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W-'; ?' V. r * * . *M?at?MSG I "inn I'nBAaWBtaaMBBMflBBMMWff 11 fW THE DISPENSARY. 5 st What Gov. Ellerbe Has to Say ei ; tl About It. cm ft ' HE STILL BELIEVES IN IT. ti a | ,"'x, . ? v Recommends the Abolishing of h b The County Boards of Con- p a trol and Suggests Other 0 . - " d Changes in Its Man- j r agement. The following is what Gov. Kllerbe I r had to say in his message about the tl s sy' ' Dispensary: ** Nothing connected with theadminis- * tration of the State government at this t: time is of so much interest and impor- ^ tance as the Dispensary Law. This ? method of controlling the liquor traffic * has now been in force for fire and a J. half years, and the protracted and bitter struggle between its friends and ^ - its foes has reached.a critical stage. It . must be firmly and permanently estaD- lished or completely donz away with. It will l>e remembered that, at the ^ last session of the Legislature, the litigation instituted in the United States ? Circuit Court by Yandercook had reach- f ed the Supreme Court of the United , States, on appeal from Judge Simonton Q decision. For almost a year there had a been absolute paralysis of the Dispensary Law, so far as its punitive features 1 were concerned, and the constables had o all been discharged. The Dispensaries t had been forced to fight free whiskey, ? on terms of absolute equality; yet, 1 strange to say, they fought it success- a , fully; for while the profits were reduc- 1 ed by this lawless competition, there s was still enough business to make the 1 dispensary self-supporting and leave a o small margin of profit. In May last, t the supreme court at Washington hand- o ed dowi. its decision, sustaining the f oonsututionaiity 01 tne cispeusaQ i<?w in all its features, with the limitation t only as to importation for personal -use. g r . k The long and hotly contested legal t ; status of the dispensary was removed, e The original package dealers at once s closed their shops, and shipped their t liquors out of the State, with my permission. I did not deem it wise or i right to take advantage of them, as they t had been doing business under the ii sanction of the Federal judiciary. The s; Constabulary was reorganized and put I to work, and from that time to this the t force has been kept busy trying to de- e stroythe unlawful traffic which had *, gained foothold in the State under the g protection of Judge Simonton's decis- I ion. e I desire, in this connection, to recall I to your attention the fact that, in 1894, t the State Supreme Court, by declaring' t the dispensary law unconstitutional, i gave the illicit liquor dealers eacour- a agement, and as a result there was t: widespread demoralization, with liquor- e selling prevalent almost everywhere, 1< even in the country, notwithstanding I the law prohibited its sale absolutely, a - ^ After that decision had been reversed t< and the dispensaries reopened, and a a more or less rigid en for cement of the ci law for two years had extirpated in a I arge measure the illegal traffic, came s; "he interference of the Federal courts d and the imprisonment of the eonstables ^ for contempt. This interference gave a eneouragement to a large number of il- n * * ' "? * 1 i At A. _ licit dealers, ana maucea mem w uuu- w tinue is the business; and when the o: paralyzing decision in the Vandeicook ai case came, there was a phenomenal in p crease in the number of illicit dealers ai engaged in this" taaffic in South Caroli- b; -w na. This is shown by the number of m United States revenue licenses issued, si In the fiscal year ending June 30,1897, sj the number of retail revenue licenses, u or permits to sell liduor, were 322; in w the year ending June 30, 1898, there b: were 625. In other words, the, pres- st ent unsatisfactory condition?and I do m not hesitate to say that it is unsatis- G notwithstanding the final w ^ atctnor in ar / luuwpu 1U vuc VV/Uivg AW large measure, to the interference of it the Federal Judge, with the consequent encouragement to all who saw fit to engage in the sale of liquor, nothing more d< being required than to pay the Unite-' i gi States revenue licenses. It has taken bi months of laborious and strenuous at effort to restore the conditions of toler- fr ably successful working of the dispen- to sary law which prevailed at the time m when the Vandercook decision was ren- v dered. The friends of the dispensary, ti and those who have too readily turned ai their backs on it, should bear all this tr in mind, and still evidence hope and be patience. ar The demoralization produced by the m various causes mentioned can be readily A overcome in time, and the law will work more successfully ana be obeyed more ti willingly as time goes by. Our efforts al should be especially directed to perfect- so ingthe system in its administrative tr features. th There are a great many people who h< - - N will never be friendly to the dispensary pc system, or to any like regulation. Many Si 1 men are opposed_to it on principle, pe r? some as extreme Prohibitionists, and i'u some as extreme advocates of liquor tb traffic. These two widely separated co camps meet on common ground in thsir St hostility to the dispensary; others are Ja influenced by political considerations, sb and even by past political prejudices, m now happily being fast dissipated. The th dispensary law ought to be judged by th its fruits rather than by motives of po- wi litical prejudice or self-interesr. If fo these fruits have not been hitherto al- no together of the kind or quality that its. ov friends still hope to see it bear, there is St yet sufficient premise to ask that this wi tree, which has been almost uprooted du and blasted by the blight of judicial ha . interference, shall now be given oppor- ti< tunity to show what it can bring forth under fostering and friendly influences, be I beg to remind you that at the begin- of ning of my term as Governor, I recom- to 1 1 3 T Til mended and urged inis policy, ana 1 l>< have seen no reason to change my opin- to ion. The law has never had a chance er hitherto to show what it can do, but T1 now, since there is no longer any ques- pc tion as to legal limitations or powers, vi we are free to address ourselves to per- co fecting and improving the system. The Bi large vote received by the Prohibition sii candidate for Governor in the second be primary of