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. - " • 7 : vto y- fv VOL XXII. BANRWELL/SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY JANUARY 19, 1899. THB GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE, FAVORS THE DISPENSARY WITH LOCAL , OPTION. 1*11 That Coaallea Desir- ProhtUttoa Shall Pay Ex- for Us Euftaroement and be Cat Oil From Dispensary ProflU for Hchoola The annual message of Governor Ellerbe hae been »ent to the General Auembl}, and aa the diMusvioo of (he liquor queetlon will excite meet Interest in the public mind, we will give herewith only very brief summary of the other parts of the message, in order to present in full what the Governor says about the dispensary and local option. Governor Ellerbe dec lares that the ftnaaees of the State are in an unsatis factory condition, aed it is evident that one of two things will have to be done: Either the appropriations must be‘cut dopn or the tax levy raised. He urges the Legislature to hold all elections at oooe, in order that the public business may not suffer. He recommends bi ennial sessions of the Legislature, limited to forty days, which wlR. save •$5,000 every year. He discusses lynching at length, and recommends that it be made a high crime and mis demeanor for sheriffs or constables to allow a prisoner to be taken by vio lence from their hands, and also that counties shall be liable to the heirs of the victim for S5.000, while the mbn who are convicted of lynching shall be deprived of the right to vote or hold office In this State. The following, are ■ the-Governor's sis be judged by its fruits rather t! motives of polilicttl prejudice or late rest. If these fruits have not been hitherto altogether of the kind or quality that it? friends still hope to see it bear, there is yet suffiotenthmes* ise to ask that this tree, whion hoe been almost uprooted and blasted by the blight of judicial interference, shall now be given opportunity to show what it can bring forth under fostering and friendly influences. I beg to re reason to change my opinion. The law has never had a ehanoe hitherto to show what it oan do, but now, since there is no longer any question ns to legmi limitations or powers, we are free to address ourselves to perfecting and improving the system. The large vote received, by the-Prohibition candidate for Governor in the second primary of the late election cannot be considered entirely an endorsement of prohibition, for there is excellent reason to conclude that the Prohibition candidate polled the fall prohibition vote in the first primary, while js the second he polled the vote of the msjority of the aotag onists of the dispensary system, from whatever cause that antagonism arose, and, in addition, the strength it all the “sore-heads’* and disgruntled office- seekers and politidacs of both factions. The election in Charleston -is a strik ing evidence of this, it will hardly be disputed that, if the people of Charles ton want prohibition, as their r&tes seem to show, it is because they feel bUj/3 that under that system there will be practically no- restraint on the sale of whiskey. Turning now to, the practical eon- views on the liquor question: , do DOt Nothing connected with the admin- in Istration of the State governmeot at interest and im- favor prohibition. I, therefore, recom- tbis time is of so much interest and im portanceas the dispensary law. This method of controlling the ITqtuor traffic has now been in force for five and a hadf years, and the protracted and bit ter struggle between its friends and its foes has reached a critical stage. It must be firmly and permanently estab lished or completely cone away with. It will be remembered that, at the last session of the Legislature, the lit igation instituted In the United States circuit court by Vandercook bad reached the supreme court of the United States, on appeal from Judge Simonton’s decision. For almost a year, there had been absolute paralysis of the dispensary law, so far as its punative features were concerned, and the constables bad all been discharged. The dispensaries had been forced to fight free whiskey, on tjrms of abso lute equality; yet, strange to say, they fought it successfully; for while the profits were reduced by this lawless competition, there was still enough business to make the dispensary self- supportlng and leave a small margin of profit. la May last, the supreme court at Washington landed’ down Its decision, sustaining tbe constitutional ity of the dispensary law in all its fea ture# with tbs limitation only as to im portation for personal use. The long and hotly contested legal status of the dispensary was removed. The original package dealers at once closed their ahopa and shipped their liqfiors out of the State with my permission. I did not deem it wise or right to take ad- vantage of them, as they hsd been do ing business under the sanction of the Federal judiciary. Tbe constabulary waa reorganised and |>ut to work, and from that time to the force has been very busy trying to destroy the unlawful traffic which bad gained foot hold In the State under the protection of Judge Simon ton’s decision. . 