The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-08-29
;'CP: PASSES The PRIMARY.
In his Ohclal Lister He Tslks hbou'
Ring. L.k = Slijled .Jawaier.

CoLUMBIA,S. G.. Aug. 2t.-Dr. Samp.
son Pope, after surprising the Reform
ers and AL others by not going into the
recent Reform primaries, now comes
ont with another surprise. lie also de.
clines 20 stand as candidate for GOV
ernOr in the general Democratic pri.
mary next Tuesday, on acc Iunt Of tie
mystic power Of The ring
In withdrawing from the primary
race. DR.. Pope has also withdrawn his
pledge TO the Democratic executive
committee to abide the result Of that
primary, which appears very sigDili-
cant, lnasmuch as he need not have
gone to this trouble, unless he had an
idea of making a tight in the coming
general election. The Doctor also urges
all voters TO decline to participate in
the primary at all, as far rs the gub"r
material race Is concerned. DR.. Pop2'S
friends says he has no idea Of making
light in the general election. but It
loo ks now as If there is a very good
chance of such fight being made
DR.. Pope does not say, in any instance
that re will not be candidate for
Governor or South Carolina.
Here Is Dr.. l'ope's letter Of with.
draWal:
To the Democratic voters Of South
Carolina.
| am in receipt Of numerous letters
from citiZans Of different counties in
this State, notifying me that hundreds
Of fefOrmerS desire to vote for lie, but
that no ticket has been gotten out.
The truth is, the machinery of the Re-
form movement is in the hands "0I the
ring" and voters are 81 much afraid Oi
the party lash that. whilst tney are
willing and anxious to vote iOr me
they are afraid to allow their names 20
appear on a ticket. This is depl0rA
bic ate of affairs and only goes tC
show ho" despotically they are ruled
Under this state of thing, it Will be
impossible for me to get ont ticket
in the majority of the counties, and
therefore, It will be foolish :nr iEe tC
longer continue in the race for Cover.
nor. | have this day Withdrawn my
pledge from the State executive com
mittee and take this opportunity tO
say that | will not he candidate Al
the primary.
Forty thousand Reformers and thiT-
ty-two thousand Conservatives are vir-
tually.disfranchised, and fourteen thOns,
and ringsters dictate who shall hold
the offices.
| saw the danger Of this, and W hen
the Conservatives, in q desire to per
petuate white supremacy in this State
and to concillate the maj )rity with a
view to peace, proposed that, If they
were allowed to cast their vote for one
of the four Reformers running, that
they wOuld be satisfied, thought it a
fair and honorable proposition and one
which did them great credit and adVo'
Gated it's acceptance. Their offer was
refused at the dctation of few blind
leaders, who were puiTe ed up with their
importance without regard to the peace
and general welfare Of the whole peO-
pie. The Conservatives, | must say,
have shown in this. and in gracefully
submitting since 1899 to the rule OF the
majority, spirit worthy Of emulation.
Their treatment has been simply out
rageous and was enough to drive tham
w USSpcl dIlOu.
In retiring from this canvass, de-
sire to thank those friends, who have
stood by me all over the State, especial
ly those in Darlington who had the
manhood to come QUO and endorse me.
/ cannot forget the members OF the
press whose treatment Of me, with the
exception of three or four Weeklles, has
been magnanimous in the extreme.
In conclusion let me say to the forty
thousand Reformers who did not vote
in the late so-calIed primary, If you
vote. refrain from voting for Governor
at the primary on the 2Ssh inst, and
thus put your seal Of condemnation
upon the ring methods which have
been employed. Cut off that portion
of the ticket embracing the names OF
the delegates, or run your pen through
their names. You have right 10
this, and only vote for members of the
General Assembly and county officers
Very respectfully,
SAMPSON POPE.