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THE FLORENCE POSTOFFICE MUDDLE. II. RAGSDALE EXPLAINS THE PART, PLATED BY HIM AND BT MR. ELLERBE IN THE MATTER. (From the Florence Times.) The following statements were presented yesterday by H<>u J W itagsiiaie at 10? campaign uiccum. explaining his position in the Florence postoflice wrangle. Mr Ragsdale received the undivided attention to the large number of voters present and was frequeutlv applauded. At the conclusion of his attack on Congressman Ellerbe he was given an ovation. In the course of h's speech he was frequently interrupted by applause. A little more than a year ago, I think it was in the early part of 1907, Mr C P Berry came to my office and asked if I would draw a petition for his appointment as postmaster at this place to succeed tne incumbent, J E Wilson, a negro. I drew the petition and at Mr Berry's request I signed it. Mr Berry had not supported me but had worked and voted for Congressman Ellerbe and the sole question at that time to j* be considered was whether my influence would go for a white man or a negro. His petition was subsequent, ly circulated in Florence and signed by number of prominent citizens and Mr Berry claimed that Congressman Ellerbe had pledged him his eupport and had promised Mr P A Wilcox of Florence, S C, and Mr Wm Godbold of Marion, S C, to give Berry his support. In the summer of 1907 a "smoker" was ?' ?? VI. EMIavIm* Vvw fVio Rnarfl nf giveu xui juiiu uc uj lu<_ v. Trade of Florence and at this "smoker" Mr Ellerbe pledged himself io support anyone for postmaster whom the people of Florence selected. A number of candidates were in the held and in order to centeralize the support of the white men and Democrats upon one candidate a mass meeting was called in January, 1908, at which Mr Ellerbe was expected to be present. He did not come and nothing was done at this meeting. A second meeting was called for the same purpose and when I went to this meeting and learned that Mr Ellerbe would not be present, I left. I am informed that Mr J W Stroud was endorsed at this meeting and two days afterwards, his son-in-law, Dr N W Hicks, came to my office and reouested me to go to a meeting at his office for the purpose of trying to secure the appointment of a white man as postmaster here. I went to this meeting and found some of the most prominent business men of Florence assembled to discuss ways and means to accomplish the removal of the negro and the appointment of a white man. A number of suggestions were made?to pay Wilson a sufficient sum of money to secure his resignation; to tell him that sentiment was too strong to allow him to remain in office?to try -* - 51 ii 1_ n K) aeai mrougu juuu vx v^?pciD buu Others. Finally we decided to go straight to President Roosevelt and appeal to him as President of all the people to lay aside all politics and consider the interest involved. To j call his attention to the feeling that existed on account of the retention of a negro in a position of this kind. To present for his consideration the number of business houses in Florence conducted by whites and ; how few by negroes and appeal to him to give us his boasted "Square Deal." A committee consisting of E D Smith, president of the South Carolina cottonurowers association, Rev W B Oliver, pastor of the Florence Baptist church, and Mr W R Barringer, firm of Barringer & Husbands, Insurance, and myself were appointed to go to Washington to take up the matter with the President. An effort was made to get some member of the committee to go to Washington to arrange for the conference with the President and because no one else would go, I went. Upon my arrival in Washington, I called upon Senator Tillman and made engagement with him and then tried to make appointment with Congiessman Ellerbe. He could not be found at his hotel, in his office or in the House of Representatives. I remained in the capital until the afternoon, lunching with Congressman Aiken. Senator Tillman approved of the plan submitted for the committee to come to Washington and it was only a desire to show Congressman Kllerbe every courtesy th.