1 desire, in this connection, to recall OT attotttibrtffe Tact that in 1894 the State kupreme court, by declaring the dispenaary law unconstitutional, gave the Illicit liquor dealers enoour- meat aed as a result there was wide spread demoralisation, with liquor selling prevalent almost everywhere, even In the country, notwithstanding the law prohibited its sale absolutely. After that decision had been re reraed the dispensaries reopened and a or less rigid enforcement of the law for two years had extirpated in a large measure the legal traffic, came • the interference of ton Federal courts aad the Imprisonment bf the consta bles for contempt. This interference gave onoouragement to a large number of illicit dealers and Induced them to continue ip the business; and when the paralysing decision in tbe Vanderoook eeee came, there was a phenomenal in crease la the number of illicit dealers engaged in this traffic in South Caro lina. Thla Is shown by the number of United States revenue licenses issued. In the fiscal year‘ending June 20,1897, •the number of Internal revenue 11- eenses, or permits to sell liquor, were 822; in the year ending June 30, 1898, there were 625. In other words, the present unsatisfactory condition, aad I do not hesitate to ssy that it is unsatisfactory, notwith standing the final triumph in. the courts—Is owing in large measure, to the interference of tho Federal judge, with the consequent encourage ment to all who saw fit to engage in the sale of liquor, nothing more being required than to pay the United States revenue licenses. It has taken months of laborious and strenuous effort to re store the conditions of a tolerably suc cessful-working of tbe dispensary law which prevailed at tbq time when-the Vanderoook decision waa rendered. The friends of the dispensary and those who have too readily tamed their backs on it, should bear all this in mind and still evidence hope aad pa tience. . The demoralisation produced byg^i various causes mentioned can be read ily overcome la time, and the law will work more sucoemfully and be obeyed move willingly as time goes by. Our efforts should be especially directed to ' perfecting tbe syvtem la its adminis trative features. Thore are a great many people who z will never be friendly to the dlspen- / aMtAnt nr to nnv 11 mend tbe submission of tbe liquor question to the qualified electors of each county, that each county may vote as It prefers. Any county, how ever, that votes for prohibition should be made to bear all expenses of enforc ing the prohibition law; and Such county should not receive any of the profits from the dispensary. Under the Oonstltutlon, the profits accruing from the sale of liquor go to the sup port of our free school-. Now, the county of Marlboro, which never had a dispensary, and wblch is now under the most rigid form of prohibition with no possibility of legal liquor traffic within its borders, receives its propor tionate share of dispensary profits. Of course, these counties may have liquor imported for personal use with out restriction, but it cannot be sold is them legally. 1 believe that it is but right and just for those counties which have prohibition, or may hereafter adopt it as the means of controlling tbe liquor traffic, to be taxed to enforce such laws, nor should they receive any part of the profits arising frem the sale ofjiquor In the counties, to add to their school funds, (f the county offi cers, magistrates and sheriffs, enforce the law, well and good—there will be no need for coustablee; but If they do not, the governor should be given the authority, upon petition setting forth such violation, to appoint constables, jsnd to require a levy in such counties sufficient for their maintenance. ) - Now let us consider the matters con cerning the administration of the law other than those mentioned as dealing ith Its violations. When the di-pen- sary system was first Inaugurated, the State board was composed of the gov ernor, tbe comptroller general and the attorney general, ex officio, and in these was vested the power to appoint the State oommissiooer and the county board of control, and toewrciML gen-- sell the required supply in driblets. Gov. EUerbe wouUT. era!supervision over the working the Arrangement! should be made cutter That afternoon* 8 •ary system or to any like regulation Eipy men are opposed to it oe princi ple, some as extreme prohibitionists ami W* m as extreme advocatoe of liquor tcafflo- These two widely sepa ls their koptUity to the dispenser] others are influenood by political oon- aMeratloos, and vrea by past poU^oal prejudices, now happily being fast dia- •ipeted. the diupeaaarj law ought to teach the people to use whiskey with out abusing It, aad to minimise, as far as possible, the evil* inseparably con nected with its traffic and use. More: over, under the present system, tbe 8tote oommissiooer is a mere figure head, without power and almost with out duties. The State board of control have absorbed nearly ail of his func tions. I submit what seems to me to be the best plan of organisation: The detail* of the buslneas should be turned over to the State commissioner, while the board of control should have authority to purchase liquors aad to exorcise general supervision over the whole system. The bdard of control should