The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-24
Mr.. BRUNSON REPLIES,
AND PUTS COL. FEATHERSTONE
UP A TREE.
Former Candidate for Governor
Writes of Campaign of 1898 and OF
Prohibition Caucus of 19O5--SOme
OF the Inside Facts of Prohibition
Politics.
To the Editor of The State:


l wish to take up Mr.. Feather
stones reply to my letter and shall
thank YOU fol it's publication. 1 am
not now nor do l expect ever to be
again a candidate for any office;
therefore, l have no personal ends to
crafty; my leading desire in the mat
ter is to see the cause of prohibi-
tion advanced. 1 have given the
best of my life to the temperance
cause in this State and in 1898 had
served several years as grand chief
templar, was in touch with nearly all
the prominent temperance workers in
the State and yet l had never heard
a word of c. c. Featherstone.
Let "the Charleston situation"
speak for itself and you do me the
favor. Mr.. Editor, to insert just here
the vote of the city of Charleston for
the several candidates for governor
in the primaries of 1898.
(The vote was as follows
First Primary-Feathersto 81;
Ellerbe, 1913; waston, 5S; Tillman,
1877; Schnmpert, 925.
Second Primary--Feathersto L.
1ss; Ellerbe, ss4)
Mr.. BrunsOn's Record.
III then. Mr.. Featherstone asks me
to give him my reasons for the i'm
preston that he leaned to the liquor
side. I shall go into the records, and
I think I can get from your file the
card published by three Of the lead
ing prOhibitionists of your city criti-
cising his utterances along this line.
"Mr. Brunson's retirement" re-
| gret that Mr.. Featherstone has refer
| red to this, and it is distasteful to me
to write 1t up, yet I shall make
| good" The convention of 1898 was
the largest convention we have ever
held In this State, it was composed
largely Of brainy, unselfsh men. That
body saw fit to nomina-a State
ticket and without my seeking it in
any way whatever, I was named as
the candidate for governor. That
was the highest honor that ever came
to me. But the trouble then be-
gan, many were saying I could not
sign the pledge, and feared, without
ever reading the pledge carefully that
/ could not. However, when the pro-
| position was made TO withdraw the
ticket. I protested. Here is a copy
of the letter l wrote to Mr.. Feather
stone:
Letter to Fcatherstone.
June s, 1898
Hon. c. c. Featherstone,
'Laurens, S. c.,
Dear Sir:
"Col. Willie Jones sent me a copy
of the pledge yesterday and after q
| most careful analysis as to intent and
| language, l reach the conclusion that
1t was intended only to prevent bolt
ing" after the nomination, and tho
the language is somewhat ambiguous,
| II can only mean a candidate other
! than the regular Democratic nomi-
| nation and said nomination can only
be made at the regular primary. The
| language of the pledge will permit a
dozen candidates of so many different
Democratic factions, provided they
arc candidates for the regular Dem
! ocratic nomination. and pledge them
selves to support the nomination sfter
1t is N the primary.
1T is now too late for rae to de-
cline in good faith as the Prohios.
have no time to select a man in ny
place. To resign and then become a
candidate on my own responsibility
would leave me open to- the charge
OF double dealing and I fear my op-
ponents would use IL on the stump.
Il have sent in by this mail my
pledge, and I hope, sincerely hope
yOu will send in yours and be with us
at the meeting at Orangeburg.
1ourS very luFy,
Joel r. Brunson''
Mr.. FeatherstOne's Reply.
Mr.. Featherston replied in few
words; al have voted to withdraw
the ticket
few days later the withdrawal
was published, and though / had
packed my satchel and left home to
go by GreenVille to see a sick daugh-
ter, then to Orangeburg to the first
meeting Of the campaign. / deter
mined not to participate in the sub
terfuge and canvass the State, but
to leave my pledge in full force. I
did not go to Orangeburg but here
Is Mr.. Featherstones announcement
9 piVan Tho nd