*t prevented me from making the appointment and wiring for the committee. The committee did not instruct me to go to see Mr Ellerbe and my only reason for d >ing so was to show him every courtesy to which he could possibly be entitled by reason of his official position. Abiut seven o'clock that evening, Mr Ellerbe came to the Raleigh hotel where I was stopping, and I then informed him of our purpose. He dissapproved of our plan and stated that the President would construe our position into a threat and would immediately appoint Wilson if we went to him. He said that he could not understand why Dr Hieks had not fowarded the charges against Wilson. I told him Dr Ilicks was dissatisfied with .Mr Eilerbe's positiou on account of the correspondence between them. Mr Ellerbe knew then I was supporting Mr Stroud and he pledged me then, without reservation, tr? use his influence to get Mr Stror onAintflil niulm'Ufor I^UllIkVU (,v?vw.??vv. He objected to the committee, sisting of Messrs Smith, Oliver Barringer, coming to Washing and at his suggestion I wrote folio ing telegram and submitted it to him, he going to the telegraph office in the hotel with me. (Copy of telegram) 1-16 '08 N W Hicks. Florence,S C Rush petition as now prepared aud signed to Ellerbe. Don't send Committee. J W Ragsdale. We then went back to the lobby and he then suggested that I meet the Soath Carolina delegation and' discuss the matter with them,asking me if I knew them. I told him I -knew all of them very pleasantly except Congressman Legare, whom I had never met and whom I had endeavored to get to assist me when I went to Washington in 1904 to consult with Congressman Scarborough about our government building and that Mr Legare did not even come out in the lobby when I sent my card in, and for that reason I did not care to ask anything at his hands. 1 informed him I wmilf] he crlarl tn moet anvone whom " w o ; j he might iuvite to be present. The next day I went by appointment to the Capitol and joined Congressmen Lever,Findley and Ellerbe in a withdrawing room,where the question of the advisability of going to the President was again discussed. I informed those present t.iat Senator Tillman approved of our plan but Messrs Findley and Lever concurred in Mr Ellerbe's opinion that it would be unwise to go to the President. I explained freely that we would make our position clear, that we were doc threatening but petitioning and Mr Lever said: "President Roosevelt is 49-lOOths crazy and you can't deal with him as you would another man." I then tuld them frankly that I was afraid of personal violence and asked if thay knew of no way to prevent the appointment. Mr Findley stated he was afraid nothing could be done until after the Republican conventions this summer. I then suggested that possibly Wilson could be persuaded to resign and recommend a cnoAoosnr anrl aalrorl if fViow nnnlfi have him appointed. Mr Findley asked me how we would try to get Wilson to resign and I told him by getting some one to act as postmaster and give Wilson the salary; thereby securing the appointment of three white men in the office instead of the three negroes now employed there, besides the postmaster. I said to explain my position?suppose I were appointed?apparently I would be postmaster while Wilson would really draw the salary, it being paid to him privately. I was not in any sense of the word a candidate for the office and I am sure no one present thought that I was. My effort was directed solely to getting rid of the negro postmaster and his negro assistants and in securing f ' white men in their places. Mr I j Ellerbe raised no objection to my < !suggestion nor did Mr Lever. Mr 1 | Findlev stated that he was on the * | postoflice committee and that it was 1 a violation of the law to try to farm 1 i out an office and for that reason he ' i could not agree with the plan. He ' i then suggested that I see Senator 1 ; Tillman and request him to hold up = the appointment if it should be made t and that when I came home to en- 1 : deavor to get Judge Brawley and Col ' |Jenkins interested in securing ai( i white man for that office. Mr j1 j Ellerbe in the meantime was to use !' his efforts to prevent the President | from reappointing Wilson. We then separated, as I thought with every, body in perfect harmony and I knew J 1 nothing of any body having proposed anything that was "repugnant to Mr Ellerbe," nor did he once make ' any suggestion of being opposed to anything except the committee coming to Washington to see the Presi- ' dent. lie said if we wanted to use \ our judgment rather than his he would arrange the conference for 1 us. 1 immediately abandoned our 1 plans and so informed those present. 