be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, and the constables should be appointed by the board of control and State commis sioner. If objection is mode, it may be pointed out that the regents of the hospital for the insane are appointed by the governor, and the management of the institution is excellent. Note, also, the members of the present board of control are not even required to give bond for the faithful performance of duty, yet they have absolute control of an institution doing annually a million and a half dollar business. The county boards of control shoulfl be abolished, and two or thre* in spectors should be appointed to look after the dispenser’s books and tbe breakage. This would be a much more economical method than the one now pursued. This system of organization, together with tbe supervision of the grand juries, would reduce peculation and embezzlement to the smallest amount possible. The State oommis- Btooer might be either ap; the State board or elected eral assembly. We have botn system! TKe superb ELLRRBE’B LOCAL OPTION. EDirOR GOHSALBS IN TROUBLE. DM Not Keep His rrsmlee aad the Editor of The State. Opening it I reed ; Hiaa to In tha Interval before the second pri mary last summer between Governor Ellerbe and Mr. Featberatooe, every dally newspaper la South Carolina, with the exception qf the Oolumola State, supported Featherstoee and bitterly attacked Governor Ellerbe. There was such antagonism to the dis and to peeaary system the Governor pointed by the geb- by [with sach hlbtilon as to discourage Tfow tn'foyperTfiTbirStKe. Tbe super intendent of the hospital for the Insane, who Is giving perfect satisfaction, is appointed; tbe superint ndent of the penitentiary,' an tqually efficient effl cer, is elected by tbe general assembly. But there should be vesteAomewhere the power by which both State com missioner and county dispensers might be suspended, and, If neoessary, be re moved for cause. I suggest, a’so, what seems to me a needed improvement, stud that is a ebange in the manner of purchasing liquors. Whiskey is as much a staple article as corn or fljar, though h varies in quality and price, according to age ana tbe methods of distillation and manipulation. Tbe large bulk of liquor consumed by the paople Is obtainable in absolutely pure form and of good quality, wltaout the necessity of re course to chemical analysis, for it can be bought directly from the government warehouses without paeslng through th) hands of rectifiers and manipula tors, who are almost sure to adu terate ft for the sake of profit. I think that the law should provide that purohas-:* should be made, under annual con tracts, with parties who would agree to furnLh liquors from the bonded warehouses of the United States of the required age and strength, upon the most reasonable terms. These con tracts should be let In such a way af to preclude all possibility of collusion or fraud. If blended or rectified whiskeys are bought, as Is now tbe case, there is absolutely no safe te s t by which adul teration can be shown, unless the liquor is so bad as not to be fit to drink. These remarks apply to the X and XX whis keys, or liquors of the first and second quality, enumerating from the lowest to the highest, as has been the Vule In the State. I do not believe It Is repu table, in the State’s business, that there should-be a swarm of whiskey drummers meeting at Columbia onoa a mouth to dispensary In the whole State. After the retirement of Gov. Tillman, In the middle of Gov. Evans' term, tbe legisla ture changed this provision, and cre ated a new State board of control, con sisting of five members, to be elected by Itself. The governor was left without official connection with the dlspeniary, except the right to appoint and control the constables. This system has now been in force three years, and, in my opinion, it has failed to accomplish the purposes of Its advocates* The Idea m to divorce the dispensary system irom politics and to put it under a strictly business manag -ment. No such result has followed. It is notorious that tbe dispensary is as much or more n politics than it ever was. As gov ernor, I have had little or no authority Id connection with the administration of the law, and no power of restraint or direction over it; and yet I have been held responsible by the people at arge, and by my enemies in partieu- ar, for the mistakes and shortoomings of its management. Responsibility without authority is a most unpleasant and unjust burden; and while I do not -seek additional responsibilities In con nection with the dispensary, -submit that justice and fairness make It neoes sary either to relieve the governor ab solutely of all connection with this In stitution, or else give him some poten tial tbioe and lufluence In its affairs. The legislature Itself, last session, by a particularly unanimous resolu tion, deprecated and almost- forbade the granting of beer and hoiel priv ileges, but the State board of control paid no attention to this expression of opinion from the law-making body, and I had to use tbe constabulary to sup press the nuisances in form of open barrooms, which resulted from the granting of tbeee privileges This brought me Into antagonism with the State