the late election can- H not be considered entirely an b} ; endorsement of Prohibition, for of ,,there is excellent reason to al conclude that the Prohibition candi- of date polled*the full Prohibition vote in be .first primary, while in the second pn- di mary he polled the vote of the majori- ar ty of the antagonists of the dispensary ar ^ system, from whatever cause that antagonism arose, and, in addition the sh strength of all the "soreheads" and dis in gruntled office seekers and politicians af . of both factions. T>>e election m as Charleston is a striking evidence of this, nc It will hardly be disputed that, if the su people of Charleston want prohibition, ge s their votes would seem to show, it is gr jg jeansc they feel sure that trader that i stem there will be practicnlly no re- i raint on the sale of whiskey. < Tur: ing now to the practical consid ration of the Dispensary, I do not ; link whiskey should be sold in any ] )unty where a majority of the people < I therefore recom- |1 I > \Ji. pVU4V.?.w? _ tend the submission of the liquor ques- ] ,cn to the qualified electors of each 1 Dunty. That each county may ( ote as it prefers. Any county, 5 owever, that votes for prohi- ' iton should be made to beai all ex- ' enses of enforcing the prohibitory law; : nd such county should tot receive any f thi profits from the Dispensary. Un- < er the Constitution, the profits accru- 1 3g from the sale of liquor go to the ^ upport of our free schools. Now, the ( ounty of Marlboro, which never had a J >ispensary, and which is now under J be most rigid form of prohibition, ith no possibility of legal liquor traffic ' ithin its borders, reoeives ft propor- ] ionate share of Disppensary profits, 1 hile at the same time the State is < - - ... .ak. ^ hargeci witli maintaining constaoies iu hat county to enforce the law and pre* 1 ent the sale of liquor. I submit that ! his is unfair to the other counties. The \ ame thing obtains in the county of fork, where the only Dispensary, 1 he one at Tirzah, has been discontinued ; iaviog the county without any place rhere liquor can be legally bought. ] *ou will call to mind that these two 1 ounties are close to the North Carolina 1 oundary, and it is well known that ( here is a large influx of whiskey Iroin : istilleries acorss the line, by wagons ! nd other conveyances, Of' course, tbese counties may have ] iquor imported for personal use with ut lestriction, but it cannot be sold in 1 hem legally. I believe that it is but igbt and just for those counties which ; .ave prohibition, or may hereafter ; dopt it as the means of controlling the , iquor traffic, to be taxed to enforce j uch law, nor should they receive any ; art of the profits arising from the sale ' f liquor in the other counties, to add ( o their school iuscis. n tne county , fficers, magistrates and sheriffs, en- j orce the law, well and good?there rill be no need for constables; but if 1 hey do not, the Governor should be 1 iven the authority, upon petition seting forth such violation, to appoint , ons'tables, and to require a levy in 1 uch counties sufficient for their mainence. "* , Now let us consider matters soncern* j ng the administration of the law other ] han those mentioned as dealing witli ts violations. When the Dispensary ystem was-first inaugurated,|the State Joard was composed of the Governor, , he Comptroller General, and the Attor ey General, ex-officio, and in these ; i as vested tne power to appoint me >tate Commissioner and the County Joard of Control, and to exercise genral supervision over the working of the )ispensary in the whole State. After he retirement of Governor Tillman, in be middle of Governor Evans' term, be Legislature changed this provision, nd created a new State Board of Con- ; rol, consisting of five members, to be * * ** -i mi _ ri j iectea Dy useji. ane vxu verier was jft without official connection with the 1 )ispensary, except the right to appoint nd control the constables. This sys im has now been in force three years, nd, in my opinion, it has failed to ac omplish the purposes of its advocates. , 'he idea was to divorce the Dispensary ( pstem from politics and to put it un- ( er a strictly business management. ( i'o-such result has followed. It is otorious that the Dispensary is as j tuch or more in politics than it ever , as. As Governor, I have had little ! r no authority in connection with the Iministration of the law and no ower of restraint or direction over it; ad yet I have been held responsible j y the people at large, and by my ene- t lies in particular, for the mistakes and , -e I t lorccomings 01 its xuanagemeui/. xvc- j jonsibility without authority is a most npleasant and unjust burden, and ( hile I do not seek additional responsi- x ilities in connection with the Dispen- | try, I sub nit that justice and fairness t ake it necessary either to relieve the _ overnor absolutely of all connection ' ith this institution, or else give him ^ >me potential voice and influence in t s affairs. c The Legislature itself, las;t session, ? T a particularly unanimous resolution, t jprecated and almost forbade the anting of beer and hotel privileges, it the State Board of Control paid ^o ^ ;tention to this expression of opinion , r>m tTift law-rnakinc bod v. and I had i use the constabulary to suppress the * lisances in the form of open barrooms, kich resulted from the granting of, j. lese privileges. This brought me into c itagonism with the State Bord of Conol?an antagonism which might have ;en avoided had these gentlemen paid ly heed to my suggestion or consulted e as to the best policy to be pursued. s'ong as the original package stores ere running in open competition with ie Dispensary, and illicit sales were so unchecked, there was, perhaps, c mc excuse for the State Board of Con- a ol to continue that policy; but after s .e Supreme Court of the United States t id confirmed the validity of the Dis- t snsary Law, and forbidden Judge * monton's support of the State's com- r, :titors. leaving the Bispeneary Law in t 11 possession of the field. I did not t' ink there was any excuse for the con t: ntinuance of the policy upheld by the t ate Board; for I believed the former g w, aud I believe the present law, a ould be administered as a temperance t] easure, with no regard whatever to a, e matter of profit or to anything other h an to teach the people to use whiskey .thout abusing it, and to minimise, as t: r as possible, the evils inseparably con- ti cted with its tarffic and use. More- n er, under the present system, the li ate Commissioner is a mere figurehead p thout power and almost without si ities. The State Board of Control it ve absorbed nearly all of his func- v )ns. n I submit what seems to me to be the V st plan of organization: The details t< the business should be turned over e' the State Commissioner, while the T )ard of Control should have authority o: pure% iiie liquors and to exercise gen- ft al supervision over the whole system. ie Board of Control should be ap>inted by the Gevemor. with the ad J J. -4 .1. 