The dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1919-2001, 1921-09-14
CITIZEN LEAPHART ANSWERS
CANDIDATE TAYLOR

Mr.. Editor:
In your last issue there appeared.
| over the signature of Chas. E. Taylor,
an article making an attack on me.
Whatever Mr.. Taylor may otherwise
be, or may have been, he is at present
an Office seeker CALLING at the shoul-
| ders under the load Of the misguided
idea that he can walk into public Of
| flee by casting slurs at others who are
not concerned with doing him an in
jury. He would resolve himself into
| a little political tempest to be exag-
| gerated and dissipated in the teapot
of his simple imagination. 1 venture
to believe that am quite well enough
| known by the good people of this
| county for it to be unnecessary for me
% make any extended reply to wha-
he has had to say about me. However.
| word or two may not be amiss.
am in quite a different position to
that in which Mr.. Taylor finds HIM
self. have no political axe to grind !;
he has. I was in public office once
by the will of the people, and volun-
| tarily retired. 1 am now a private
citizen seeking no political job, al
though I was urged by many Of the
best citizens of the county to become
a candidate for the office which Mr..
Taylor now seeks. While 1 am not
seeking public Office, 1 am thorough
ly interested in the welfare of the
county; and 1 believe now, as 1 have
believed, that private advantages and
personal ambitions should not be put
| ahead of public interests. And it is
possible that, if Mr. Taylor had a
greater respect for the welfare of
the taxpayers and a less selfish con-
Germ about himself, he would not re-
sort to the unfounded charge that l
am opposing him "to build up politi-
cal ground for future uses in his des-
perate effort to jack himself into
public ofiice-the -office Of Probate
Judge. ". .' -.
If 1 had any idea Ito build up po-
litical ground for future uses"
would not seek that end by opposing
him. BY way Of illustration, and in
that connection 1 will suggest two
| ideas, and leave to the readers of
this article to judge of the opplica
bility Of either or both of them. In
| the first place, if Mr.. Taylor is a man
| OF high standing and character and
| Of outstanding influence, in the esti
Emation Of those who know him best,
would it not be foolish to oppose him
| and expect Ito build up politica,
Eground for future uses?" l mean firm
political ground. On the other hand
If he is not what I have described
and is only weak little political
sparrow, why should anyi one be
packing political guns for. him?
1esSEIs have no ill will for Mr.. Taylor. I
twouldn't have made this reference to
ishim, except that he forced it by at
ftacking me: and I wouldn't have done
! 1t then, had it not been for the DOS
sibility Of some good citizen being
misled by my failure to reply to his
attack on me. l leave him where !
found him, in the mire Of the politi-
cal confusion into which he has SO
i unhappily begged himself. guess
he will get out of the bog some day
Here's hoping. for Charley could be
q good boy. if he only would.
Va To my good friends in the county.
desire to say l am not u political ring
nor am the head Of one; and that
they can. always count on me to
stand with them for the best interests
Of the county. I take pride in its
progress and prosperity, and 1 am
ready at all times to do my part to
help avert any danger that may
| threaten it. From this purpose l will
not be swerved by any political clap
trap. The position that have taker
in the Judge OF Probate's race has
been for the good of all the county.
I write this not as a CANDIDATE
seeking votes, but as a CITIZEN in.
terested in the progress and prosper.
ity of the county of my. birth. e.