The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-07-30
CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES
OF Sixth District Address VIII
liamsburg Toters.


200 people, mostly citizens of the
town. Hon J E Ellerbe of Marion
and A L Hamer, Esq, of Bennetts-
Vile were the only speakers. Con-
gressman j w Ragsdale wired Coun-
ty Chairman P H Stoll, who presided
over the meeting, that he had been
ueavoidably detained at Washington,
and regretted his inability to be
present at the meeting. Mr. Rags
dale stated also that he would join
the campaign party later.
The salient features of the meet
ing were Ellerbe's scathing de-
nunciation of Ragsdale's record, and
Hamer's unequivocal declaration of
his opposition to Bleaseism.
Mr. Hamer was the first to speak.
His address was short and 20 the
point. He gave brief, rapid sketch
of his early life and struggles, of
the hardships his mother had under
gone in behalf of her children upon
the death of his father. 1t was to
honor and glorify his mother that
made him ambitious to become a
Representative in the United States
Congress so that he might be able to
do something for the good of his
fellowmen. He thought it was time
for the people of South Carolina to
wake up ana consider matters as
they really are. Politics had reached
low ebb, and something should be
done to replace our State in the es-
TEEN and respect of her sister
States.
Mr. Hamer said he was in favor of
aid from the Federal Government
for drainage and good roads, liberal
appropriations for rivers and .har-
bors improvement, extension Of the
rural mail service, the regulation of
corporations by strict, though con-
servative, legislation. He wants
better banking and currency laws,
so that the farmer can borrow on
his securities for a period OF nine
months instead of six, as is provided
in the new currency law.
Mr. Hamer never once referred to
the public record Of his opponents
in the race.
Mr. Ellerbe prefaced his speech by
thanking the people of old Williams
burg for their loyalty; they had
stood by him and given him ma
jority two years ago when the vo-
ters of the Sixth Congressional dis.
trict had swapped him off for new
horse. but that the new horse had
behaved badly run away and kick
ed out of harness-and now they
wanted the old horse back again.
He was glad to come before them
again as candidate for his old job.
Briefly referring to the charges
that he had staid drunk all the
time during his last term in Con-
gress and that he had been on dis
graceful debauch in Georgetown
two years ago, he declared them
false. though admitted that he had
drunk whiskey and made mistakes
on account of it's use, but that be-
fore he decided to again enter the
race for Congress he made up his
mind to quit drinking. He had quit,
he said, and intended never to drink
again.
Mr. Ellerbe emphasized the fact
that he was not in the race for fun.
Why was he there, and answering
his own question, said he was there
because Ragsdale was the most
dismal failure of any man who had
ever represented any district in
South Carolina.
Referring to Mr. Ragsdale's tele-
gram announcing his inability to be
present, Mr. Ellerbe said that Ed
Smith, Whaley, Johnson and Lever
were absent from Washington, maxi
ing campaign speeches in their res
pective districts and it is very
strange that everybody could leave
Washington but Little Willard"
and wondered when he became so
important.
He frequently referred to Mr.
Ragsdale as the great promiser'
and declared that he had never made
good a single promise ever given by
him. AS Congressman, he said,
Mr. Ragsdale had been fiat failure;
that he had not secured the appro-
priation of single dollar for his
district. and that as he was so thor
oughly out of harmony with the ad-
ministration and the Congress, he
co,,ld not secure apDrOpriatiOnS. In