board of control—an antagonism which might have been avoided bad these gentlemen paid any heed to my suggestion or consulted ve aa to the best policy, to be purtced. As long as the original package stores were run ning in open competition wjth the dis pensary, ^and illicit sales were also unchecked, there was, perhaoe, some excuse for the State hoard Of control to continue that policy; but after the supreme court of the United State bad confirmed the validity of the dlspen sary law, and forbidden Judge Simon ton’s support of the State's competi tors, leaving the dispensary law la full possession of the field, 1 did not think there was any exouse for the cootie- Arrangements should be made under contract for the purchase, as I have in dicated,-and the orders for additional supplies would go forward with as much assurance of being honestly fil ed as if salt or bacon were bought. The special brands and wines required > could be purchased in tbe same way, and aa these constitute only a small part of the business, no change need be made in the present inodes of buying them. There is another matter that app?ars worthy of mention. With the expe rience gained by the employes in bot tling and packing and Iblpplng of liquors, there ought to be practically no breakage, if the bottlerwere of good quality and the packing were well done, for the cars are loaded alongside the State dispensary building and thete is hardly ever a trassfer from one road to another. This matter of breakage hat been the main res-on for continuing the county boards of control. It can be readily teen what a saving would fol low if these boards were abolished, and it can be safely assorted that the pre- veutlon of breakage would make tbe.-e boards no longer necessary. There is one other matter to which I invite tbe careful attention of tbe gen eral assembly! it Is with regard to the importation of whiskey for personal use The protection given by the supreme court to those who desire to exercise this right in good faith la in no sente objectionable. The State does not need, nor does it wl?h to restrict its citixens In this right; but the abuse of It gives a loophole for illicit dealers to obtain their supplies, under the pretense that it U for perconal u*e. The provision of the law which was declared unconstitutional in this respect, I think can be amended so as to mske the importation pf such liquors come withln the terms of the court’s c fibree. But for the opportunity thus afforded to evade the law, by im porting liquor under the pretense that it is for personal use, there would soon be small reed for constables.^! earnestly urge that the judiciary committee consider the subject carefully in the light of Justice White's opinion, and see lf tome provision for inspection can not be enacted, that, while imposing no onerous burdeosson theeitzan who im ports for his own nae, will yet insure tbe importation of pure 1 qnora, and limit, as far aa possible, the ahMe of this right forthe purposes of sale. Let the law define fully and clearly the methods to be followed in such cased. * alspei the field, waa any exouse forthe cootie- of the petley upheld by the State board, for I believed tbe former law; andl believe the present law, should he administered as a temperance measure with no regard whatever to the matter of profit or to anything othar than to personally, it waa generally predicted aad believed that the kotos of the other candidates la the first primary would go to Feathers tone on the second aad nominate him. The Columbia Stole was antl-d<spen- sary aad aeti-prohibitloa, and had been for a rear supporting a mode of settlement by county option, between high license, prohibition and the State dispensary. On account of the absence of Editor Gonzales in Cuba, Tbe State had not token a very active part In the campaign. A Tew dsvs before the second primary, in a signed editorial, It came out for Governor Ellerbe, pro mising the local option and license ad vocates that it would be to their inter est to support him. The second pri mary resulted in a scant majority for Ellerbe. Efforts to draw an explana tion from the newspaper'were unsuo oessful. It asked its friends to await the meeting of the Legislature. When the Legislature convened and GoveVnor Etlerbe’s message was read, It suggested county option between tbe dispensary and prohibition systems, but itlons ahnnt votieg-Jee handed me an envelope bearing the familiar engraved lettering, “ State of South OaroTlaa. Executive Chamber^ Columbia,” aad addressed : “ Mr. F. H. We»ton, Columbia, 8. C., Personal.” Columbia, 8. C., Sepi (Confidential.) nk; p(*&M89e. to you? in* prol tlon of the system _ nbredf fiTgfi license altogether and made a Long appeal for the mainten ance and fortification of the dispensary system. _ Editor Gonzales was so bitterly dis- appoinfbd at the outcome of bis nego tiations with Governor Ellerbe that he has made a full statement In regard to the matter, claiming breach of faith on the part of Ellerbe, and denouncing him in the most scathing and unparlia mentary terms. The main portion of his statement Is as follows: 4 STATEMENT OF MR. GONZALES. I arrived in Columbia on tbeevenlng of September 5, but finding myself in almost total Igboranoe