The San Francisco call., 1896-06-19
RANDOLPH NoMINATEs EVANS.

Kinley protection act, meaning Senator
Aldrich.
RANDOLPH NOMiNATES EVANS.
When the State of Tennessee was called
Mr.. Randolph. delegate from that State,
nominated for the Vice-Pres idency H.
Clay Evans of Tennessee. He said:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the Conven-
ton: 1t has been more than thirty years since
any citizen of the States organized as the Con-
federate States was presented by either
of the great National parties for the
Office of President or Vice-President.
When the great armed conflict for
the Nations life was entered upon, the Repub-
lican party had just assumed control of the
Government. 1t became the champion of the
union of the States and the preservation of the
Government under the constitution. At the
close OF the contest the success of the National
armies was regarded as the special triumph of
the Republican party. The people OF the States
of the South had been in revolt and 1t was but
natural that tor time after active hostil1ties
had ceased the Repu blican party and those
people should distrust each other. The one
found the great majority of its voters in the
STATES which had adhered to the Union, and
therefore selected it's candidates for President
and Vfce-Presid ent from those States.
The Democratic party had been the domi-
nant party in the States of the South for many
generations, and the people regarded that
party not only as their traditional represent
ative, but as the peculiar exponent OF their
political views. solid South in the Demo-
cratic column of electoral votes was the neces-
sary consequence, and for many years the Re-
publican party has entered upon every
National contest handicapped with 159
electoral votes absolutely certain against its
nominees. To overcome this immense vote
thus fixed against it required the carrying of
each of certain doubtful States of the North,
and the failure to carry any one of those
States, as was demonstrated in the defeat of
Mr.. Blaine in the contest of 1884. meant the
election of the Democratic nominees.
To change this condition of affairs requires
change of the relations between the people of
the Southern States and the Republican party.
To accomplish such change two things must
concur-the people of the South or ma jority
of them must be satisfied that their interests
are to be promoted by the success of the Re-
publican party, and that the Republican party
is ready and willing to coneede to them, when
members of it, and acting with it, equal recog-
milton with the people of the other States in
the selection of officers and agents for the ad-
ministra ton of government, and that change
must be brought about by obtaining converts
from the Democratic party.
The experience of the last four years in the
administration of the National Government
upon Democratic principles and through DEM
ocratic officers and agents has furnished salts
factory proof on the first proposition, and a
large majority of the intelligent people of the
former solid South is now ready to admit that
the principles announced in the platform just
adopted, when honestly administered through
capable officers and agents, must result in the
building up of new South, not only in name
but in industrial development and in all that
goes to make up happy and prosperous
people.
The proof of the other proposition, that the
people Of the Southern States, who are Repub-
licans and who are honest, worthy and capa-
BILE, are to be trusted as officers ard agents in
the administration of the Government under
like circumstances equally with their brothers
of other States, ana that no invidious discrimi-
nation is TO be made against them because of
their locality or ancestry or past history or
affiliations remains yet to be made.
Now is the time for the great Republican
party to make its first serious effort to build
itself up and put itself in position of impieg-
nable strength among the people of the South.
The Southern States are now its recruiting
ground. The solid South is reliably s)lid
for the Democratic party no longer. Kentucky,
Tennessee, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia,
Missouri and North Carolina have given un-
mistakable indications of drifting away, and
Win proper SHCOuTABemeQV ana suitable
recognition they may safely be placed in the
Republican column, not only when the result
of the election in November is announced, but
in future contests as they periodically occur.
Tennessee, the gateway of the South proper,
the great battlefield of the Civil War the State
which voted by large majority against seces-
sion when the question was submitted to its
people, the last State to join itself to the Con-
federate States and the first State to return
/ i4sI Nv tO fha TniO
of its most distinguished citizens for the second
place on your ticket.
1t is true he is not native born but he is
more-he is o citizen by choice and he comes
from portion of the State where people have
always been loyal to the Union and the con-
stitution and who furnished more soldiers for
the armies OF the Union in proportion to their
population than any other Territory in the
United States.
Our nominee was born in the great State of
Pennsylvania. He was reared in the equally
great State of Wisconsin. When the President
in the beginning OF the Nations danger called
the citizens to arms to preserve the Union and
perpetuate the constitutio though a mere
boy, he enlisted as private soldier and after
going through all the perils of the war at the
end he was honorably discharged from service.
He then became citizen OF the State of Ten
nessee, and has devoted his industry, energy
and abiilty in developing the resources of the
State. He has won the friendship, confidence
and respect OF the people among whom he
lives. They have put him in various official
positions. He has been Mayor of his city: a
member of Congress from,his district, and First
Assistant Postmaster-General in the last Re-
publican administration.
In every position he has discharged his
duties honestly and faithfully and to the salts
faction of the people. After he had thus
established himself the Republicans of Ten.
nessee nominated him for Governor, and the
people at the November election of 1898 gave
MIN majority OF 74a votes over his opponent
as shown by the face of the returns made bv
the officers holding the election.
Alter the election Democratic Legislature
enacted law for the purpose of contestIng 1t.
II Is not TOO much to say that the law was
designed to deprive him OF the Office to which
tne people had elected him; and the same men
who as Legisl lature had passed the law, as
his right to the office