6 J ce iiUU I'UiiSCUl Ut IUC tJCUdlC. auu LUC J< nstables should be appointed by the it sard of Control and State Commis- is 3ner. If objection is made, it may si t pointed out that the regents of the c; ospital for the Insane are appointed p : the Governor, and the management ? the institution is excellent. Note, t! so, the members of the present Board c Control are not even required to give d >nd for the faithful performance of a ity, yet they have absolute control of c i institution doing annually a million s id a half dollar business. 1 The County Boards of Control E :Ould be abolished, and two or three spectors should be appointed to look ter the Dispensers' books and break- G ;e. This would be a much more eco- o >mical method than the one now pur- ii .ed. This system or organization, to- f; ther with the supervision of tbe t. and juries, would reduce peculation n ii inrtra 1 't an?, embezaldlnent to the smallest ! anpunt rk)S3ible. The State Commissioner might be either appointed by the State Board or elected by the General Assembly. We have both systems now in force in the State. The Superintenlent of the Hospital for the Insane. ;vho is giving perfect satisfaction, is appointed superintendent of the Peniten:iary, an equally efficient officer, is electid by the General Assembly. But there should be vested somewhere the power jy which both State Commissioner and bounty Dispensers might be suspended, md, if neccessarv, be removed for-cause. I suggest also whatseems to me a needed improvement, and that is a change in :he manner of purchasing liquors. Whiskey is as much a staple article as corn )r flour, though it varies in quality and price, according to age and the methods cf distillation and manipulation, rhe large bulk of liquor consumed by he poople is obtainable in absolutely pure form and of good quality, without :he necessity of recourse to chemical malysis, for it can be bought directly from government warehouses without passing through the hands of rectifiers ind manipulators who are almost sure :o adulterate it for the sake of profit. [ think that the law should provide that purchases should be made, under mnual contracts, with parties, who would agree to furnish liquors from the bonded warehouses of the United States, of the required age and strength, upon the most reasonable terms. These :ontractS should be let in such a way as to preclude all possibility of collusion or fraud. If blended or rectified whiskeys are bought, as is now the case, there is absolutely no safe test by n^nUaro>?An y?or Ko cJinrrn lin less the liquor is so bad as not to be fit to drink. These remarks apply to the X and XX whiskeys, or liquors of the first and second quality, enumerating Prom the lowest to the highest, as has been the rule in the state. I do not believe it is, reputable, in the state's business, that there should be a swarm of Jrummorc .it, flftlnm'Viifl. n U1 UUiUiVltf 1MVV v. ? X, :>nce a month to sell the required supply in driblets. Arrangements should be made under contract for the purshase, as I have indicated, and the orders for additional supplies will go forward with as much assurance of being honestly filled as if salt or bacon were bought. The special brands and wines required could be purchased in the same way, as these constitute only a small part of the business, no change need be made in the present modes of knT'iner tlism lv?w ? There is another matter that appears worthy of mention. "With the experisnce gained by the employees in bottling and packing and shipping of liquors, there ought to be practically no breakage, if the bottles were of good quality, and the packing were well done, for the cars are loaded alongside the State Dispensary building, and there is hardly ever a transfer from one road to another. This matter of breakage has been the main reason for continuing the County Boards of Control, [t can be readily seen what a saving should follow if these boards were abolished, an J it can be safely asserted that the prevention of breakage would make these boards no longer necessary. There is one other matter to which I invite the careful attention of the General Assembly: it is with regard to the importation of whiskey for personal use. rhe protection given by the Supreme Court to those who desire to exercise this right in good faith is in no sense objectionable. The State does not need, 30r does it wish, to restrict its citizens - i?a. _i s it. LH ifllS ngfltj out uie Ktuuae ui it i loophole for illicit dealers to obtain :heir supplies, tinder the pretense that t is for personal use. The provisions )f the law which was declared uncon. ititutional in this respect I think can >e amended so as to make the importa;ion of such liquors come within the erms of the Court's decree. But for 'or the opportunity thus afforded to ivade the law, by importing liquor unler the pretense that it is for personal lse, there would soon be small need 'or constables. I earnestly urge that .he Judiciary Committee consider the mbject carefully in the light of Justice White's opinion, and see if some provision for inspection cannot be enacted, hat, while imposing no onerous buriens on the citizen who imports for his >wn use, will yet insure the importaion of pure liquors, and limits, as far is possible, the abuse of this right for he purpose of sate. Let the law define ully and clearly the methods to be folowed in such cases. I have already jointed out ho^ we may purchase, for he dispensary^ liquors that are pure; ome provision requiring bonded waretouse stamps on liquors consumed in krath Carolina, it seems to me, would nswer the purpose; but I only throw mt the suggestion for what it is worth nd call attention to the subjects beuse of its importance. A ftnnd Sneefth. President