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RAGSDALE'S STATEMENT IN REGARI) TO FLORENCE POST OFFICE Set Himself Straight About Inter view Giv?ix Out by Ellerbe. / Florcncs Times The following statements wcr< presented yesterday by Hon J \\ Kagsdalc at thc campaign meeting explaining his position in the Florence postoflice wrangle. Mi Haysdale received the undivided attention of thc large number ol voters present and was frequently applauded. At the conclusion ol his attack on Congressman Flierl)* ho was given an ovation. In tin course of his speech bc was frc fluently interrupted by applause. A little moro than a year ago, I think it was in tho carly part . f 1907, Mr O P Berry came to nu oillec and asked if 1 would draw a petition for his appointment ns postmaster at this place, to sue coed thc incumbent, .1 F Wilson, a negro. 1 drew tho petition and ai Mr Hon y's request I signed ii Mr Berry bad not supported nu but had worked and voted tor Con grossman rOllerbo and tho sole question at that time to be consul ered was whether my inlluencc would go for a white man or u negro. 1 lis petition was subsequent . ly circulated in Florence anil sign od by number of prominent citi /.ons and Mr Berry claimed that Congressman Fllcrbe had pledget i him his support anil had promised Mr 1* A Wilcox of Florence, S C, and Mr Wm GodbOld ol Marion, S C, to give Mr Berry his support. In tho summer ol' 1007 a "smoker" was given Mr IC 11er bc by tho Board of Trade ol' Florence and at this "smoker" Mr Ellerbe pledged himself to support anyone tor postmaster whom tho people of Florence sel ected. A number of candidates wort? in thc bold anil in order to centralize thc support of thc white mon and Democrats upon ono can didato, a mass mooting was calle?! in January, l'JO.s, at which Mi' Kllorbe was expected to be pres ent. 1 Io did not como and nothing was done at this meeting. A sec ond mooting was called for tho same purpose and whoo 1 went to this meeting and learned that Mi1 Kllorbe would not bo presenil I loft. I am informed that Mr .1 W Stroud was endorsed at this mooting and two days afterwards, his son-in-law, Dr N W Hicks, carno to my ollico and requested mc to go to a meeting at his ollico for tho purpose ol' trying to secure thc appoiument of a white man as postmaster boro. I wont to this mooting and found some of tho most prominent business mon of Florence assembled to discuss ways and moans to accomplish tb ' removal of tho negro and tho ap pointment of a white man. A number ol' suggestions wore made -to pay Wilson a su'tlieient sum ol' money to secure his resignation; to tell bim that sentiment was too strong to allow him to romain in ollico-to try to deal through John (I Capers and others. Finally we decided to go i tra i gilt to President Roosevelt and appeal to him as President of all tho people to lay aside all politics and consider tho interests involved. To call his at tention to tia1, fooling that existed on account ol' the retention ol' a negro in a position of ibis kind. To present fi for his consideration tho number ol' business houses in Florence conducted by whites and how few by negroes and appeal to him to give us his boasted "Square Deal." A commiteo consisting ol' .Hon h. D Smith, president ol' tho South Carolina Cotton dow ers Association, Kev. W. P. Ol ivor, pastor ol' tho Florence Bap tist, church, and Mr. W. il. Bar ringer, of the l'u ni ?d' Barringer Ai Husbands, Insurance, and myself Were appointed to go i<> Washing ton to take up I he matter with the President. An eliot t was made lo g it some memborof tin- committee togo to Washington to arrange for tho conference with the Presi dent and because no one oise would go. 1 went, Upon my ar rival in Washington, 1 called up Senator Tillman rind made engage nient, with bim and then tried to ihako appointment with Congress man Kllorbe. I lo could not he found at his hotel, in his ollico or in the House of Representatives. I remained in the capital until thc afternoon,lunching with Congress man Aiken. Senator Tillman ap proved of the plan submitted for tho committee to como to Wash ington and it was only a desire to show Congressman rCllorbC every courtesy that prevented mo from making the appointment and wir ing for the committee. The com mittee did not instruct me to go to seo Mr Elierbo and my only reason for doing so was to show him every courtesy to which ho could possibly be entitled by reason of bis official position. About seven o'clock that evening, Mr El ierbo came to tho Haleigh hotel where I was stopping and I then informed him of our purpose. Ho disapproved of our plan and stated that