The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-09-10
EARLE TO THE VOTERS
An Answer to Senator Till
mans Letter.
|Ht RtFORAERS BELIEVE in FAIR PLAY,
Does the Reform Movement De-
pend on Evans EIection2
Io THE DEMOCRATIC VoTnpc -,

| In accordance with tho rn1o, of a.,
party, have had tho honor Of annon,' ",,'
my before you on the hustings in SIM
porC ol my candidacy. | did not mr.
pose 10 nave anything further tn so'
out mad determined to await tho nay y
ulct 10 be rendered by our naonle -,
inc primary elections. The entrv "t ~,
senator Tillman, however. into tho
mg nt' as Inc champion Of my Antagonist
G;o'npeis me reluctantly to address Won
IN reply to his letter., W"
am surprised that the Sonato,
should nave so far forgotten the nrinci.
pcs Whioh no has so ably advocatcd
as $50 10 come nome from Washington tn
.rtnuThce - Tue teformers in their choice
Of United States Senator.
You will remember how aa.htv be
Grr'acIsoo for ,', SenhtNN, champion in 1890,
~ ~ "n"e was then termed unwarranted
inUerlerence IN the gubernatorial con-
the people should bo norm,ttad ts x0 n~0
ercise. the riybt af s1Iifrage withont
InS aletatlon of any self,oonstttuted
ruler o. master
The primary system of clcction w.s
adopted In order that the people might
sec ana near the candidates, and then
eNpresS their will at tho ballot box.
nEI : A!tei the peHple nave seen and
nearo, aud nave given expression to
their Will, q high and honored official
can lntrudo his views, so as to chance
the Judgment (which is about to be
pronounced, then Il primary election is
sham and pretense. 1t would have
saved time and trouble, strife and aon-
tent,on: II y Few irieRd4 or his finrorite
hao III sne hrst Instance called upon
,,A1 81 hn CO !
party.
In advocating primary elcojiass did
thc Senator mean tn aai, 81 am will
ing .CT ~" IA olo0t tho man OF your
choite without consulting me, provided
you elect my favoritc, but if I discovcr
you prefer another candidate, will o.
sert my power so as to "C..,,,l,N, vour
votes { IT lock- 80.
But tho Senator is mistaken. The
people arc sovereign, anu while they
nave honored him and would doubtless
honor him again, they Will not submit
to hi3 .Arsdtjot
Again: Tho Reformers of South
Carolina believe in fair play, and |
would ask the Senator If it is fair that
ne should now como into the field
aaglnst me after the hattle h as been
vanquished. Why did he not take the
stump during the canvass | would
then have had the opportunity Of show
ing TO many who will not see this paper,
how unjust the Senator has bcen in his
criticisms OF my political course.
1t is true that | was compelled to
take the stump in 1890, in defense of
the State administration of which |
was member. Surely no one condemns
mo for that. 1t was my piyileqG to be.
come candidate for the Democratic
nomlnatlon it was my duty to appear
before the people in vindjcation OF my
administration as their Attorney Cen
eral. Sat after the convention met
ana capt. Tlllman was nominated, it is
we'll known that | refused to oppose
him. After his election as Governor,
did all that could as private citi-
zen to mold up his hands. Yon will
remember my letter to tho News aud
Courier in 1892, in which advised nv
friends aud supporters to yield to the
Will OF the majority, and to give Cover
nor Illlman due credit for all that was
commcndable in tho discharge of the
delicate and important duties of his
olllcc. This letter resulted in estrang-
ing from me many Of my personal and
political friends. Since that time,
have belonged to neither faction, but
nave advocated peace, harmony and
the restoration of good feeling among
our people.
No one can truthfully say that I have
been un lust to Senator Tillman. Has
he been just to me? Let his own con-
science answer. Permit me to refer to
some Of his structures upon my candi-
dacy. He Is mistaken when he saws
that was influenced by anything that
occurred at the first campaign meeting
in deciding to enter the race Mr. Dun
cans entry and speeoh had no effect
whatever upon my course, for while
had been informed that he had filed
his pledge, | knew nothing Of the char.
acter OF his speech.
| was presiding over the court in
Charleston with heavy criminal dock
ct before me, and could not neglect nv
duties as Judge to promote my interest
as a candidate. Hence, many of the
campaign meetings had hoen held be-
fore could appear upon the stump.
rho Senator Is also grossly unjust
and inaccurate when he says that
"General Earle has rcpudiatcd with
scOrn that he is u Reformer." | would
like to know upon what he bases his
charge, for it is not founded upon any
act or word Of mine, and is not true.
4 largo majority OF my friends are
Iteformers, thoy elected me to the Of
fice OF Circuit Judge they induced me
to become q candidate for the United
States Senate, and at least twenty
thousand of them voted for nie aJ the
last primary election. II the Copserva.
tiYa0 had voted for mo generally, [
would havo received q large majority,
But many Of them declipcd to vote for
me because Of my attitude towards the
lSeformcrG ahd bheir leaders, and be-
oause had commended many acts Of
the Reform administration.
1t is true, as | asserted many times |
during the canvass, that am the can.
didate OF no faction, and recognize no |
difference between Reformers and Con
8crvatives, but honor thew all alike rs
Democrats, It 10 also true that orit.
icised the administration OF tho Dis.
pcnsary law, tho appointment OF con-
stables to receive $500 per day of tho
peoples money to do the work OF hoel.
ors at the campaign meetings, and the
turning Of the dispensary into politi. !
cal machine to promote the fOrtuaeo OF |
q certain candidate for the Unitod