Thomas E. Miller, of the oiored college at this place, delivered t Spartanburg an Emancipation Day peech in which he said many wise hings to his brethren. The burden of he speech was to the effect that notrithstanding the prattle to the contray, Negroes receive better treatment in he south than in any other portion of he world where white and blacks are 1 rying to live together. He advises : he Negroes that the white people are . oing to rule, no matter what comes, nd that thev arc going to keep within : tie constitution sufficiently to guard 1 gainst Federal interference. He tells is brethren, also, that they will do rell to submit quietly to the superiori7 of the whites and devote their atten;on to education rather than governlent. "I am convinced, ' he says, 1 that the south is the place for my peo- < le. Here we will in the end becomc a ? :rong people; yes, we will b) a great ictor in the accomplishment and de- ' elopment of this nation; but we must 1 ot rely upon assistance from without. ' i'e must depend upon the aid that is 1 > V>q Vior? at rnir /^nr.r Tsnr-ll f.imilw 1 very individual, must depend on itself, 'he greatness of a race is the measure 1 f the greatness of each person, of each imily, of each community."' The Issues of 1900. In his latest deliverance on the subjet of expansion Mr. Bryan says: "'It ? useless to ask what effect this new ;sue will have upon other issues. Isues must be met as they arise; they annot be moved about at will like awns on a chess board." That is true. l great many people seem alarmed at tie hold Mr. Bryan still has on the ountry. They have prophesied tne i eath of silver and the demise of Bry- ; n so often that they had come to the i onclusion that it was trae. But they -1 ill find differently when the issues of | 900 are presented.?Spartanburg lerald. ( I It is now reported that Ex-Attorney- : reneral Barber will locate in the city i f New York for the purpose of practicQg his profession. This may account or the opinion he recently expressed bat Bryan anc* free silver are back umbers. i ~ELLERBE SCORED By N. G. Gonzales, Editor of the Columbia State. SAYS HE WAS BUNCOED. The Story of the Pamous Local Option Deal Between the Editor of The State and the Governor. In a signed editorial in The Columbia State Wednesday morninjr, Mr. N. G. Gonzales, editor of the State, exposes the history of the deal between himself and Gov. Ellerbe for conversion of the Governor to a policy of local option for liquor control, and the Governor's failure to keep his promise. After explain ing his failure in 1897 to induce the Governor to accept a local option policy, which failure he attributes to the influence of Senator Tillman, he comes to the campaign of last summer and relates as iollows: This afternoon, September 8, "when I went to The State office 1 found a note on my table from the cashicr stating that Mr. Weston and Col. Neai had been to see me and. having failed to do so, asked me to be sure to meet them that night at Mr. "Weston's bank office. I kept the appointment. We talked for nearly an hour ")n indifferent topics. At last Col. Xeal said to me, slapping his knees: "Well, let's come down now to-business. Nearly every paper in the Spate is jumping on the Governor: he's pretty badly worried and is very anxious for you to help him out. Can't vou do it?" I replied that 1 bad told Gov. Ellerbe ah along that I would not support liim fnr r?nnrm na.finn if Via to thf! dispensary, and he had stuck to it. Mr. Weston said: "'The simple fact of the matter is that the Governor feels that he is obliged to have the support Uf a o m^ tta Vi oT*^ o cL-nrl \7An here to find out on what conditions you will support him." Without hesitation and on the spur of the moment I replied: "If he will pledge himself to me in writing to urge the Legislature to pass a local option law, allowing each county to decide for itself between high license, prohibition and the dispensary, I will support him." This idea had been with'me for a year: it had been the object of all my effort Vne previous f. 11 and winter, and it came spontaneously to nay lips. I did not stop to consider the price I might have to pay in public misunder- J standing of my motives if he should accept. Mr. Weston looked at Col. Xeal and then said: "I don't think there will be much trouble about that; do you, Colonel?" And Col. Neal replied, to me: "I think he'll do it easv enough; he's got to do it if you insist." Mr. Weston then asked me if a verbal assurance would satisfy me. I told him no; there had been 100 much question about Ellerbe's verbal assurances al? t i. i reauy; jl must uine it m o.nu. white for my own protection?but he could tell the Governor that I would not show the pledge to anybody unless he failed to observe it, in which case I would. Then Mr. Weston asked: ''"Would you object to having the letter addressed to me? I am going to Charleston to try and help the Governor down there and I would like to be able to show it to some cf the politicians." I answered that I would not object to that, but that after he had used it in Charleston I must have the custody of the paper. The confere ice broke up with their assurance that they would see the Gov ernor next day and bring me his answer, The next day, Friday, September 9, Mr. Weston came to my room and handed me an envelope bearing tl e familiar engraved lettering, "State of South Carolina, Executive Chamber, Columbia," and addressed: "Mr. F. H. Weston n-l. a n ? , mon? VUlULUUia, O. VJ.j JL Ciouuaij vyuuiu0 it I read: State of South Carolina, Executive Chamber, "olumbia, S. C., Sept. 8. 