Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-09-02
Letter From Judge Earle.
A Platform Any Edgefield Refor-
mer Can Stand On.

To The DEMOCRATIC VOTERS OF
SOUTH CAROLINA:
/ have the honor to place my
name before you as a candidate
for the office of United States Sen.
ator-the highest Office in the gift
of the people of our State.
Controlled by the requirements
of duty, l cannot leave the beuch
to go upon the hustings, and
know that you will excuse my ab-
sence from the political meetings
now being held, aud that you will
permit me to adopt this mode OF
communication.
If 1 should receive your favora-
Bile consideration, I can only prom
Use 20 do my duty. My record is
before you, and it is for you to de-
termine whether or not am deem
ed worthy of this high honor.
In State politics, l belong to no
CLIQUE or faction other than the
Democratic party. I occupy the
same position that truth, fairness
and fidelity to the cause of Anglo
Saxon supremacy has always COM
pelled me to occupy, and that is,
that the majority must rule. When
the verdict has been rendered all
strife and contention must cease,
and at the general election all
Democrats should stand together,
and work together for the common
veal.
To this end / have used my best
efforts to reconcile the differences
which have existed among our peo-
pie, and / shall continue upon this
line.
j have always deprecated any
unjust censure or abuse of our
public officials. They are the ser
wants of the people, and should 80
act as to be above suspicion; and
while they should always be held
to strict accountability. no one
should lie brought defore the bar
of public opinion and condemned
before being heard.
In seeking your suffrages | shall
II 1T descend to the low plane of
vituperation or abuse. Success by
the use of such methods is less to
be desired than failure without
them.
1 now beg and invite your atten-
ton to a short statement of my
views of the important National
questions now being agitated, 1.
The monetary question overshad-
ows all others, and it's determine
tion will result in the return of
peace and prosperity, if truth ond
Justice prevail; or in ruin and
bankruptcy, if the blind worship
pers of a single standard gold
should succeed. Let US return to
the money of our forefathers. the
money of the constitution, the
money that made this country the
greatest under the sun; and let
gold and silver be both coined
freely and without limit at a rate
cf sixteen to ono, as money of final
redemption, with equal legal ten
der power, without waiting for in
ternational agreement. If other
nations fall into line, SO much the
better, but, if not, this nation
should occupy the position of in
dependence, justified by it's power
and required by the needs of it's
people. !,
I do not approve of the financial
policy recently pursued by the gen.
eral government in surrendering
its option to redeem its obligations
in either gold or silver. If it had.
not been for this blunder the ne
cessity for issuing bonds would not
have existed. 2. 1 advocate the
enforcement of the Democratic
doctrine of a tariff for revenue
only.
/ am in favor of a graduated in
come tax, and such amendments
of the constitution of the United
States as will permit legislation to
that end. The accumulation of
the colossal fortunes by a few peo-
pie is a constant menace to our
free institutions.
The laws of supply and demand
no longer fix the value of the pro-
ducts of industry, and they are
forced to yield to the unjust ex-
actions of combined capital, and
as a result the rich grow richer,
and the poor become poorer.
Something must be wrong, and
a remedy must be found and speed
ily applied.
l am in accord with Senator
Tlllman, in the positions assumed
by him in the Senate, and if elect
ed l shall supplement his able eff
forts to protect the rights of the
people with such power as I may
Of my nature.
Trusting that / may, at some flu
ture time, have the opportunity
to appear before you to discuss the
issues involved, [ am:
Respectfully,
JOSEPH H. EARLE.