of what had hap pened in South Carolina aul the world since the middle of June ard being somewhat “dazed” by a return to civilization, I did not at once resume my editorial work, Intending to study up a week or two before attempting it. On September 7, however, the Spar tanburg Herald made so attack on the dispensary system and called on me to join in the fight, and that night I wrote an editorial, which appeared next day in The State, giving my “hearty assent to the propositions so well put by tbe Spartanburg Herald,” but stating that on account of my lack of information as to the campaign, the pledges of tbe candidates, their platforms and their alliances I would be “ compelled, with regret to be a bystander.” In addition to these stated reasons I had two others. (1) Contrary to my insstructloos an editorial mildly endorsing Gov. EUerbe had oeen printed In Tbe State during my absence, and It seemed to tie my nands ; and (2) I was Informed that Mr. Feathorstont had pledged himself to general 'prohibition and nothing but that, a circumstance that made me even more hopeless of the promotion of my local option plan through him than through Gov. EUerbe, because I was sure Mr. Featberstone would do what he said and I was not sure that Dear Frank: In reply qolry, will any—I fully concur in year view as to the beet solution of the liquor question. After mingling with the people for three months and thorough consideration I hava oome to tha con elusion that the Dispensary Act should be amended so as to allow each coun ty to settle the liquor question for itself, and have determined to make snch reoommeedation to the next Gen eral Assembly. Your friend. W. H. Ellerbe. To Mr. F. H. Weston. All of this except the printed caption and date line was In Gov. EUerbe’s handwriting. The date was wrong- one day behind. It was not as precise a pledge aa I would have dictated, but whatever of vagueness there might be in tbe phrase “ allow each county to settle the liquor question for itself ” was offset typthe initial statement, “ I fully concur in your view as to the best solution of the liquor question.” I knew, and it was a matter of public knowledge and record, tbat Mr. Weston’s “view” was tbe same as my own; tbat he favored county choice between the dispensary, high license and prohibition. While 1 did not have any ooofidenoe in Gov. Ellerbe's simple word I did not believe he would dare to incur tho obloquy of exposure for violating this pledge, and tbe *dop ^toS^i^gdiag-that ifternocm •nu- - .7.™- ??* Charleston and wished to use the ori- vrtnn-tTnT* J£r|'g1u*l-ttrsecBrB"V815Bg"ToF'lBe "Governor there, I took a copy of the letter on his promise to hand me the original on ills return. He did return It, and I That afternoon, September 8, when I went to The State office I found a note on my table from the oeahler stating that Mr. Weston and Col. Neal had been to the office to see me and, having failed to do so, asked me to be sure to meet them that qlgbt at Mr. Weston's bank offloe. I kept the ap pointment. We talked for nearly an hour on In different topics. Ac last Col. Neal saiJ to me, slapping his knee : “ Well, let’s oome down now to busi ness. Nearly every paper in tbe State Is jumping on the^overnor; he’s pretty have kept It in my pocket most of tbe time since. I must confess tbat the Governor’s prompt compliance with my ultimatum was not altogether gratifying, for I had thought tbe matter over and con cluded that to carry out my part of the agreement would subject me to muob criticism and perhaps suspicion of my motives and tbat I would have tQVith- hold my justification until the Legis lature met. On this account I half regretted my ImpulslvedCss, which bad entailed upon me a severe ordeal. But tfie thing was done, and I went to work In good faith to carry out my C rtof the compact, having the satls- ition of feeling that I had acted wholly for the public good. The next morning The State contained a signed editorial urging high license voters to support EUerbe, and each day until the election the paper did Its best for him. If it changed as many as 2,600 votes which womd otherwise have gone to Featberstone it Is responsible, I regret to say, for his nomination. I did not see Gov. EUerbe from the time 1 returned from Cuba until some three weeks after bis nomination by the second primary. He had called at my office when I waa out, and had sent me messages asking me to visit him ; so I went one day to his offloe at the State Houso. After an exchange of civilities be asked my opinion of the clause in the State oonstltutlon per mitting the Issue of lioenses for the •ale of liquor, Maying that according to that clause all liquors sold under high license would have to be bought from the State ‘dispensary. I analyzed the section and showed tbat it oonld bear no such interpretation. He persisted in his claim, however, and l realised that hu was trying to find a loophole by which to escape the redemption of his pledge. This realization angered much that I could hardly trust last Saturday afternoon. Qa Friday Mr. Was ton Informed me that the Governor had read him,that part bf his message relating to, tha liquor question, aad that it seemed to him throughout aa argument tor the retea- I