The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-08-19
FEATUERSTONE REPLIES
TO BRCNSON'S LETTER
Candidate for Governor Denies That
He Has Ever A4vocattd Liquor
Licenses.
To the Editor of The State:

print the following in reply to the
card of Joel E. Brunson, which ap-
pears in today's State.
I dislike exceedingly to be forced
into the public prints, but Mr.. Brun-
son is so absolutely mistaken in his
facts as to make reply necessary.
Mr.. Brunson makes the charge that
in 1898 my views were so closely
akin to license as to win large part
of the LIQUOR vote of Charleston
Now. Mr.. Brunson knows, or ought
to know, that in 1898 made the fight
for straight prohibition; that from ev-
cry stump in South Carolina I made
prohibition speeches (Charleston in
cluded).
The Charleston Situation.
He further knows, or ought to know,
that Charleston was violently opposed
to Gov. Ellerbe's reelection; that in
the first race got almost nc votes in
Charleston but that, in the second
race. on account Of Charlestor's dis
like for Ellerbe, got majority there.
This is all a matter which was fully
understood by the public and may al
most be said to be a matter of record.
I do not desire to be harsh, but l
do desire to make the statement that
any charge or insinuation to the effect
that I was, or have ever been, untrue
to the prohibition cause, or that L
sought the, license vote in Charleston
is absolutely untrue.
In this connection I also desire to
remind the people Of the fact that
Mr.. Brunson was chosen as our stand
ard bearer in 1898. I was rot on the
ticket to start with, the late L. D.
Childs being chosen as our candidate
for lieutenant governor. Mr.. Childs
declined to make the race and the
executive committee substituted my
name for his. At first I, too, declined
to make the race, but finally consented
to do so, at the urgent solicitation of
Mr.. Brunson. The first meeting was
at Orangeburg.
Mr.. Brunson'S Retirement.
On my way to the Orangeburg meet
ing (between Columbia ~ Orange
burg) I saw card in The State from
Mr.. Brunson declining to make the
canvass.
went on to Orangeburg, not know
ing what I was going to do. After
getting there and consulting with
friends CA G.. Jones and others), it |
was decided that I should make the
race for governor, or rather file my
pledge, in order to meet the crisis that
was then on US.
This I did, on condition that Mr..
Bcunson should be notified that I
would withdraw and let him come in
and make the fight if he would do so.
Upon getting to Charleston, two
days after, wrote Mr.. Brunson, urg-
ing him to come in and make the fight
and telling him that l would with
draw and assist him in the up-coun-
try.
Later Events.
This he refused to do, and, later on,
when it looked as though might win,
he came out and fought me- Such
are the facts in reference to the 1898
campaign.
Now, as to what occurred in 1905:
A conference of prohibitionists was
held at the Jerome hotel in Columbia,
attended by Joseph A. Mccullough,
Louis J. Bristow, S. NJ Grist, DR.. Geo.
names I do not now recall. The OBJ
ject of the conference was to discuss
the situationein general and to consid-
er the advisability Of putting out a
ticket in 1906.
Mr.. Brunson was not at that con-
ference. At that conference it was
decided that it would not be wise to
put out a ticket 1t was also decided
that We would attend the conference
during fair week, which had been call
3D. or which We anticipated would be
called by Mr.. Brunson and certain
others, and do what We could to keep
them from putting out a ticket.
Missed the Meeting.
l did attend the fair week confer
ence at which Mr. Brunson urged the
putting out of ticket I Gid oppose
it and it was almost unanimously de-
cided (as I recollect it, Mr.. Brnuson
being the only one to vote On his side
of the question: not to put out