1 Mr Findley and Mr Ellerbe then went off somewhere and I did not 1 see either of them again until I heaid ( the next week that they had given 1 out the details of what I thought \ 1 private conference and I went 1 gm bfcfq^ its publication to ' ?nt it. Mr Lever 1 'ch immedi 1 ce, in the i. . Jictated the!' - I 1 following lettc. . su mitted it to ' Mr Lever: (Letter) J Rev \V B Oliver, ^ Florence, S C. , Dear Sir: I have had a conference with ( Seuator Tillman and another con- | ference with Messrs Ellerbe ,Findley ( and Lever of the South Carolina j delegation, in the readvisability of ? a conference with the President along , the lines discu?sed by us iu Florence. The consensus of opiniou is that it ( would be unwise to hold such a ] conference with the President at ^ time. I wired Dr Hicks to rush 1 charges as signed to Ellerbe at once j and not to send the delegation here. , Ellerbe has not yet received the j charges and is anxious to have the ] petition come foward at once. He j will use his influence to prevent the ( re-appointment and Senator Tillman , is confident that he can hold up the ( appointment until sfter this session , of urKioK fimo if Will Ko t \JL UVUglCOO) ttt* nuivu viatv ?v Hill vv | mere easy to prevent the appoint- j ment than it will be just now. Please say to Dr Hick3 that it is ] important to get oat petition at t once and that we deem it best not ( to interview the president now. I j would prefer that nothing else be , given out now. { Yours truly, J W Ragsdale. January 17, 1908. \ In this letter I thought I crave ? ? - o O all assisting us in our affair credit for their efforts and criticised no one. I then went to Senator Tillman and told him what had occurred. He sent for Senator Clay of Georgia and consulted with him about the yhole situation and Senator Clay stated that he would talk to the President about the chances of removing Wilson. The next day I met Dr Hicks of Florence on Pensylvania avenue about 11 o'clock and learned for the first time that he had not followed instructions in every wav and had not sent the petition and charges to Mr Ellerbe He said he distrusted Mr Ellerbe and would not risk the paper in his hands until he had assured him either in the presence of witnesses or in writing that he would work for Mr Stroud. That his correspondence with Mr Ellerbe was unsatisfactory and he had no confidence in him. I told him that Mr Ellerbe had promised to support Mr Stroud and suggested that we go to his hotel, the Metropolitan, which was near, to see him. Dr Hicks said he had already been to his hotel and the capital and his office and conld not find him. Just then Senator Clay came up and I introduced Dr Hicks to him as the son-in-law of the man we wanted for postmaster. Senator Ulay 3aid ",I am just back from the resident and be has heard of no lissatisfaction at the postoffice at Florence. Go see Senator Tillman md tell him to go at once to I'ostnaster General Meyer." I asked him f we had not better get Congressnan Ellerbe and others and he said, 'Xo leave that to Tillman." It follows, of course, that a Southern senator is backed by his whole delegation when he tries to have a white nan supplant a negro. We thankei aim and went to Senator man's )flice. He communicated^' Post'? i ir i. ^ n:ister uenerai lucyer wu*. ie iu the Capitol to a committee meeting shortly afterward. Senator Tillman, Dr llicksaud myself met him in the lobby and presented the charges and petition and then returned to Senator Tillman's office. Dr Hicks left Washington shortly afterward bidling me good by on the street car. [ remained in Washingto^'-This was on Saturday, the lUth ' of January The appointment v s set for next day On Toes lav^ e 22d, Mr Ellerbe sent down a" interview to the South Carolir * papers in reply to a publicatio in the News and Courier. I called him over (he phone and informed him that 1 had nothing to lo with the article and protested igainst the publicttion of his^uxi^le 3n the grounds that i*" inexpedient to go to t! privately, certainly t]y' oie would defeat anything ' ent hope to icconiplish. H _*ated that he would publish the articles. I then sailed upon Congressman Finley md went to his room in another hotel, where I found him and Mr Ellerbe. I then showed Mr Finley the letter I had written Mr Oliver giving them full credit for their effort to help us and told him that [ knew nothing of and had nothing to do with the article published in the "News and Courier." We tried to get P H McGowan, author of the article,over the phoue but failed. Phat night I saw Mr McGowan ind he told me that he had told Mr Ellerbe in McGowan Holmes' presence that I was not responsible for bis article ami that he had not gotten his information from me. McGowan Holmes corroborated this n Congressman Lever's presence ivhen they were in Columbia with ;he funeral party of the late Senator Latimer. I *came to South Carolina the