on of the dispensary system, aUhoAgh it did make a brief aad bare suggestion ns to letting the people of the counties settle the question for themselves. He did not like it, he said. I told hi# that If the message did not come up to K romlse I would show up Ellerbe ruth- wsly. The next day, Saturday, Mi*. Weston gavu me a proof of tha liquor Meet Ion of the mesMge, with as invita tion from the Governor to call on him at the mansion at 5 o’clock that after noon. I read the proof aed waa great ly Incensed at what I found in it. My disinclination to sea the Governor waa strong, ns I was afraid I could not con trol my temper after thla revelation of bis dupllolto ; bat ns I did not wish to bring Ool. Neal aad Mr. Weston into the matter—ns I must do if I exposed Eller be—I finally determined to keep the appointment. At 5 o’clock I went to the executive mansion and found the Governor con versing with n visitor. Whan the latter loft I told him that I had reed his liqudr recommendations and was greatly tururised and disappointed; that he had not said whnt he hod pledged himself to sny; that he had defeated his half-way endorsement of local option by other reoommendatlons of the strongest character. He aeksd me to specify. I pointed onVthls para graph, for one : “ It (tbe dispensary) must he firmly and permanently established or completely done away with.” This, I said, clearly manat the hllshment of the dispensary on Us Present basis or its elimination from the wbolfl S totar-ll was adverse to par tial elimination under the influence of local option. Then I showed that the context of his recommendation as to local option limited the choice to pro hibition and the dispensary only, wholly ignoring high license ns an alternative. Thla, I said, was not whnt he had promised me ; If adopted It wbuld defeat the very policy to which I was committed nod,which I preferred—high license. I went on to sny that the whole dellvernnoe was obnoxious to his professions, and pledges, and that 1 quite understood hit motive in limiting the choice to robIbltlon aad the dispensary and in lag special aad onerous burdens on prohibition counties—he sought to force the dispensary on tha people ns the only endurable alternative. He had made the word of promise to the ear and broken if to the hope, I said. -He replied, with marvellous ef frontery, that he had made no pro misee, tbat Frank Weston had not acted properly in concealing from me what hfi had said, and that he would make him publish his latter. I an swered thatl would do that; that I proposed to show the public tbat I at least had aotod in good faith. I got up, bade him good evening, and walked out of his sitting room, while he was saying : " You oan do as yon please.’’ are mart ia thnwnyof penae n and preachers. The editors i sOeeP.nl to fond their __ tha abuse of the Booth in likn i in trade and is alwoyu It la a good eemeat ft party aad keeps it solid, for If readers differ oe home polities they oaaaiwuu harmonise by abusing o*. Tha lead lag New York RepubUcaa paper in just as malignant Kinley made his Southern tour Was before.- Mr. McKinley tho hnrmoaIMn, but The Pr lanes to the music. As for the preachers, my -mrltlfl opinion is the majotrityof tb«m have no more real religion than did Heary Ward Beecher. Like the editors, they rely on sensation to fill their pewa aad their pockets. With a few exceptions, their ThanksglTing sermow bag neither love to God nor obsrity to man, aad they weat out of the text to give the South a slam or a stab. 1 used to have great respect an^ reverence for ministers of the gospel. I really bo* lievod tony worn nil ordained of God for the snored oeihng, hat in my inter jedrs that reverence has wsakaoed and It seems to me now that must of them are only ordained of men. The pulpit, both North aed South, has' been degraded and has lost its high standard. Hardly a week peases bat some preacher has committed oome crime and created n sensation. Churches are torn asunder and tha people divided Into outer factions. Sensational preaching Is the order of the day, and every oo*/ and then n scandal with a woman in the case oc curs. Undignified and bitter con troversies in the newspapers feed the public mind and delight those who art outside of the pale of the church.-A was oalled on yesterday for charity for a poor, unfortunate family that Uvea a few miles away, and was Informed that the only daughter*, a girl of seventeen, who could help the nged couple at aU, I 1 list preacher he had married an old uapi of sixty and;after a few weeks abandoned her and left for ports known. The story Is a pathetic one and he ought to be caught jhM to lodlBoe and lynched. G IT MAY BB A MASCOT. BUI Arp Talks About the Figure 9 as it Appear* in the Mew Year -B Terms of Peace With tbe North. 