The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-09-09
Trenton, S. G, Sept. 2, 1896.

Trenton, S. c., Sept. 2, 1896.
ToiMessrs. NJ. B. McSweeney, James
Norton, w. T. C. Bates, j. Gary
Watts, w. a. Neal, J. a. Sigh, J.
D. d. Shaw, A. G. Latimer and
others.
Gentlemen: Your letter of this date
has Just been received, and as It's ten
or demands prompt answer, ] reply at
once. ] had intended to say and do
nothing in she senatorial race, but l
recognize In you, my strong personal
and political friends, the right to call
upon NE both for advice and work, If
need be. What ] may say may serve
only to give an explanation OF the
causes that have produced threaten
ed disaster rather than avert it. You
ask me to sstake the helm" when the
ship is already in the breakers As a
true man must do so, even though
at this late day ] might well ask why
you have not called on me sooner.
regard the election of Governor Evans
to the Senate now as politica! neces'
sity. say this without the slightest
degree of disparagement to his oppo'
nent. There is necessarily difference
of opinion among our people.as to the
fitness and qualifications of these two
gentlemen for the hign Office named.
But this is not a personal contest, and
Governor Evans alleged shortcomings
and Judge Earle's qualifications can
not now enter as factors in the consid-
Grafton of the question by the true Re-
formers OF the State. To these I ad.
dress myself because I know too well
that nothing can say will have any
weight with those who have fought
me with such intense bitterness in the
past and who now fight Evans as the
exponent of Reform. The Reform
movement had its origin in the de-
mand of the people, the common peo,
pie, for recognition IL governmental
affairs. It swept the State and assum-
ed absolute control of all its depart,
ments. General Earle opposed it with
bitterness in 1890, but his manly ac'
quiescence in the result won the res
pect and esteem of all his opponents,
so much so that ne has since Deen
honored by an election to judgeship.
Hscannot therefore complain that the
Rsformers are unforgiVing. The ques.
-aaa~-is---.has he earned the United
States senatorshSp, and is he in sympa'
toy with the men who are to give it to
him If Be receives its
Herein lies the essence of the whole
matter, and he himself, time and again
on the stump, has declared emphati
cally, II am not a Reformer," thus
making s. subtle appeal to his old sup
porters by an avowal of still being one
of them and -repddiatiug those who
had honored him.
When the campaign opened at Man
ming, General Earle withdrew from
the race because he felt that he could
not hope to win against Governo,
Evans alone, and only when he re
entered it at the last moment, when
lie had been informed of Mr.. Dupcan's
entry and speech, indicating fight
between Reformers by which he could
hope to profit.
He did not enter the canvass active
ly until he had watched its course fol
two weeks, and with subsequent events
the public are familiar. Suffice it tc
say, that while Mr.. Duncan hung On
like sleuth hound and doubtless full
ly expected to be elected. his role has
been that ofthe cat who pulls chestnut$
out of the fire for others to eat, and he
has injured the Reform movement
more than any man who has ever
been init, While ne has had the sat
isfaction of being patted on the bach
by The News and Courier and The
State, as having done the work
while Earle got the votes, the specta
Gle has been presented of the man who
was selected by the people to take my
place and assume leadership in the
State being attacked by slander; first
by the Anti newspapers and then have
hum slandered repeated from every
stump by Reformer who failed te
furnish any proof. While it is vel.
known principle of logic that you can
not prove negative, it has been de-
manded of Governor Evans to prove
his innocence when there was no evi
donca tn nrnve him guilty. m He hes