tho President would construe our position into a threat and would immediately appoint Wilson if wo went to him. He said that ho could not understand why Dr Hicks had not forwarded the charges against Wilson. I told him Dr Hicks was dissatisfied with Mr Kllor-be's position on account ol' the correspondence between them. Mr lil 1er be knew then 1 was supporting Mr Stroud and he pledged me then, without reserva tion, to usehis influence to get Mr Stroud appointed postmaster at Florence. He objected to thc com mittee consisting of Messrs Smith, ( )liver and Barringer, coming to Washington and at his suggestion 1 wrote following telegram and submitted it to him, he going to thc telegraph olliee in thc hotel with mc (Copy of telegram) l-BJ-'OS X W Hicks, Florene ,\ S C Rush petition as now prepared and signed to Kllerbe. Don't send ( 'omhnttcc. ,J W langsdale. We then went back to the lobby and he then suggested that I mool thc South Carolina Delegation and discuss tho matter with them ask ing nu; if 1 knew them. I told him 1 knew all ol' them very pleas antly except Congressman Legare whom 1 had never met and whom 1 hail endeavored to get to assist me when I went to Washington in 190-1 to consult with Congressman Scarborough about our Govern ment Building and that Mr Le gare ?lid not even come out in thc lobby when 1 sent my card in ami for that reason 1 did not caro tn ask anything at his hand. I in formed him 1 would be glad tc meet anyone whom he might i;. \ ito to be present. The next day I went by appointment to thc Cap itol and joined Congressmen Lovci Findley and Kllerbe in a With drawing Room where thc question of tue advisability of going to thc President was again discussed. 1 informed those present that Sena twr Tillman approved of our plat but Messrs Findley and Lever con curred in Mr KUerbe's opinior that it would be unwise to go tc thc President. 1 explained freely that we would make our pos i ti Ol clear,that we were not threatening but petitioning and Mr Level said: "President Roosevelt is 49 LOOths crazy and you can't deal with him as you would anothei man." J then told then frankly that 1 was afraid ol' persona violence ami asked if they knew ol no way to prevent the appoint ment. Mr Findley stated he wai afraid nothing could be done unti after the Republican Convention; this summer. I then suggostOe that possibly Wilson could he por studed to resign and rccommenc a successor and asked if the.\ could have him appointed. Mi Findley asked me how we wonk try to get Wilson to resign anil 1 told him by getting some one to aol as postmaster and give Wilson tin salary; thereby securing the ap pointment of three white men ii thc olficc instead of the throe negroes now employed there besides the postmater. 1 said t( explain my position suppose 1 were appointed-apparently would be postmaster while Wilso] would really draw the salary, i being paid to him privately. 1 wa: not in any sense of the word a can date for the olliee and 1 am sur? no one present thought that I was My elford was directed soldi lo getting rid of tin; negro post master and his negro assistants an< in securing white men in their pla ces, Mr Kllerbe raised no objee lion to my suggestion nor did M Lover. Mr Findley stated that lu was on the Postollico com mittet and that it was a violation of tin law to try to farm oui an of li ct and for I hat reason ho could no agree with the plan. He then stig gested that 1 see Senator Tillmai and request him to hold up I he ap point ment if it should bo made ant that when I came homo to endeav or to get Judge Brawlcy and Co Jenkins interested in securing ; white man for thal .olliee. Mr Kl loi he in the meantime was to us hrs efforts to prevent tho Presiden from reappointing Wilson. W then separated, as 1 thought will ovorybody in perfect harmony am I Know nothing ol' anybody havinj proposed anything that was "re pugnant to Mr Kllerbe" nor di' bc once make any suggestion o being opposed to anything exeep tho committee coming to Washing ton to seo tho President. Ho said if wo wanted to uso our judgmont rather than his ho would arrange the conforenco for us. I immedi ately abandoned our plans and so informed those present. Mr Find ley and Mr Kllorbe tho n went off somewhere and I did no seo either of them again until I heard the next week that they had given out tho details of what I what I thought was a private conference and 1 went to then, before its pub lication to endeavor to prevent it. Mr Lover and myself went to lunch immediately after tho conference, in ibo basement, and I then dicta ted tho following lotter and sub mitted it to Mr Lover: (Letter) Kev W B Oliver, Florence, S C. Dear Sir: 1 have had a conference with Senators Tillman and another con ference with Messrs Fllerbe, Findley and Lover of tho South Carolina Delegation, in tho inad visability of a conference with thc President along the linos discussed bv ns in Florence. Tho consensus of opinion is that it would bo un wise to hold such a conference with tho President at this time. 1 wired Dr Hicks to rush charges as signed to Kllorbo at once and not to send tho delegation here. Kllorbe has not yet received the charges and is anxious to have the petition como forwrrd at once. Ile will use his influence to prevent the re appointment and Senatoi Tillman is confident that ho can hold up tho appointment until af ter this session ot congress, ?it which time it will bo moro easy to prevent the appointment than ii will bo just now. Please say t< Dr Hieles that it is important tc got out petition at orna?, and that we deem it best not to interview the president now. I would pre fer that nothing oise bo given out now. Yours trul v, Jan. 17, 1908. In this letter 1 thought I gave all assisting us in our adair credit for their efforts and criticised nt ono. 1 then wont to Senator Till mar and told him what had occur ed. Me sent for Senator Clay o Georgia and consulted with bin him about tho whole situation ant Senator Clay stated that ho wouh talk to thc president about tin changos of removing Wilson, Tlv next day I met Dr Dicks of Viol ence on Pennsylvania Avomn about 11 o'clock and learned fo tho first time that he had not fol lowed instructions in every wa; and had not sent the potction am charges to Mr Ellerbe. Ho sai' bc distrusted Mr Kllorbo an would not risk the paper in hi hands until he had assured hin either in his presence of w itu esse or in writing that he wc nhl wor for Mr Stroud. That his corros popdencc with Mr Ellerbe wa unsatisfactory and that ho had n conlidcnco in him. 1 loki bim thu Mr Ellerbe had promised to sui port Mr Stroud and suggested thii wo go to his hotel, tho Metr?poli tan, which was near, to sc him. Dr Hicks said ho hada ready boon to his hotel and th capital and his ollico and could nt lind him. ?lust then Senator Ola carno Up and 1 introduced D Hicks to h'm as tho son-in-law c the man wc wanted for postman ter. Senator Clay said "I am jil! back from tho president and ho hf kcard of no dissatisfaction at tl postoilicc at Florence. Go st Senator Tillman and tell him to ? at once to Postinastor (Jener; Meyer." 1 asked him if we hu not bettor get Congressman Elle bo and others and ho said "Ni leave that to Tillman." It follow of course, that a southern s?nat? is backed by his whole del?gala when bc tries to have a white mi supplant a negro." "Wo thank? him and wont to Senator Tillman ollico. Ho communicated wi Postmaster General Moyer wi came to tho capitol to a com mitti mooting shortly afterward. Sen tor Tillman, Dr H icks and myse met him in the lobby and presen ed tho charges and petition at then returned to Senator 'Pi ll ma i ollico. Dr llicks left Wash'mgti shortly afterward bidding mo go< bye on the st reel car. 1 remain in Washington. This was on Si unlay, tho 19th day of Januar Tho appointment was sot for ne day. ( In Tuesday thc 2*2d Mr 1 lorbo sent dow H an int ervicw the South Carolina pupers in rep to a publication in tho Nows a ( louricr. 1 called him over tho phone a informed him that I had nothi to do with the article and protest against the publication ol' bis i ticlo on the grounds that if it wc inexpedient to go to tho preside privately, certainly this artic would defeat anything we mi? hope to accomplish. ll" stat that ho would publish the article 1 then called up Congressman F tiley ?nd went to his room in an other hotel where I found him and Mr Ellorbe. I then showed Mr Findley the letter i had written Mr Oliver giving them full credit for their effort to help ns and to'd him that I knew nothing of and had nothing to do with the article, published in tho "News and l'ou rler". We tried to get P II Mo Gowan, author of thc article, ovei the phone but failed. That night I saw Mr McGowan and he told me that be had told Mr Kllerbe in McGowan Holmos' presence that 1 was not responsible for his article and that he had not gotten his in formation from me. McGowan Mohnes corroborated this in Con gressman Lsvcr's presence when they were in Columbia w ith the funeral party of thc late Senator Latimer. I came to South Caro lina thc next day. At the request of of different members of thc committee I held back my answer to the effort of Mr Kllerbe to in juro nie until after the adjourn ment of the senate when Wilson