1899. I was ruminating about riddle of the ft's. 1 aad 8 are 0. aad that makes three 9*s la a row. 18 are two 9’s, and. that makes four Ps la a row — A 7 myself to speak. I paced fumlni badly worried very anxious for i have already pointed out hoWwe may iase, for the dispensary, lit purchase, for the dispensary, liquors tkst are pure; some provision requiring bjndnd warehouse stamps on tiquorn con-umed in Soa'.h Carolina, it scams to me, would answer the purpose; bat I only throw oat tha suggestion for whnt it is worth and call attention to the sub ject booitoe of Us Importance. you to help him out. Can’t you do it?" I replied that I had told Gov. Ellerbe nil along that I would not support him for renomlnntlon if he stuck to the die- pensary, and he had stuck to It. Mr. weston sold: “ The simple foot of the matter is that the Governor feels he Is obliged to have the support of The State, and w* have naked you here to find out on whnt conditions you will support him.” Without hesitatloa nud on the spur of the moment I replied : ** If he will pledge himself to me in writing to urge the Legislature to pees n local option law, allowing each county to decide ior itself between high license, prohibition and the dispenaary, I will support him.” This idae had been with me for n year; it bad bean the object of All my effort the previous fall and winter, end it came spontaneously to my Ups. I did not stop to'consider the prloe I might have to pay in public misunderstanding of my motives if be should nooept my terms. Mr. Weston looked at Ool. Neal and than said: ** I don’t think there wUl be much trouble about that; do you Colonel f” And OoL Neal replied, to me: “ I think ha’ll do it nosy enough; he’s got to do it if yon insist.” Mr. Weston then asked me if n ver bal assurance would satisfy me. I told him no; there had been too much question about Ellerbe’s verbal assur ances already; I must hava it in black and wblte for my own protection—but he could tell the Governor that I would not show the pledge to anybody nalei he felled to observe it, In whioh case would.—-Then Mr. Weston asked •SWould you object to having theletter addressed to jne ? I aa going to Char leston to try' and help the Governor down there aad I would like to be able to show It to some of the politicians. 1 I answered that I would not object to that, but that after he had used It ta Charleston I must have the custody of the paper, g The eonfereaee broke up t. at they would oe* the Gov- next d«y aad bring me his on Tha asxt day, Friday, September 9 Mr. WfHOR earn* to mj me so MpiBwiHSiMiiBilii *g up end down the executive chamber and finally told him that I was in no mood to be dallied with In that fashion; that ‘f he intended to bunco ms ns several newspapers had predicted he would do be might rest assured that I would publish the pledge and show up the whole affair. Then I started out, bat ns I had my hand bn the door-knob he oalled me back and offered to leave the nterpretation of the clause to any awyer I would select. I proposed Chief Justice Molver, but he objected. 1 then snggested Mr. R. W. Shand and Gen. LoRoy F. Youmans, and he ohoee Mr. Shand and said he would submit the question to him. (Weeks after ward b questioned Mr. Shand, and he told me that the Governor had not said a wor4 to him about it.) The main issue then oame up, after some talk, and Gov. Ellerbe bare facedly denied that he had made any agreement whatever. (I had his letter Id my pocket at the time.) He at tempted to unload the whole responsi bility on Weston and Neal, saying he had told them when he wrote tbe letter that be had not changed his views, was still for the dispensary and would make no agreement. Assuming on air of virtuous Indignation he Mid he would send for them and make them set him right. (He never did.) Ii so disgusted that I again started to leave, raying I would expose the whole affair and let him settle It with Neal and Weston ns he could; but again he begged me to oome beck, ana thei leaving his sent and coming to my eld in front of tbe west window et his right hand, he said : “ Don’t get mad; let’s talk this thing over quietly sad if we oacVoompromise it.” And then he proposed to do precisely whnt he had promised and wqn$ 1 had ex pected—to urge the Legislature to pass an net permitting each county to choose by ballot between prohibition, high license and tbe dispensary. It was a lightning change on his part, and almost took my breath away. He went on to ray that this was so new thing on his port; that he had held those views before he had written tbe letter to Weston end had told W D. Evans of them. Then he added “But I don’t era how I oan put through nn administration measure carrying out tbe plan.” I answered that that did not matter; that I did not like this “administration measure*’ idea an how, end that i thought in this ease might do as much harm as good. A1 .... Jl expected w«s that be would do whnit with their T nod promised to do and leave the consequences with the Legislature. Herald again that he would make thaw - recommendations, aad 1 went away The three 9' 7 make 9 the 3 and 6 .make 9. Maybe this yeas of the 9*a is to be a mascot and we will have peaoe aad prosperity la tha lead, fiaybe tbe lion will lay down with the nmb, end the nations shall brat their swords into plowshares nod war any more. Maybe, I ray. Bat thorn are lynched. Thin lowering of the standard of morality and good old-fashioned Christian pas toral preaching is especially noticeable in the two great lending denomina tions of the South. I am gratified to ray that the Presbyterian and Episco pal churches have not yet shocked the public with any ministerial soaadal, though their preachers