next day-^ At the request )f different members of the comnittee I held back my answer to the effort of Mr Ellerbe to injure me intil after the adjournment of the 3 mate when Wilson cannot be conirmed. Hon E D Smith and Dr N W Hicks went to Washington shortly ifter my return. Any statement that I sought for myself except with the committee, a private interview with the president?that I was a candidate for postmaster at Florence ?that I made any statement that justified the aiticlein the "News and Courier" is absolutely false. DR HICKS' STATEMENT. Florence, S C, May 13, 1908. I have read the above statement )f Mr J W Ragsdale and noted his references therein to me. The conversations alleged to have taken place in my presence and the statements credited to me are properly stated by him and his statement is mtirely true in so far as my know ledge goes. I went to wasnmgton Instead of senbing the petition as requested by Mr Ragsdale because Prom correspondence from Mr Ellerbe and from other information I relieved him to be pledged to Mr J P Berry and not keeping faith ffith us and I was unwilling to ;rust Mr Stroud's petition in his lands until he had assured me in vnting or in the presence of wit lesses that he wouid use his enleavor to secure Mr Stroud's appointment. After leturuing to Florence at the request of Mr Ellerje 1 went with E D Smith to fVashington after the publication of VIr Ellerbe's article in the News and Courier and Mr Ellerbe stated to ne that Ragsdale requested him to inpport Mr Stroud at the first iuternew that was held in Washington ind that he committed himself inreservedly to Mr Stroud. From ny knowledge of all the facts in the lase, including my correspondence I with Mr Ellerbe and the information derived on my two visits to Washing- I t.fin T KpIipva ihaf. Mr Raorarlalp was t ac'ing throughout in good faith and * endeavoring at all times to secure ^ the appointment of Mr J W Stroud. 1 (Signed) N W Hick's. a MR OLIVER'S STATEMENT. ^ On the 14th day of January of j this year,Dr N W Hicks met me on g Evans street in Florence, S C, and 0 asked me to come to bis office that j afternoon to meet and talk with other citizens of Florence concerning the post office situation and Mr J VV Stroud's candidacy for the postmastersliip. There were a dozen or more gentle- j men present at this conference at JDr Hick3's office, all, with the exception of myself, business men of the city. Mr W R Barringer was asked ^ to act as chairman and did so. The , object of the meeting was stated as ^ being two-fold?primarily, to try to secure a white postmaster. Second- ^ arily?if any method could be devised to secure assurance of a white i postmaster, to urge the appointment ^ of Mr Stroud, who was the nominee of a general citizens' mass meeting, j held some days previous to this con- ( ference. These two propositions were freely discussed, every man present taking part in the discus- ^ "Nion?and as the first proposition ^ was logically and by stress of cir- g cumstanccs the chief topic, it was g " an nrin/iinal Mn airlornHftn. Y fl? b"c" yfMVMyv.. rious ideas were advanced, considered and discarded. Several gentlemen feared that violence and race antagonism might result should a negro be appointed or re-appointed; but all expressed a desire to avoid any trouble and a willingness to do anything reasonable to prevent it. Finally it was agreed that a committee, supplementary to the committee appointed by the above mentioned mass meeting should be sent co Washington to lay the situation before the President?if any interview could be had with him and to appeal to his seocefo fairness and of his power to relieve us, both of existing unpleasant conditions and of - * m i danger of future violence. rnis committee was instructed to go di- ^ rect to President Roosevelt, if possible, and it was thought best not to c annoy our congressman with the matter as he was already said to be ^ working through routine channels t in conjuction with the citizens'committee and, also, as he was understood to be under certain obligations that might cause embarrassment ^ The expenses of the committe were to be borne by the gentlemen taking part in the conference. I made a ^ motion that Messrs J W Ragsdale, ? D Smith aud W R Barringer J should be the members of this comc mittee. These gentlemen were chos- j. en and my name was added. It was useless for the committee a to go to Washington as a whole t without knowing when the President would see us or whether we e could obtain audience at all; there- ^ fore we decided to send one mau to v arrange for an interview