1898. (Confidential.) Dear Frank: In reply to your inquiry, will say?I fully concur in your view as to the best solution of the liquor question. After mingling with the people for three months and thorough consideration I have come to the conclusion that the dispensary act should be amended so as to allow each county to settle the liquor question for itself, and have determined to make such recommendation to the next General Assemblv. Your friend. W. H. Ellerbe. To Mr. F. H. Weston. All of the nrinted caDtion and date line was in Gov. Ellerbe's handwriting. The date was wrong? one day behind hand. It w-s3 not as precise a pledge as~I would have dictated, but whatever of vagueness there might be in the phrase "allow each county to settle he liquor question for itself" was offset by the initial statement, "I fully concur in your view as to the best solution of the > - ? t i ~ J liquor qUSSllOIl. A KUCW, a.uu it vvao a matter of public knowledge and record, that Mr. Weston's "view" was the same as my own; that he favored county choice between the dispensary, high license and prohibition. While I iid not have any confidence in Gov. Ellerbe's simpie word I did not believe tie would dare to incur the obloquy of )f exposure for violating this pledge, md I thought I had hi. i fast. As Mr. Weston was going that afternoon to Charleston and wished to u?e the original to secure votes for the Governor ;here, I took a copy o? the letter, on lis promise to hand me the original on lis return. TTo rJif} frttnm if sm] T Viarc Vpnfr if. in ny pocket most of the time since. I must confcss that the Governor's prompt compliance with my ultimatum ras not altogether gratifying, for I had :hought the matter over and concluded :hat to carry out my part of the agreement would subject me to much critijism and perhaps suspicion of my moand that I would have to withhold ay justification until the Legislature net. On this account I half regretted ny impulsiveness, which had entailed ipon me a severe ordeal. But the :hing was done, and I went to work in jood faith to carry out my part of the jompact, having the satisfaction of feeling that I had acted wholly for the public good. The next morning The State 3ontaincd a signed editorial urging high license voters to support Ellerbe, and each day until the election the paper did its best for him. If it changed as many as 2.600 votes which would otherwise have gone to Featherstone it is responsible. I regret to say, for his nomination. I did not see Gov. Ellerbe from the time I returned from Cuba until some three weeks after his nomination by % -? 7 the second primary. He had called at my office when I waa out, and had sent j me messages asking me to visit him; so I went one day to his office at the State house. After an exchange of civilities he ! asked mv ooinion of the clause ia the j Stati constitution permitting the issue i of licenses for the- sale of liquor, say- J ing that according to that clause all liquors sold under high license would have to be bought from the State dispensary. T analyzed the iectian and showed that it could bear ne such interpretation. He persisted in his claim, however, and I realized that h? was trying to find a loophole bj which to escape the redemption of his pledge. This realization angered me so much that I could hardly trust myself to speak. -.1 paced fuming up and down the executive chamber, and finally told him that I was in no mood to be . dallied with in that fashion; that if he ' intended to banco me, as several news-' papers had predicted he would do, h? might rest assured chat I would publish the pledge and show up the whole affair. Then I started out, but as I had my hand on the door-knob he called m? back and offered to leave the interpret*tion of the clause to any lawyer I would j select. I proposed Chief Jastiee Mo- j Iver, but he objected. I then suggested j Mr. It. W. Shand and Gen. LeRoy F. j Youmans,- aod he chose^lr. Shand and said h?i would submit the question to him. (Weeks afterward I questioned Mr. Shand, and he told me that the Governor had not said a word to him , about it.) The main issue then came up, after some talk, and Got. Ellerbe barefacedly denied that he had made any agreement whatever. (I had his letter in my pocket at the time.) He attempted to unload the whole responsibility on Weston and Neal, saying he had told them when he wrote the letter that he had not changed his views, was still for the dispensary and would make 110 agreement. Assuming an air of virtuous indignation he said he would send for them and make them ~~i ^ * (TJa tioitot ^ I T Wfl* SUli 111UJ II5UI;. \ lii/ ., __ so disgusted that I again started to. leave, saying I would expose tie whole affair and let him settle it with Neal and Westson as he could; but again he begged me to come back, and then leaving his seat and coming to my side, in front of the west window at his right hand, he said: "Don't get mad; let's talk the thing over quietly and see if we can't compromise it." And then he proposed do precisely what he had promised and what I had expected?to urge the Legislature to pass an act permitting each county to choose by ballot between prohibition, high licensa and the dispensary. It was a lightning change on his part that almost took my breath away. He went on to-say that thiiwasno new thing on his part; that he had held those views before he had written the letter to "Weston and had told W. D. Evans, of them. Then he added: "But I don't see how I can put through an administration measure carrying out the plan." I answered that that did not matter; that I did not like this ' 'administration measure" idea anyhow, and that I thought in this ca?e it might do as much harm as good. All I expected was that he would do what he had promised to do and leave the consequences with the Legislature. He said I again that he would make tnese recommendations, and I went away satisfied. I did not see Gov. Ellcrbe again until last Saturday afternoon. On Friday Mr. "Weston informed me that the Governor haa read him that part of his message relating to the liquor question, and that it seemed to him throughout an argumuent for the retention of the dispensary system, although it did made a brief and bare suggestion as to letting the people of the counties1 settle the question for themselves. He did not like it, he said. I told him that if the message did not come up to promise I would show up Eilerbe ruthlessly. The next day, Saturday, Mr. Weston gavenea f +V10 limirtr nation of the mes- I sage, with an inritatioi from the Governor to call on hina at tie Mansion at 5 o'clock that afternoon. I read the proof and was greatly incensed at what I found in it My disinclination to see the Governor was strong, as I was afraid I could not control my temper after this revelation of hisduplieity: but I did not wish to bring Col. Neal and Mr. Weston into the matter?as I must do if I exposed Ellerbe ?I finally determined to keep the appointment. At 5 o'clock I went to the exeeutive mansion and found the Governor control"* or trifli ?