are as a class inferior in pulpit elcquenoe to those of half a century ago. No minister of the olden time would have carried bis sectarianism so far as to seek to *x- pungs from the Presbyterian hyma book that beautiful hymn: ” There is a fountain flllad with blood Drawn (rom Immanuel's veim ; And sinners plunged beneath that flood. Lora ail their guilty ttalas.” — This hyma was oomposed by Wil- Wf* Oowpor, the poet, aad is em balmed in the sweetest memories of our child hood. But this preeoher wishes to have it expunged hnotnan third line emaoks of baptism by Immersion. Oh, my country ! Add now tome of our Atlanta and Nashville preachers urn ventilating their pollti onl pplalow about the war and the — , Phillipplnra in their pulpits, to the this Of svsry hrara ; w ho diffsrs with that th ® ni - , Tbe J Wirt Utat the pulpit is not theirs, and their call waa to preneh tho gosnel—hot politics. .a- j I asII, I suppose that >’s makes 27, and tbe 2 and I * • om # The four 9’s make 86, *&d I wU11 1 jramlwra O Mtawho thlffi MAT I fMJDiioU rolls. I - §M signs of peaoe on this aide of the water three different neelkationa in -pence between the North end the 1 South, of jt. Congress McKinley has mod# a break ‘ if be can control his party, will fix up our Confederate rraveyards. Then the next thing will w to pension our Ooufednrato veterans and widows last like they do theirs, nod Ust of nil, to apologize. I never will bn satisfied antil and beg oar pardon, will do that nndefoel bettor know by this so. In} i seventy-two of nn Ohio regiment have | already applied. Ohio beats the world on pensions^ aad has learned Ml tito tricks of tbs business. " not learn I th * p * rooeuU no* ie * ni 1 drawn three pens! mess. One maa up ly detected la having lions for tha past five years. During tbe war bn was ferrod three times, and so bn counties, end his sore leg went 1 nil light, end be now f “ lawyer put him op to it, the lawyer one pension Th bo i two. The general opinioe at Y laftou is that at least one-half the pensions granted are frauds. Bat pee- sloe money olroulates f^eely, and tbat is a good thing, end when it get* to among onr baya ks they do the apologize. I an' *’“ ‘KS* 1 ”I to . Mod -ftto*, ud f—Jto 11 ?* 11 1 olrenUtlaff down her. ltt«r M* horto( I.. won’t oompldto. WtMi ,,,1*4.1004 old-to.Woood that they were in the wrong, though I Christmas at snr *»—— — t has taken a long tiara for them to I thankful that no affliction or oalauilv fl K nd U "I".*- .hod bninl^uTdor^ tL%2?w the most forgttlng people In the world, hod sixteen of the oontoritv al ttai or w* wouldn’t make so much ado over | ( Mt ive board, and ttoydSdra? turkey 'at ce terse amazing. Next March m our gulden wedding, and then all th* distant boys and their wives and children are to gether at the family mansion, end my wife -end I will be calm and serene. I rend in n life Insurance paper that only married couple In 1000 live togetoMr fifty years. And so the event ought to bn odnbrated. or the offer to fix np oar graveyards, for the truth is, our women have already fixed them ap nod oar died are com fortable under their earn. Bat it is n | sign of good will and foreshadows nn apology Is the near future. Tom Reed wants to get ahead of McKinley In the South, end I expect will introdooe n! Bill of Apology at the next session. Pensions and apologies will be his slogan. It woa’ttake n grant deal of money for oar veto mas end widows, for there nr* hot sonny left, but It will onus* those who ere left to live longer, for Bill Asp. —Norway is 1 Is‘baying country, end it is raid i in thH **rt*bteiipra- nesdhlbtnin Thla In a ■ Norway olaim- lftf Sweden preponderates too much la the partnership. A war be tween tbe two countries would of greet fierceness, for tbe Si Norwegians represent the s roue stock in Europe. We are to forgot la these time* that th* fore fathers of all the nations of Northern “ Time onto down Ml, Both great aad small, Except a pension soldier. They do not die, v But multiply- ' And never grow any older. An old friend told me that the aliena tion between tbe North and South was owing more to diet and climate than it was to slavery or negroes. Said be. | Europe, aad our own too, earn* outM they live oa oold bread aad canned | Scandinavia. It was mat good* aad codfish, and drlak iced tea, while we live oa bam and eggs aad hot rolls and beat Msoult aad drink oofli Their diet is fir eMd aad shivering as thei” climate, while ours is rich warm aad stlmnlatiag like our sun shine. Hence, they are inclined tub* oold hearted and tolfish. We feestod.. McKinley down here on Southern food. and warmed him to tbe heart aad tth mule him feel generous nad Wad, aad | PWlmtim MW ago, but it gives us all an interest la that peninsula. -Iloilo is the port in the Phil chief Mty of the cording to geographers the nnuren of , 4,633 sqaura mil then the Stole of bin to tho heort mai.td.fl lolotho thro. •o he _ MM and wore that veteran’s badge l he felt good inside. If bn nal s down there u few weeks long would have spoken for ponriom apologised. - Maybe there Is something in for 1 have observe with an Mr any Mwnys take onr side qnn, If Oanix rith 121.1 with 909 is —Ilia the United Uid not sen Gov. Ellerbe again natil is that the 4'