The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-06-12
ELMORE TELLS
OF HIS FITNESS
Addressed Voters Last Night, AT
Which Time He Pointed To
His Record AS Alderman

the voters last night said:
] understand that am being crt-
ciscd because ! publicly announced
myself in favor OF law and order. be-
cause / announced that would use
ny influence to sec that all the laws
are enforced and not merely part
of them.
repeat the announcement: be-
licvc in. q clean city and law abiding
community When am elected your
mayor and an officer OF the law this
is what l will swear: "As mayor of
Anderson will equally. fairly and I'M
partially. to the best OF my ability and
skill, exercise the trust rcposed in
me and will use my best cndeavors 10
preserve the peace and carry into ef-
feet. according to law. the purpose for
which | have been elected. So help
me God"
That is the solemn obligation 7
take. that II what l agree to do and
ask for Gods help to accomplish Do
you thing ! shall keep that oath if /
invoke the law against blind tigers
and close my eyes to Illegal salcs Of
cigars and like things on the Sab
bath day? Is that carrying out the
purpose for which l shall be elected?
cising the trust imposcd in me" to
have poor devil arrested for some
misconduct on the streets and at the
same time permitting a merchant to
sell anything he pleases on the Lords
day, when the law of your State. the
law OF your city and the law of God
Himself say 1t shall not he done?
ask yon. the merchants of this city.
is II fair to You for>me to permit your
neighbors to sell cigars and soft
drinks on Sunday and arrest you for
selling sugar and clothec? Do you call
this impartially enforcing the law?
Gentlemen. this is right and l would
rather be right than mayor.
In less degree but in principle, 1t
Is the old attitude of Charleston. only
worse bccauce Charleston probably
has no city ordinance against the
things they openly do in defiance OF
State law.
We are making city fcr the fu-
ture as well az the present You ia
ooys than you are about your
selves. You are more anxious sboul.
the kind of a city they muet live IN
and labor I'm than about the kind of
city you would like yourselves Does
1t helps the bOys to be able to buy soft |
drinks. cigars and cigarettes on Sun
day against the law? Do you mean to |
tell me that because some visitor to |
our city on Sunday Is occasionally de- |
?rlved OF cigar or q cOca-cOla, that |
we must openly violate the law for |
him? Do you tell me that q sensible, |
clean man of character and inteiIi- |
sence Will shun a town merely be- |
causc 1t requires him to buy his Sun
lay cigars on Saturday?
No. the city that bases It's prosper |
ity on law and morality will gain in |
character and happiness in two years
what 40 city can ever gain from dis
rega.d OF law and loose standard OF
,norality. Anderson now has q spien- /
ula reputation as city OF fine moral |
and l propose to do all I'm /
my power to guard her good name.
Proud of His Record.
I am very glad to find that every
one of my opponents approves my re-
cord in the matter of granting a fran
chi"e to the Southern Public Utilities
company, but 1t reminds me of q man |
who, soon after the civil war, was /
giving his friends a description of the |
battle Of Gettysburg. He pictured the /
great fight in an interesting manner i
until finally one fellow on the out i
skirts Of the crowd spoke up and said: j
And what company wore you In, /
John?" The speaker ,stopped Eudden-
" at the question and backed off lit /
lie from the crowd and answered: II
wasn't thar, but bill Jones told me
about It." Needless TO say, John mar
rowly escaped q lynching. Now, my
friends. Ashmore. Payne and Godfrey
no doubt would have put up q good /
Eight II they had been there. but they /
there. Like Bill Jones, was /
thar" and saw rome fighting and /
without intending to brag on myself,
want to say that 1t was some fight.
needed Brothers Ashmore, Payne |.
and Godfrey badly at times when my i
got low but I didn't re-
nember that they gave mo ammunition
with which to fight as my friend, the L
chairman OF this meeting and others
lid during the long struggle Of about II
SIX months. I am glad to have their
approval now but their attitude re-
minds me OF the man who locked the Il
;tablc after the horse was gone.
Their attitude also reminds me OF A
man who asks the people to reward Il
him for what the other follow did or
.ried TO do. only want to remind you II
hat l stand upon seryfc1 actually II
rendered and not upon promises as II
% what / would have done IL I had ii
been In the other fellows shoes. My l.
,ecords show that opposed the orig
nal proposal Of the Southern Public
Utilities Company for a 60-year fran
:htse. That fought for lower rates
md got some reduction, h6t not what
asked for. That opposed o minf-
mum rate Of any amount whatever, and
iefeated In that. tried to gat It down to
10 cents on water and rs cents on
lights. My record shows that / spent
lbouf six months to defeat the 40-year
49, Il. In. II