> visitor. VV hem the latter left I told him I had read his liqttor recommendations and was greatly mrprised and disappointed; that he had : not said what he had pledged himself to say; that he had defeated his half ; way endorsement of local optio? by ; other recommendations of the strongest ) character. He asked me to specify. I ' pointed out this paragraph fer one: "It J (the dispensary) must be firmly and 1 permanently established or completely done away with." This, I said, clearly j ~ ~ i. i.L.A /it fVnk ^ T _ LLlt'iiU I l/UC CBtauUSUlUCllv U4 I/Ub ujayvu sary on its present basis or its elimina- J tion from the whole State?it was ad- 1 verse to partial elimination under tha ^ influence of local option. Then I showed that the context of his recommenaa- ; tion as to local option limited the choice < to prohibition and the dispensary only, t wholly ignoring high license as an al- j temative. This, I said was not what ' he had promised me; if adopted it ^ would defeat the very policy to whieh , I wai committed and which I preferred J ?high lieense.?I went en to say that ^ the whole deliverance was obnoxious to 1 his professions and pledges, and that I * quite understood his motive in limiting ^ the choice to prohibition and the dis -J 1 r pensary ana in impusiug apcuini <tuu onerous burdens on prohibition coun- I ties?he sought to force the dispensary ? on the people as the only endurable alternative. He had made the word of promise to , the ear and broken it to the hop?. 1 said. He replied with marvelous ?f- $ frontery, that he had made n* promises t that Frank Weston had not acted properly in concealing from me what he ? had said, and that he would make him publish his letter. I answered that I ^ would do that, that Iproposed to shoJ4 ^ the public that I at least had acted in good-faith. I got up, bade him good evening, and walked out of the sitting room, while he wa^ saying: "You can do as you please." So this is the end of my hope of do- : ing something through TV. H. Ellerbe for a fair and democratic solution of the liquor question. I have made my ? try and failed, and all the men and pa- ^ pers that have been saying the man was c faithless and The State newspaper and j. PaImyviV- ? ttt/miI/J Vvrt V?rtr?AA/iH /?ori TlOTQ , uuluuiuia vtvu.au uuuv-utu v/**u ^ their fling at me. I am fair game; I have been buncoed. I can only f lead that I thought I had guarded against it by securing his pledge in writing, I r believed him quite capable of violating ^ any verbal promise, but I did not think 1 he would be quite so shameless as to ] invite the production of pToofa in his t own handwriting that he had lied. < t OBMMMMBMWMMMBW?P?? To do him cxact justice I do not believe that Ellerbe has acted spontaneously in this matter, but under dire "compulsion; that he has taken what he ! considers the safest choice between evils. I belive that Senator Tillman ' holds his written pledge to support the dispensary, in terms more specific than aaa V? ? r? ^ a nrt a aw aIba patma ! ILLUSO U1 IlIO ICttCl LV UiG UX CIOC j>ap?r the publication of which would damn him. Tillman, I am informed, was here last week and week before last; fee whipped JEllerbe back to his feet a year ago and it is quite likely that he put his collar on him again the other day. Hawerer. that may be, I plead guilty ' to being cheated. I expected to be lied ' to. but I did not expect to be brazenly ' swindled. I did not think that W. II. Ellerbe would adopt the device of sneaking out of an obligation in writing by accusing men who had ^been almost ' bis only friends of bad faith toward him and toward me. Messrs. "Weston and Neal will doubtless speak for themlelres; I hare refrained from quoting thent as to the statements Gov. Ellerbe made to them. My own story is too loig. Meanwhile Mr. Weston is a member of the-House of Representatives and will doubtlea? hare occasion to state his. vn am ilt ? MMiknivAM n ^ f V* A T icttD uii one ([ucsoiuu. <*uu. other members can consider in connection with tin recommendation in the Governor's message the following extract from his letter now in my possession "Dear Frank: I fully concur in your new as to the best solution of the liquor question." Sigaificant Object LessonThe city of Chicago has recently had a vary significant object lesson in the centralization of great wealth in all sorts of trusts and monopolies for the oppression of the people. This is only one of the many evils made possible by the gold standard. The straw that broke the camel's back was the e5ort of certain capitalist to procure a permanent control of the city franchise of the street railway transportion. The great Chicago papers, all of which opposed 1 Biyanin 1896, jumped on the scheme and denounce d it. To show how these papers viewed the matter we will quote * from one of them. The Times Herald : said: "The anarchists of today are the men ; who corrupt legislatures and purchase ' aldermen. Their attack upon our bus iness, political and social life ia infinite- 1 ly more to be dreaded than the mouth- ( ings of Spies, Parsons and Lingg. It 1 is an insidious serpent that wraps 'its coils about the cupidity of men and deadens their consciences to the prickings of honor and honesty. It be- : smears all public spirit with the slime i of selfishness and personal aggrandize- < ment. The anarchy of corruption goes ] armed with boodle where the poor fools j of 1886 threw bombs. It uses secret gold for arguments instead of open threats. It masquerades in the garb of eapital, and pleads necessity for corruption while it prostitutes legislatures and city councils to steal the people's birthright. Against .his anarchy of corruption is arrayed every honest, unpurchasable element in Chicago." This is very strong language as well as a very humiliating confession on the part of a strong Reptilican paper that < did all it eould in 1896 to put Mark ] tt 3 ii v:_i_ :j. nanna ana me. very anarcmsts m uu?