The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-07-23
Earle in the Campaign.
HE ENTERED THE RACE AT
SUMTER

The Discussion OF Public Questions
Pitched on u Higher Planc-His
Sentiments Openly Avowcd and
Strongly Put.
Judge Joseph H. Earle formally en-
tered the race for United States Sena-
tor at his old home, Sumter, and his
speech there is reported as follows:
stand here today" he said,
"where have stood many times before,
facing people | have known since
childhood. l see here mon who knew
as boys over there in the academy. I
who were with me in '78, fn rs; friends
who stood at my back in 1890. l can
say that l am standing among friends
Some OF you differ with me today.
Here and there some political friends
OF the past are perhaps now my enc.
mics. But this 1 say Friend or foe,
you have always known where to find
me; you always know whore I stood
No man can say that l ever threw a
rock and hid my hand. No man need
evor say he had to hit me in the back;
he had only to stand to tie front.
"Some years ago had the honor to
run for Governor Of South Carolina.
knew l could not be elected knew I
was doomed to defeat, but had been
honored by the people who elected me
to a responsible Office. There were
whisperings, charges that there was
something wrong in the Offices Of the
administration Of which | formed a
part. l could not meet those charges
except by being u candidate: had a
right to stand as candidate Tor
Governor and speak to my. peo-
pie. What sNil on the vtum.p
won applause from my opponents
| contacted tho campaign on high
plane, and my opponent, who was
elected, SO stated
"On his election my position was
that the people had spoken; that the
Democrats had rendered their verdict;
that would accept it, and not oppose
him. When one Of the most promi-
nent newspapers in South Carolina
wrote to me as we'll as othors, asking
what l was going to do or advise doing
in tho face OF the result, l answered,
stop abuse, cease vituperation, treat
all mon with fairness and do what can
be done to bring the people together.
| have no apologies to mako to anyone
for anything l said then. | said what
| felt, what l believed in my heart.
We are one people; we are the Demo-
cratic party. The constitutional con-
U, W.,
fellow citizens, bring q message from
the Piedmont. Stop strife; stop dis
cord be united"
General Earle alluded to an anony-
nous card which had appeared in a
sumter paper, asking why he withdrew
from race for u county Office in 1876
| You all know the author" he said,
'but am ready TO answer it. If any
man In the crowd will stand sponsor
for those questions let him appear and
| will answer. Let him stand up"
There was no sponsor. "You all know
where | stand on State politics. am
Democrat; l have not joined in vi
| tuperation; | have given credit for
| what was done.
'Thore have been rumors and
charges OF dishonest transactions in
this State. Now, | say here to friends
and opponents that | do not believe B.
II. Tillman is q dishonest man. op-
posed him and have no apologies to
make for IL. l have not agreed with
him in all things. I do not agree with
him In all things; but l believe he Is
honest and L don't believe that Tiilman
ever stole dollar Of dispcnsary money
or bond deal money. If there has been
any stolen, let those who got it answer
for themselves"
not go upon the stump. That was an
aristocratic idea which does not now
hold good. II going upon the stump
lntefcrrcd with his duties he should not
90 so, and for that reason I have been
prevented from appearing before the
people OF the State as soon as wished.
But when 1t docs not conflict with his
duty he should have the privilege of
doing 40 in these days when United
States Senators, Governors and other
mon holding high Offices go on the
stump. No Office Is too high to allow
the man who fills it to meet the people
face to face"
Judge Earle then boldly sailed out
upon the glittering financial sea,
speaking In an interesting manner upon
a subject that is almost TOO thread bare
to be handled in public by any but
masters of 1t.
The people knew there was some
thing wrong, and they could expect
little or no relief from any State ad-
ministration. Candidates for Congress
who had spoken had declared for 16 to
l, but had neglected to state why free
coinage at that ratio was right and
would be beneficial. The speaker pro-
cceded to give a historical sketch OF
the use OF silver and gold as money or
purchasing medium from the time
Abraham purchased burying place
for Sarah with silver to the present
time. Silver was the metal until both
gold and silver were used by the
Romans 400 years before Christ.
For 500 years before 1873, he said,
the ratio Of silver and gold had ranged
from ii to | to lG to /. The history Of
the decentralization Of silver by the
Latin union was gone over step by step
and 1t had been done in each case at
the demand OF the wealthy, the money
power.
| Judge Earle declared that the de-
monetiZation Of silver in 1873 was
rightly termed the crime of '73, because
silver was money Of the constitution.
Mr.. Webster, the greatest constitu-
tional lawyer, had no power to demon
etize either silver or gold. But while
the people were working in the shops
or fields, their representatives in Con-
gress had, criminally or ignorantly, or
both, demonetiZed silver.
In England the history OF demoncti
zation OF silver had been that after q
period of twenty years tho land owners
had been reduced to Only 8 nor cont nj