by negroes and appeal to
him to give us his Boosted Square
Deal" A committee consisting of
lion f. ID Smith, president Of
tho South Carolina Cotton Grow
ers Association, Rev. w. b. or,
ivcr, pastor Of the Florence Bap-
tist church, and Mr.. w. II. Bar
ringer, Of the firm Of B~arringcr &
Husbands, Insurance. and myself
were appointed to 90 to Washing.
ton to take UP the matter with the
President. An effort was made to
get some mcmborof the committee
TO go to Washington to arrange
for the conference with the Prcsi.
dent and because no one else
would go, | went. Upon my ar
rival in Washington, ! called up
Senator 1illman and made engage
ment with him and Chcn tried to
mako appointment with Congress-
man Ellcrbc. He could not he
found at his hotel, in his Office or
in the House OF Representatives. |
,ny,n,nn,l ., H., -. - ..-i 4 f..