The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-06-19

ana WOulQ SldQly dlu lAeiu III ~dHS
way to further any legitimate plan
for advancing the interest of the
county, and doubtless if they see fit
to act on some, if not all, of my
suggestions, they would in the long
run find a safer haven DR.. w. T.
C. Bates, Mr. A. K. Smoak, and my
self, met some time ago and dis
cussed the court house and jail ques-
ton, especially the notes and bond
ing of the town. Dr.. w. T. G. Bates
thought at first that it might be
good idea to have joint meeting of
the commission, the town council
and the makers of the notes. Mr..
Smoak objected to this, and suggest
ed that | call meeting of the COM
mission and invite the Senator and
Representative and hold joint
meeting and map out and decide on
definite course He took the po-
sition that this would be much the
best solution of the matter, that the
meeting suggested by DR.. Bates
would be too unweildy. His sug-
gestion was adopted. I called
meeting promptly and invited the
Senator and Representative. talked
with Mr.. Smoak before the meeting
and saw him promptly after the
meeting and told him fully and in
detail everything that we had done;
that the delegation would rush
through an act to bond the town Of
st. Matthews for 100000 and as
soon as this had been made binding
and the town had turned over to the
commission $4,000 IN cold cash.,
then, and under no condition until
this had been done would the ques-
tion of bonding the entire county for
an additional 100000 be submitted
to the entire county to vote on. That
we had been urged to allow the en-
tire county to vote on the question
of the additional bond issue of S30,-
600 so as to erect permanent and
first-class buildings before We erect
temporary buildings with the $780,
900 which the town was to furnish.
Mr.. A. X. Smoak seemed much pleas
ed with the result of the meeting.
He did not express one word of dis
approval / have taIKed with him
since that time on various occasions
and he has never expressed any dis
approval of the findings of the COM
mission and delegation, until after
he wrote the article to which l am
now replying.
Was it not reasonable of me to
question to the very last his con-
nection with an article aimed at the
baby to whom he was certainly n
my eyes the godfather? The same
view seems to be held by DR.. w. T.
C. Bates and Mr. Martin D. Keller. :.
Now i do not mean to criticise
Mr. A. x. Smoak, the seeker after
truth. Mr.. A K. Smoak was a
member of the publishing or press
committee for the formation of CAL
houn county. He wrote some of the
best articles that we published dur
ing that memorable fight. He had
free access to the press. His pen
was in demand. AS member Of this
committee he could object to the
publication of articles that he
thought improper because mislead-
ing or otherwise. Can he point out
one single article that was publish
ed over his objection? His articles
were so strong that our dear friends
at the old court house would always
take a stimulant before Reading
them. Why, oh why, in the name
of all that is just and right did he
not expose some of the iniIu!ty then,
shat he insinuates has been cloaked?
When his articles were published
they carried terror into the camps Of
the enemy and hypnotic effect into
our camps, especially TO our rural
brethren, over whose condition he
is now so distressed.
Mr.. A. X. Smoak, the seeker after
truth, reads me a lesson on prevari-
cation that makes cold drops of per-
spiration run down my back. Still
he claims that 'pompously desig-
nate" myself as the chairman Of the
board of commissioners. In other
words he claims that | am the self
constituted chairman or the board OF
commissioners. Why, ON why did
he not read the records before maxi
nc this charge? Eight gentlemen
insist that they voted for me AMI
that ! was made chairman by their
votes Are these eight gentlemen
prevaricating also-John j. Muller,
Gus Holman, Paul Frank Spigener,
Geo. w. Fairey, G. A. Baxter, T. A.
Amaker, Martin .. Keller, and John
Peterkin.
Mr.. A. X. Smoak, the seeker after
truth, says that from the most re-
liable information I learn that about
$4,000 worth OF these notes are
worthless and about $4,000 worth
more are not signed by the supposed
givers." Read the report of the COM
mittee of high toned, honorable bus
mess men, all of them his friends.
This report shows that every single
note is signed by the giver. Yet he
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