The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-08-23
Sumter Man Answers DR.. CrOmer and
Mr.. Grist and Defends HIM
self.
TO the Editor of The State:

Kindly let me answer Dr. Cromer
and Mr.. Grist. I would scarcely write
2 line to defend myself against re-
buke from Dr.. Cromer-a man Whom
never having met I esteem highly.
DR.. Cromer charges me with VIII
ing an unjust line with reference to
Mr.. Featherstone in that I said: MT.
Featherstone had just few weeks be-
fore ioined in a meeting to put in the
field a State ticket on a proh1bltlon-
license platform. If he participated IN
that meeting in the Jerome hotel he
had no moral right in the prohibition
committee"
The admitted facts are: The meet
ing was held in the Jerome hotel
about three weeks before the prohibl-
tion committee met. Mr.. Feather
stone was there. Mr.. Featherstone
gives as the object of the meeting, ito
consider the advisability Of putting
out a ticket in 1906, and that it was
decided that it would not be wise to
put out a ticket" Mr.. Mccullough
was there and Mr.. Bristow was there.
Not many days passed before Mr..
Bristow nominated Mr.. Mccullough
Tor governor and some other party, I
think a member Of the Jerome meet
ing, nominated Mr.. Bristow for lieu
tenant governor. Mr.. Bristow's pub
lished platform was prohibition-sell
liquor. I do not say anything about
the method pursued, or how it was
done, but the circumstantial evidence
is such as to warrant the belief that
those nominations were, in some way,
the product Of the Jerome hotel eau
Gus. Therefore my statement was not
unjust" to Mr.. Featherstone.
I go further: If Mr.. Featherstone
intqded to claim prohibition support
he had no moral right in that Jerome
caucus. Let US see if that is unjust.
The prohibitionists, after the invi-
tations we're extended by several Of
us to parties all over the State, with
instructions to invite others, and the
call properly advertised, met June Is
with open doors in a church on Main
street. Columbia, where each and ev-
cry prohibitionist was welcome. Aft
er considerable discussion that body
determined to hold State convention
and appointed a committee with posi-
tive instructions to call the conveu-
ton. Now what right had Mr.. Feath-
erstone in a secretary-called caucus
without advertisement, in the Jerome
hotel, considering nominations for the
prohibitionsts of the State? What
right did he have to decide in that eau
Gus that "we," men not members Of
the committee, would go into the
meeting of the prohibition executive
committee and prevent nominations?
He knows the committee was never
authorized to make nominations.
Mr.. Grist, you1 ought not to have
meddled in this thing. You are an
ardent supporter Of Mr.. Featherstone,
but you are bad witness, you do not
know. :. .:-.sa-ss.:
Mr.. Grist says: II was one of the
prohibitionists who met in conference
I'm Rotel Jerome, Columbia, on June
rs, -19U5. The question of launching a
movement to put a prohibition candi-
= Gate z0r governor in the field was dis
cussed at some length and my recol-
lection is that a committee Of either
three or five members, with Rev. Louis
J. Bristow as chairman, was appoint
ed to look further into the matter and
repem its conclusion to a conference
10 BE held during fair week the fol-
lowing fall. 49,.
I have no recollection Of any reso3
luton being either offered or passed
in favor of calling a State conven-
ton"
The prohibitionists held their con-
ference with open doors in the Main
Street Methodist church on the same
night. What was Mr.. Grist doing at
the Jerome? Mr. Bristow was Sec
retary of the meeting at the church
and Mr.. Grist claims him as chair
man OF his committee. Chas. A. Smith
was chairman Of the only committee
;anpointed at the prohibition meeting.
7 never attended any meeting at the
Jerome and do not know nor contra
dict anything that Mr.. Grist claims to
have heard there.
The prohibition conference at the
church declared in favor Of calling