The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-21
THE REFORMERS AT LEXINGTON.
First Appearance of Hon. ". d. Evans and
General El1erbe, Candidates for Guber-
material Houors-Messrs. j. Gary
Evans, DIR. Pope and Zimmerman
also Spoke.
Especial to The Register. !

Especial to The Register.]
LEXINGTON, March 1.-the mas!
meeting here to-day was not much O
a meeting so far as numbers is con
cerned-not more than a hundred
R.formers being present-but it was {
great success so far as enthusiasm anC
earnestness are concerned. There art
several ways of accounting for the
smallness of the crowd, the bad con-
dition of the roads and the threatening
state of the weather being principally
responsible.
The meeting was held in the court
house and was presided over by MIR
J. w. Dreher, of Selwood, one of the
staunchest Reformers in Lexington
County.
The speakers did not arrive until
late and had to leave early, SO that il
was impossible for each speaker ,tc
occupy much time. The shortness OF
time accorded each speaker interfereo
very seriously with the efforts of the
speakers. They had to touch upon the
various issues in a cursory manner and
could neither do themselves nor their
subjects full justice. This explanation
is due the candidates
DR.. Zimmerman was the first speaker
aud was introduced with a pleasant
reference to his Connection with the Re
form movement.
DR.. Zimmerman said he highly ap'
preciated the opportunity of speaking
to the honest yoemanry Of Lexington
County: He was not present as an
avowed candidate for Governor. He
had been suggested for that position
BY friends and it was due them that he
should explain bis position on the
issues of the day. There are hundreds
of men in the State who have never
been suggested for office who are as
we'll qualified as those who are seeking
their own political preferment.
He reviewed bis record of PartIcipa-
ton in the Reform movement and
explained why be voted against the
metropolitan police bill and one or two
other measures which were fathered
by Reformers. He announced his belief
il the necessity for constitutional con-
ventlon, and said he was willing to
trust the framing Of a new Constitu-
ton to the people cf the State.
He spoke favorably of the new
county government bill and said it
would work well.
He showed the justice Of the public
printing bill. There was no doubt of
the right and power of the General
Assembly 10 pass the bill. The offer
of another party than the one chosen
to do the work for less than the figures
in the bill was not made until the bill
was passed and the day set for the
election. Even if that party had been
elected, he would have been entitled to
all the compensation fixed in the bill.
The General Assembly elected as
public printer, Mr.. Chas. A. Calvo, Jr.,
who had been doing the work for some
time and doing it honestly and to the
perfect satisfaction of the General AS
sembly.
BE reviewed the Dispensary law and
exploded some of the cock-and-bull
stories set afoat by the ants to create
antagonism to that measure. He did
not support prohibition measure be-
cause it was lmpracticabie, though be
would, if be were able, Danish all
alcoholic beverages from the world.
The Dispepssry law is practicable and
will accomplish great good. Let the
question be argued fairly, and if the
people of the State do not desire it, let
1t be repealed, but don't fight it with
insinuation and falsehood, as its
enemies are now doing.
He briefly noted some of the achieve
ments of the Reform movement, dwell
ing with particular emphasis upon
Clemson College and the women's
c c,llege at Rock Hill. The reduction
of salaries, with its consequent saving
to the State; the successful suit to take
the States phosphate territory from
the Coosaw monopoly; the refundment
of the public debt, despite the predic-
tions of the ants that the Governor
and Treasurer would not be able to
refund the debt at lower rate of
interest, were all reviewed by DR.. Tim
norman in terse and lucid way.
He next touched upon national
affairs; denouncing the extravaganza
in the administration of the govern
ment; showing how the hardships put
upon the production classes by repeal
Of the purchase clause of the Sherman
Act; exposing the iniquity of the bond
issue; advocating reduction of the
tariff, no matter to how low figures, so
long Us the revenue derived is sufficient
to meet governmental expenses; de-
Tending the graduated income tax, as
MEASURE to take burdens off the poor
and put them upon the rich, and a
N leans of curtailing the enormous
power of capitalists in matters poiiti-
cal; favoring bill prohibiting dealings
in options, and furtures, which
speculation reduces the
prices of farm products. His conclud'
ing words were an appeal to the people
to stand united for reform in the State
and Union.
Chairman Dreher introduced Sena-
tor John Gary Evans with very latter
ing words.
Senator Evans said his heart was
full of gratitude to the people of Lex
ington, many of whom had fought
With his father and uncle, and he did
not feel among strangers. He Waded
into national issues, striking first at the
great extravaganza in pension pay
ments. He showed that the South
paid one-third of the pensions. and
but few dollars found their way back.
He regretted that the people had not
done their full duty in the recent Con-
gressional election.
He stood upon the Democratic plat
form, no matter VIII :her he was called
an Ocalaite, a Third partyite or any
other kind of ite.
He showed that Northern products
are protected while Southern products
are on the free list. In the matter of
cotton ties, the people Of the South
pay four times as much as they are
worth, because Of the tariff. He de-
nounced Cleveland Democracy and
said ne had no hesitation in saying
hat if Cleveland was a Democrat, he
was not. He showed how Cleveland
and John Sherman went hand ia
glove. and yet South Carolinians sup
oort Cleveland and say those who
,riticise him are not Democrats. He
denounced the course of those South
Carolinians who 60 to Washington and
say the Reform Congressman represent
he scum of the earth,