cannot I e confirmed. Hon E D Smith and Dr N W Hicks went to Washington shortly after my return. Any statement that f sought for myself except with the committee, a nrivate in tcrview with the president-that 1 wits a candidate for postmaster! it Florence -that I made any statement, that justified the article in the "Nows and Courier*' is ab whitely false. nu MICK'S STAT KM KNT. Florence. S C. May 13, 1908. I have road tho above statement of Mr .1 W Kaydale and n^ted Iiis references therein to me. Tie' Tho conversations alleged to have ta' en place in my presence and the statements credited to me are properly stated by him and his statement is entirely true in so far ?is DIV knowledge goes. I went to Washington instead of sending tho petitition as r?rj lested as requested hy Mr Uiigsdalo boonuso from cor rcs pon don ce from Mr Kllerbe and from other information I hoi loved him tr? be pledged to Mr C P Ber ry and not Iccepmg faith with u? iP'd 1 was unwilling to trust Mr Stroit d's petition in his hands un til he had assured me in writing or in the nrosonco of witnesses that lie would usc his endeavor to se cure Mr St roud's appointment. After returning to Florence at tho rennest of Mr Ellorbe I went with K I) Smith to Washington after tho publication of Mr KUerbe's ar ticle, in tl o News and Courier and Mr Kllerbe stated to me that Bags, n'aie requested him to support Mr Stroud at the first interview that was hold in Washington and that he committed himself unreserved ly to Mr Stroud. From my know ledge of all tho facts in the case including my correspondence with Mr Kllerbe and the inf irmation derived on my two visits tn Wash ington I believe that Mr Bagsdale was neting throughout in good faith ami endeavoring at all times to secure Ute appointment of Mr J W Stroud. (Signed) N W Hicks. MK OMVKlt's. sTATKM KN ; . On the 1 nh dav of January of this year. Dr N W Hicks'mot me on Evans street in Florence. SC, and asked nie to come to his olliee that afternoon to meet and talk with other citizens of Florence concerning the post olliee situa tion and Mr .1 \V Stroud's candi dacy for the. postmastership. There were a do/en or more gentlemen present at this confer ence at Dr Hicks's olliee, all, with thc exception of myself, business men of tho city. Mr NV Li Bar ringer was asked to act as chair man and did so. The object of tia? mooting was stated as being two-fold-primarily, to try to se cure a white postmaster. Second arily-if any method could be devi sed to secure assurance of a white postmaster, to urge tho appoint mont of Mr Stroud who was tho nominee ?d' a general citizens mass meeting, hold some days previous to this conference. These two propositions were freely discussed, every tuan present, taking part in tho discussion and as tho first proposition was logically and by stress of circumstances thc chief topic, it was given principal con sideration. Various ideas were ad vanced, considered and discarded. Several gent leinen feared that vi olence and race antagonism might result should a negro 1)0 appointed or rc-app inted; bul till expressed? ti desire to avoid any trouble and II willingness to do anything rea stumble to pi event it. Finally it was agreed thal a committee, sup plcmentary to tho committee ap pointed by thc above mentioned mass meeting should he sent to Washington to lay the situation boforo tho L* rosi dont-'il' an inter view could bo had with him and to appeal to his ACUSO of fairness and his power to relieve, the us, both nf existing unpleasant conditions mid ol'danger of future violence, j This committee was instructed to ! go direct to President Roosevelt, 1 if possible, and it was thought < best not to annoy our congress- i mon with tho master as ho was al- 1 ready said to bo working through 1 routine channels in conjunction 1 with tho citizens' committee and, I also, as he was understood to bo 1 under certain obligations that l might causo embarrassment. Tho I expenses of tho committeo were to 1 bo borne by tko gentlemen taking 1 part in tho conforenco. I made a i m 'tinn that Messrs J W Rugs dale, K 1) Smith and W R Barrin ger should be tho members of this committee These gentlemen wore chosen ard my name was added. It was useless for the committee 1 to iro to Washington as a whole without knowing when the Presi dent would seo us or whether wc could obtain audience at all; there- i fore wc decided to send ono man to arra* go for an inter view and Mr R a g s d alo was asked to go, tho others hold ing themselves in readiness to an swer his summons. Before leav ing Flopmee on tho night of Jan uary 10th, ho had a conversation with mein which