> j denounces in charge of the government I by the election of McKinlcy to the 1 Presidency. The old adage that chick- i ens will come home to roost is true, and ] we are g'rd that some of the Chicago < chickens are going home to roost so soon. I When Bryan charged the same crimes < against the monopolists in 1896 that ] these papers now charge against them i they called him a' "calamity howler.1' i and said he was an "alarmist," but two'< < ihart years have caused them to change j i their ideas a little, and now they agree 1 with Bryan that the real anarchists of ] today are the Mark Hannas and other 1 "corrupters of legislators smd the pur- < hftsers of aldermen." < < A Plain Statement. i The South Carolina Spartan says the Spartanburg W. 0. T. U has changed j its name to the Christian Temperance I "Workers. It has the same old officers:, 1 Mrs. C. D. "WTiitman, ^resident; Miss' ? Julia V. Smith, correspending secreta-J 1 ry; Mrs. A. P, Mulligan, recording sec-j j retary; Mrs. J. B. Wertz. treasurer. , The same place of meeting, and the; , same plans of work will be observed. | It still conducts the Band of Hope. r The society of Christian Temperance < Workers is entirely unconnected with 3 th? W. (1. T. TL. local. State or nation- c al. It is a State organization for the ; 0 pramotion of temperance, non-politicai f *nd undeiominational. Its president] z is Kn. E. S. Herbert, of Orangeburg, ; ; 8. C. This organization, though new, ; baa met with great encouragement from ? the prominent prohibitionists of the i 1 State. _ i * A few of the members who did not < V ipprore of the chaDge met at Mrs. B. ^ Wofford's residence, and elected her : | president of a "W. C. T. U., which is an | mxiliary of the State W. C. T. U., of ^ ffhich Mrs Roach is president, Miss N. t Farrow is secretary. The State W. C. ^ r. U. is. of course an auxiliary.to the{ National W. C. T. U.. of which Mrs. Stevens is president and Miss Gordon s vice-president. In commenting on e he above the Southern Christian Ad- ] S1 'ecate says. '^Christian Temperance j IV! Workers is the name of the split-off in r( Spartanburg, in this State, of the lady sj Femperance Workers there from the National W. C. T. U. The new order: ^ >roposes to give itself exclusively to li rork of Temperence Reform and to' rc lave nothing whatever to do with Wo-, nan's Suffrage or any other kind of1 j politics. This latest secession we hail. ? pith undisguised and enthusiastic de- ' a igtt." I Mr. James M. Smith of Columbia, S | writes: Dear Sir?It ariras me | p-eat pleasure to say tmt tne Uld (? <Jerth State Ointment bought of you S las entirely cured me of eczema when ? iverything I had used previously failed g o giye any relief. It is a great medi- | ine, and I would not be without it in ? ny house. I use it for almost every- ? hing, where any medicine is needed. I ,nd have gotten the best of results | :very time. Respectfully, a James M. Smith. ? 1 Mr. Wm. P. Houseal has assumed ed (g torial charge of the Newberry Observ- ? sr. He was one of the original found- ? irs of the paper and a member of the J irm of Wallace. Houseal and Kinard ^ or several years. He is also publisher & >f the Lutheran Visitor. "We welcome s lim to the secular field and trust that a lewill find it both pleasant and profit- 8 ble. | If Spain could not whip the Cuban ^ ebels into peace during half a dozen g rars since 1829, how long will it take ? Jncle Sam to drub the Cuban and ^ Philippine insurgents into perfect traniuility; with Yellow Jack and malaria m their side? Vest Shows It Tip. The Atlanta Journal says the impeaialists may complain that Senator Vest is bitter in the article which he contributes to the current number of the Xorth American Review, but they will find it easier to whine than to answer the solid arguments or to offer substantial reasons against the apprehen sions which he declares. Senator Vest holds that the program of the administration for the forcible assertion of the authority of our government over the the Filipinos is utterly inconsistent both with the theory and the traditions of our government. He appeals to our own history in a way that must affect all except those blind and blatant expansionists whose only argument is that no good citizen will advocate a withdrawal of our power where it has once been asserted Senator Vest shows conclusively that from the decisions of the supreme court and from the speeches and writings of the great men who founded and fostered the republic that such a thing as the extension of our government over people who did not ask or desire it. was not only never contemplated, but was repugnant to the principles of the fathers. He exhibits also in a series of decisions of the supreme court a very importantfact which the imperialists seem to ignore entirely?namely, the fact that we have in our system of government neither a scheme for a colonial, system or the right to make one. Senator Vest speaks boldly, but it is time for plain talk. He says: A great crisis is upon us, and our free institutions must be maintained by the intelligence and virtue of the people, or cease to exist. "We cannot escape the peril by stopping our ears, as did Ulysses those of his sailors, when allured to ruin by the sirens songs. Let us keep them wide open, that they may hear the truth., Let us listen to that lofty resolution of congress declaring the war with Spain to be waged not for conquest, but for humanity and the liberation of Cuba from Spanish despotism; and then let us hear with impatient disgust those who arc shouting against "haulling down the flag," which they would dishonor and degrade by violating this solemn pledge. Let the fl*? of our republic not be "hauled down," but brought back to congenial soil, where it will wave over freemen, instead of floating above con }uered islands in another hemisphere i md ten millions half barbarians bought Por$2each." As the Journal says, Dewey's victory was glorious, but it iid not subvert the constitution. If it changed our notions of governmen ihen it was worse than a defeat. Tighter and Tighter. While the trade journals are enthusiastic over the large amount of business done in 1898 by our different lines )f industry, there is a general complaint from the retailers, that their profits are very small. This is fully explained bv th3 Augusta Chronicle ifhen.it says that ''under the gold stan lard, to make any profit at ail, in most ines of business, vast amounts of goods must be sold at bargains, because the masses, impoverished by falling values, will not and cannot purchase in any )ther way, when they purchase at all. Even in the old-fashionod city of BjIlimoro, where 10,009 houses are estimated to be vacant, there is hardly a iveek passes now that some trust com pany is not formed, and the only two rival street car companies are making a light to absorb one another. If this ihing should go on, and there is noth ing yet to prevent it, and everything to r\rrtT7<">L-? onrl ^r.mna] if-, middle class will be afflicted and despoiled, just as ;he cotton planters are today, and the wheat fanners will be tomorrow. The president's plan, colonially, will only intensify, aggravate and demoralize the situation, so far as ihe masses are concerned. So, we look for a tremendous following for Mr. Bryan, in 1900, that >vas opposed to him in 1893. They are haying their eyes opened, as savungs oanks presidents have been illuminated, with compulsory cutting of interest, md they may prefer to take even "free coinage rather than trust to McKinley's :hreat of the wrath to come." murders .Last lear. The total number of muders commith :ed throughout the United States durnglS98 shows a decrease?being 7,840, is compared with 9,520 in 1897; 10,682 n 1896; 10,500 in 1895. The causes )f these murders may be roughly classiied as follows: Quarrels, 3,867; un:nown, 2,678; jealousy, 205; liquor 207; )y highwaymen, 222; infanticide, 248; esistingarrest, 147; highwaymen killed, 52; insanity, 89; self-defencc, 33; trikes. 