Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-07-02
ell its readers when there is danger


The business men were angry, and
declared that, II he mentioned small
pox in the paper. they would put him
out of business.
Early Monday morning they began
to suppress all rumors. But in spite
of their frantic efforts few people
came to town Tuesday. Wednesday the
streets looked as deserted as II the
Fourth of July was being celebrated
else; and Thursday scarcely
a team from the country was seen on
the streets.
The Banner" was printed Thursday
night, and went out on the rural routes
Friday morning. 1t contained in a
place on the front page
an account of the smallpox, giving the
exact truth-where it was, how bad 1t
was, and how quarantined. The article
added: Personally we are not at all
alarmed, are not afraid to pass within
a block of it. But our readers can
Judge for themselves whether there is
danger or not, as we will print the ex-
act situation each week.
The next day two or three hundred
people came to town.
I'VE heard" some Of them explained
to the merchants while trading, that
there were fifteen cases and two
deaths. We were too scared to come
within sight of town until the Ban
ner" came out"
Then the merchants reluctantly and
rather shamefacedly admitted that the
papers policy was the best, and that
its reputation for truthfulness had
saved the town thousands of dollars.
Slowly the business came back, and
by spring Clelland once more saw
prosperity ahead; and once more the
world was full Of roses and white
clover. And because Of Miss Irma's
graciousness all mankind seemed just
a little lower than the angels, and
a little higher.
But alas and alack! That was the
spring when John Martin, Irma's
father, took it into his head to run for
Martin had been attending every
political convention for twenty years
in an effort to be nominated for some
office for which he was not qualified;
in fact, he was not qualified for any.
He had a very good little business
that made fair living for his family
when he attended to 1t. But In cleo
tion years he spent so much time try
ing to be a politician his business
wilted like a loose. cabbage-leaf in
One day about the middle of June
Martin came to the Banner" office,
and told the editor his friends were
urging him to run. He did not add
that 1t was the same friends that had
urged him to run for five other offices
none of which he got.
rs that so?" remarked Clelland
without enthusiasm.
Yes, and l believe ] can make it.
If 1 can only get a solid delegation
from Well City, l can land the nomi-
nation; for there is only one other
and he Is from the north end
Of the county"
You might be nominated" said
Clelland thoughtfully; but I don't be-
lieve you can be elected. 1 would not
run if 1 were YOU"
Martin was shocked and grieved. He
had counted on the support Of the
paper. He explained in detail how he
could and should and would be elect
ed.
1T will cost a good deal to make the
race. And even If you are elected,
the office does not pay much. You
are sure to lose money. 1 would stay
out of it, Mr. Martin"
Martin was still more shocked and
grieved, and went off and told his
friends he believed the Banner" was
going to 'lie down on the party"
In spite of Clelland's good advice
and that of others Martin announced
his candidacy.
The county convention was to meet
Monday, August 8. On the Saturday
before, a local meeting would be held
in tine town to elect delegates to the
county convention. The Well City
delegation would be one of the largest
in the county; and If it went instruct
ed to work for Martin, he would prob
ably be nominated. Nobody seemed
to want him; yet unless
there was objection he would get the
merely because he lived in
the town and no one else in that part
wanted the office.
AS Clelland prepared his editorials
that week, he had the hardest wrestIe
of his life with his conscience. He had
an opinion on all the other
He had never refrained
from discussing any matter of vital
public Importance. This was vital. He
could not possibly praise Martin and
recommend him for the office. And
to keep. silent-that was lodging; that
was a violation of his newspaper
ethics.
But there was Irma. 1t would end
his dreams; and, worst of all, it would
hurt her, for she was loyal to her
father.
1t was a plain ISSUE his personal in
terests and happiness against his prin-
ciple. He said it would not be very
wrong to dodge this one time; but. the
more he wanted to, the sharper was
the pinch Of his conscience. He decid-
ed he must be true to his convictions.
He told the readers that John Mar
tin should not be indorsed as Well
City's candidate for representative. He
would almost certainly be defeated If
and ought to be, as he was
entirely incompetent for the work. He
not only lacked the necessary qualifi-
cations of an efficient representative,
but stood wrong on several important
state issues.
The Banners" opposition put Mar
tin out Of the race-and onto the war
path. At first he wanted to get out of
the house with his shotgun, but his