Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-07-31


they had given him before, and claim
ed that If they would do 1T again, he
would be railroad commissioners.
Hon. B. L. Caughman, Of Saluda, the
incumbent, said that the candidates had
been unusually mild at this meeting
for which he was grateful. He said
that he had handled the position the
people had given him fearlessly, and
honestly for the people of South Car
olina. Upon his election, he moved to
Columbia and gave his whole time and
attention to the Office. AS proof of
this he claimed that he had responded
to every call that had ever been made
on him. Referring to recent inyesti-
cation of the express company, he said,
that this company was the hardest
subject to regulate that he had ever
tackled, and the hardest task master on
the people that he had ever had any
thing to do with. He was still after 1t,
however. He insisted that he had al
ways been on the side Of the people as
against the railroad. Told Of how Mr..
Childs Of Newberry had told his en-
ployees to vote against Caughman, be-
cause Caughman had required the rail-
road to provide a badly needed station.
The speaker said that 1t was a COM
mon thing for people to be cursed for
doing nothing; but he had been cursed
for doing something. Said that he had
walked the tracks to learn about the
physical condition Of the railroads.
Said that during Summersetts man
agement Of a section of road over Broad
river a trestle went down and killed
several people. He had no criticism to
make Of any other man: but always
10 ANYTHING
might be done in improving conditions
on the railroads. [Applausel.
Hon. +. c. Fischburne Of Charleston,
said that there had been q good deal
Of elimination and recrimination,
charges and counter charges. He has
no charges to make; but when people
do things that they ought not to do, or
fail to do things that they ought to do,
the people should vote against them.
Said he was originally from Colleton,
but had lived In Charleston for the last
eighteen years Said he went to the
war as a 16 year old boy, afterward
participated in the red shirt fight OF
1876, the same as all the other white
people Of the state; but he did not take
any credit along that line. Intimated
that some Of the candidates were going
around the state with whisky bottles In
their pockets and valises, and said that
such men were not fit for the position
He said that he had experience in rail
roading and declared that II elected, he
would go into the office wearing no
mans collar. He said that he did, not
want to see the railroads broken up;
but only wanted them to do what Is
right and just to the people. Said that
IL your fellow citizen Of Tirzah who
has been running for this office for the
past six years had been elected he
could not have qualified for the rea-
son that he was not a registered voter
and to prove what he said. read a GER
tificate from ]. A. Tate. clerk Of the
court for York county. to the effect that
Mr. Cansler had not been registered to
vote at Tirzah since 1896. He advised
that Mr.. Cansler's fellow citizens re-
uuire him to vote or get out or the
race. [Cheers and applausel.
For Governor.
Governor M. F, Ansel was received
with applause He expressed his pleas
ure at being before the people of York
county to render an account or MS
stewardship as governor and offered
congratulations on the prospects or a
good rain which he thought would be
more acceptable than all the speeches
that would likely be made. He told
how, as a barefoot boy, studying the
blue back speller in the public schools
he had nursed an ambition to be gov
ernor Of South Carolina. He thought
then and he thinks now, that no one
could have higher political ambition
He felt when elected governor that
he attained the ambition OF his
life: and that feeling has remain
ed unchanged except that now II
is his desire to leave a record
as one Of the best governors the
state has ever had. He Is can
didate for reelection, not because
ne has been elected once before; but
on the record he has made during his
administration. Then he proceeded to
discuss his administration in frank
straightforward manner. He said that
he had dealt with every question with
which he had been confronted accord
ing to the best lights before him, and
to the best Of his ability For one
thing he had been criticised for ap-
pointing a negro notary public, and
while he did not feel that he had COM
mitted a grievous crime in this re-
gard, 1t might be proper that he should
make a statement. He had been DEM
ocrat all of his life and expected to
die a Democrat He had put forth his
best efforts in behalf Of white suprem-
acy in 1876. This Is whites man
country now and 1t shall always be
This negro had been recommended fol
commission by responsible white
men Of Greenville: he was known to
duties Of the notary public are confin-
ed principally to the matter OF probat-
ing papers, there Is no reason why
the commission should not be Is
sued. 1t had been charged that he
Ansel, was the only governor who had
ever commissioned a negro; but this
is a mistake. Governor Tillman COM
mssioned a negro notary public, ano
so did Governors .Ellerbe and Hayward
all under the same circumstances. he
next took up his recommendation Tor
an increase of the tax levy. He. ex-
planned that the state has been year
behind with it's taxes since radlcal
times. The revenues to pay this years
expenses and appropriations are not
available until next year. 1t has been
necessary each year for years past, Tor
the state treasurer to borrow money In
order to enable him to run the state
on a cash basis, and last year 1t was
necessary to pay interest amounting 10
10000. AS a business man he thought
the best way to remedy this situation
was to put on an extra levy OF z mills
for two years. He was also being crit
icised for his recommendation for an
increase in the governors salary. HE
explained that If his recommendation
had been acted upon favorably by the
general assembly, he could have had
no benefit from it during his present
term, as the constitution provides that
the salary Of no state officer may be
increased or diminished during the
term to which he has been elected. But
the present salary $4,000 is too small to
enable the governor to live in man
ner in keeping with the dignity OF his
position. Former governors have been
unable to live on less than $4,000 a
year, and it has been costing him at
least thousand dollars a year over
and above his salary to live. He was
not concerned about himself. He was
very we'll able to supply the deficiency;
but that the people Of South Carolina
were unwilling tnat the manner OF
their support of their governor should
suffer in comparison with the support
Of the governor Of North Carolina or
Georgia 1t has been suggested that
If the salary was not sufficient, the in
cumbent might get out Of the way and
give place to some one to serve for less
money. He would not argue this fur
ther than to say that as he sees 1t, a
AIz.z.I 4 t-I1 fK.gNT1