22; outrages, 5; riots, 25. The ximinal work of mob murderers through nit the country has decreased, as com j >ared with 1897. being, smaller than in : .ny year since 1885, except 1890, when he number was the same. Judge ijnch has executed 127 persons?122 ' aales and 5 females. The lynchings n the various states and territories rere as follows: Arkansas, 17: South Carolina 14: Georgia 12; Missouri, Kentucky. 6; Louisiana, 6; Texas, 3; Iaryland 2; Oklahoma, 1: TVashing1; Wyoming, 3: Illinois, 1: Indiana. : Mississippi. 15; Indian Territory, 3: rew Mexico, 1; Alabama, 12: North l ,'arolina. 4; Tennessee, 6; Virginia. 1: 'lorida; 1; Alaska, 1; Montana, 1. It is rumored that Lieutenant Gov. rnor McSweeney will be a candidate to lcceed Governor Ellcrbe. Governor \ [cSweeney has not exyressed any in* ;ntion of being a candidate, but lould he enter the race he will be a inner, as there is no man in public fe more deserving than he, for public icognition. j ^ From Maker Direct to Purchaser. m | A Good | i | Piano | , Sj will last a <?Y, =~ lifetime ?? ( ?) and giv e (gv endless en- ?f? 1 U i w MI i 11 ii i j iaes SlMM A Poor Piano 1| t? 5*j^M|yHiQ^^^H willlastafew jv ^3Bra^^3jFla years and ses m ' * i give endless a? ^ The Bs. vexation. I Mathushek 1 ^ Is always Good, always Reliable* m , jS always satisfactory, always Last- Jgfi I !? ing. You take no ?hances in buy- 3t? ? iDgit iffiS? It costs somewhat more than a 38S jC cheap, poor piano, but is much the_Jj0ffi ? cheapest in the end. as ( $ toother High Grade Piano sold so (JgE ( g reasonable. Factory prices to retail 31? ? buyers. Easy payments. Write tw. jjSjR i | ? LUDDEN & BATES, 1* I Savannah, Ga., and >'ew York City. t ddreSS: D. A.. PRESSLEY, AgentJ j Columbia, S. C. / / Flour Mil! Machinery. CONTRACT1; TAKEN' TO FURNISH COM?PLETE EQUIPMENT FOR? Roller Floor Mills. ?REPRESENTING THE ? Rioiimonf City Mill Works,. , One of the largest manufacturers of Flour Mill Machinery in the country, and having experienced Millwrights, I am prepared to build mills on the most improved plans and at prices to compete with aay one in the trade. We guarantee the products of our mills to equal the grades of the best Western mills. Before placing your orders ? write to m<*. I also handle a couipleie iiuc of WoodWorking Machinery: Saw Mills, Eagines and Boilera, Corn Mills and Machinery in general. TTavinfr heen established in business v | here for sixteen years, I have built up |?: ^ my trade by selling the veiy highest '*v ^ class of machinery, aod am in a better position to serve the interest of my eustomers than ever before. V. C. Badftam, 1326 Main St., Columbia, S. C. Old North State fnM mv . m TVT 4-X, riTrtfl X lit! UiU UllU u ta lv viuv^ ment is a medical wonder dis- covered by Jasper Miller. It cures Piles, Eczema, Carbuncles, Boils, Inflammatory Rheumatism, Corns, Bunions, Sore Eyes, Sore Throat, Prickly Heat and all skin diseases, or money refanded. Only 25 cents per box. The discovery was a case of seeming necessity. His little daughter had a { MCfl r\f PP.7PTTJ3 of the 'i.can.u.1 vaov vj. vv*jw^.w ? head and eyes, and it finally got into the npper lip, causing it to tarn inside out. He had her treated by leadiDg?the best?physicians in Columbia and Charlotte years, and the disease con- qj stantly grew worse.- He began reading a standard medial innrnal. and saw many J J _ things recommended for ev?- _ 1 ma, and went to work and i took of the many things and i compounded this medical wonder, Old North State Ointment, and cured, in the case of this little girl, one of the most stubborn cases of eczema; after j which many other stubborn _j diseases have been experi- ~j mente^ with and cured. Cu'hbert, Ga , September 1, 1897. Mr Jasper Milter, oiumbia, S. C : Deir Sir?A friend of mine bad ecz#?a, in SiT^nn-jh, and he h .d tried everything recommended to him without success. I reeoatmealed jour 0i4 North State Ointment. He usei o-e bos, which made a complete cure i Uke pleasure in recommend Lag it to any ne suffering *rom eczema or-*ny fiKin < aflfec ion. Yours tru'y, G. C. Bacot. Fur aile by all Dealers a ?d ruggUu at 25 cents ptr dox. Take Care of H ... - -v 1:1 " *' V'' 2 Your Property. Save money Dy keeping yo*r Grins in thorough repair. You get better results please the pp.blic and save your OWN TIME AND LABOR. Fourteen years practical ex- . - J1- - TIT T T/VTWn TWT ! perience in me jqjuli.lv/11 xxm m SHOPS at Winnsboro, S. C., is a gaaranfcee of good work. J Send your gins at once to the undersigned, VV. J. ELLIOTT. J COLUMBIA, 3. c Located a_djaeent to the To :er Ea?iae Wors Jaiyz< 3m GOME AND SEE IT! J fiTe will exhibit at the Sfcate - m Fair to be held here Nov, 13th to 19th, in operation a (TOMPLETE MURRAY fil^NINGCOMPLETE mUBRAY ULXNINO System, ystem Built by Liddell Co, Char- m lotte, N. C." This will afford all interested an op- ' > )ortunity of seeing the most- moderu^jj^jsl ind simplest giuning machine??1!-? ;an't afford to miss it. Iff. H. GIBBES & CO 1 I! II L! T-L Liquor, morpiKiie, louaccu USING PRODUCE A DISEASED CONDITION OF THE BRAIN SVhich is easily cured at? (eely Institute, Charleston, S. C. 1 - - i The Remedy builds up the system in jvery way, removing permanently any 1 lesire for Liquor or Drug. All patients V ire under the care of a skilled institute >hysician who is a veteran graduate of ^ He cure ana sis years exclusively m ':~3gjn ieely work. Write for literature. large mansion. Steam heated. Large >iazzas. D.onieyKeely Instituted/.,1