ho stated that ho thought courtesy demanded recog nition of our representative in this matter and that ho would SOO both Mr Kllorbo and Senator Tillman i and would wiro or write as soon as any decision was reached. On tho morning of tho 18th (Saturday) 1 received a letter from Mr Ragsdalo dated January lTth, stating that ho had talked with Congressman Ellerbe, Findley and Lever and their judgement was that an inter view with tho President was inox podient and asking mo to seo Dr Hicks and tell him to rush the pa pers ho had. I went immediately ' in search of Dr Hicks and found that he had received a telegram from Mr Ragsdalo on Friday in answer thereto had gone to Wash ington carrying with him Mr Stroud's petition and other papers bearing on tho case. In a conver sation during tho next week-af ter his return from Washington Dr Hieles told me that he, in com nany with Senator Tillman and Mr Ragsdalo met Postmaster Gen eral Moyer and that he saw tho papers given to Mr Meyer and that he took thom personally in stead of sending thom to Mr Kl lorbe as requested, because ho (Dr Hicks) was not satisfied with Mr Kllorbo's non-committal attitude to ward Mr Stroud. As tho committee could not get an interview with tho President wo dropped out of tho affair, after Mr Ragsdaic made his report to tho gentlement of tho conference, a day or two after his return from Washington. W P? Olive Florence, S 0, May 12, 1908. S KN ATO lt TILLMAN'S LF.TTKU. Gibraltar, May L>5, 1908. Hoii .1 W Ragsdalo, Florence, S C. My I ?ear Sir: Responding to your request, I beg to say: When you came to Washington last winter to see about getting a white postmaster at Florence you asked my advice and assistance of which of course 1 was reatly to give. After talk ing over the situation. I told you 1 did not fool it would bo unwise to call on tho President and in conversation ?is a prominet ci ti/.on and business nam, one of a com mittee from the pcoplo, urge \\ white man foi-the place and to say incidentally that you feared there might bo an outbreak similar to the one of Lake City if your loYig su Hering people found themselves saddle I with a negro again. 1 said the result would depend on tho way in which it was done and you said you would confer with Mr Kllorbe about it. 1 told you 1 felt I might, be able lo keep tho negro from hoing appointed if the right sort of protest and statement of facts was made and no ono oise meddled with tho matter? Dr Wicks caine on in tho next few day.-; with these papers and 1 telephoned to tho P O Dept U| mn ko an appointment with,, tho /P M (J for us, you only to seo lfiim and in tho moan time I had got.ten ?un ;i.,'iMMW<", in i fy M j,' II III ? ''?yapa? Donator Clay of Qa, to BOO tho ' President and toll him in a quiet way what? wo feared should ? ne ?ro bo given tho placo again. I found the P M (T was coming in a little while to the capitol to appear Ijofore a commit tie and I arranged to meet him at tho Senate Wing Door. Wo did this and as I walked through tho corridor I gayo him a brief statement of tho situation arid left the petition and protest with him. He said ho would take the matter up at once and let me know whethor he would do anything more A. day or two after there ap peared a signed statement in tho News and Courier from some our congressmen about you and th*?$* O Dept and the threat to Roose velt about killing a negro j* M otc. With this matter I have notftingto clo or say. But I am confident I could have secured a white post master if this publication had not appeared. In nono of our conver sations was your name over tioncd as a possible candidate fwar thc place. Stroud alono was con sidered and no other name was mentioned. As soon as I saw tho News and Courier article I gave up the case as hopeless because Roosevelt's efforts to get ncgio delegates for Taft compelled him to re-appoint Wilson after the so eallcd threats to kill appeared in print. Clay alone said anything about that to thc President and he said there was no explosion, but I know tho News and Courier was sent to the White House and in a few days Wilson's name came to the Senate. Then all I cpu ld do was to hold it up. I believe this covers thc ground outlined by you. I am very truly , ^ B R Tillman?' - A GOOD REASON Benncttsville People Can Tell You Why It Is So. Donn's Kidney Pills cure thc cause of disease, and that is why tho cures are always lasting. This remedy strengthens and tones up die kidneys, helping them to drive mt of the body thc liquid poisons that cause backaco, headache and Jistrcssing kidney and urinary complaints. 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