and Mr Ragsdale was asked to go,the othersf t holding themselves in readiness to answer his summons. Before leav- j ingFlorence on the night of January 16th. he had a conversation with me ? a in which he stated that he thought courtesy demanded recognition of ^ our representative in this matter and that he would see both Mr Elv lerbe and Senator Tillman and j weuld wire or write as soon as any decision was reached. On the morn- ^ ingof the 18th (Saturday) I receiv- ^ ed a letter from Mr Ragsdale dated January 17th, stating that he had Q talked with Congressmen Ellerbe, Findley and Lever and their judgment was that an interview with the President was inexpedient and ask 4 ing me to see Dr Hicks and tell him to rush the papers he had. I went ^ immediately in search of Dr Hicks and found that he had received a ^ telegram from Mr Ragsdale on Fn- a day and in answer thereto had gone|to a Washington carrying with him Mr f Stroud's petition and other papers ^ bearing on the case. In a conversa- ^ tion during the next week?after his I return from Washington?Dr Hicks h told me that he, in company with * Senator Tillman and Mr Ragsdale, met Postmaster General Meyer and that he 3aw the papers given to Mr 1 / / 1 Mr Meyer and that he took them sersonally instead of sending them o Mr Ellerbe as requested, because le (Dr Hicks) was not satisfied with ?Ir Ellerbe's non-committal attitude oward Mr Stroud. As the committee could not get in interview with the President we Iropped out of the affair, after Mr lagsdale made his report to the ;entlenien of the conference, a day r two after his return from Washngton. W B Oliver, Florence, S C, Mav 12, 1908. ^ senator tillman's letter. ] Gibraltar, May 25, 1908. 9 Ion J W Ragsdale, 9 Florence, S 0. 9 My Dear Sir: U Responding to your request, 1 | >eg to say: When you came to iVashington last winter to see about getting a white postmaster at Flor? ~ .. a,1?!aa ->?\,l nooial iuue yuu ;tsht'u my auviuc auu aooioimce, which of course I was ready 0 give. After talking over the sitlation, I told you I did not feel it vould be unwise to call on thePres- M dent and in conversation as a prom* fl nent citizen and business man, one I / if a committee from the people,urge fl 1 white mau for the place and to I ay incidentally that you feared ? H here might be an outbreak similar I o the one of Lake City if yogr long H differing people fouud themselves I addled with a ne--o again. I said fl ;he results weuld depend on I he way in which it was done and H rou said that you would confer with fl Mr Ellerbe about it. I told you I jM felt I might be able to keep the ne- fl ^ro from being appointed if the fl ightsortof protest and statement fl if facts were made and no one else fl neddled witn tne matter. m Dr Hicks came on in the next W ew days with these papers and I elephoned to the P 0 Dept to make in appointment with the P M G or us, you only to see him. In the nean time I had gotten Senator }lay of Ga. to see the President and ell him in a quiet way what we eared should a negro be given the dace again. I found the P M G ?as coming in a little while to the Capitol to appear before a committee ,nd I arranged to meet him at the . Senate wing door. We did this I ,nd as I walked through the corri lor I gave him a brief statement of n he situation and left the petition B ,nd protest with him. He said he fl Fould take the matter up at once ? | ,nd let ine know whether be would vl In onwfhinor mnrp A dftV or tw<> ' IV, ^ J ? .fterwards there appeared a signed tatement in the News and Courier rou some of our congressmen aboutou and the P 0 Dept and the hreat to Roosevelt about killing a legro P M, etc. With this'matter I lave nothing to do or say. But I ' ,m confident I could have secured , white postmaster if this publicaioD had not appeared. In none of ur conversations was your name ver mentioned as a possible candilate for this place. Stroud alone ras considered and no other name eas mentioned. As soon as I saw he News and Courier article i gave ip the case as hopeless because 9 ioosevelts effort's to get negro dele- I ;ate8 for Taft compelled him to re. 9 ppoint Wilson after the so-called 9 hreats to kill appeared m print. a /lay alone said anything abont that I o the President and he said there I ras no explosion, but I know the fews and Courier was sent to the Vhite House and in a few daya Vilson's name came to the Senate. ?hen all I could do was to hold it ip. I believe this covers the ground utlined by you. D T) m.r TW.U U IV HULMAiX. Fxcelleit Health Advice. 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