The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-09-16
AFTER THE PRIMARY.
TAE COLUMBIA REGISTER GlVESITS
VIEWS ON THE RESULT.

Gives 1t. Reasons for Evans Defeat and
Claims that the Nomination OF Judge
Earle is a Victory for the Rcformers.
COLUMBIA, S. c., Sept. 1.-THE
following appeared in the Register
this morning as leading editorial:
The political smoke has cleared
away from Tuesdays battle OF the bal
lots and now g satisfactory obserVa
ton of its result may be made. At
the same time, an analysis Of thecaus-
es may prove interesting. Judge
Joseph H. Earle has been nominated
by the Democrats of South Carolina to
succeed Hon. John l. NJ. Irby as
United States Senator. 1t was report
ed that Senator Irby said at one time
he usually wore his shoes two seasons,
bat If he could not retain his ''Sena-
torial brogans" for another term, he'd
be blanked if any other Reformer
should wear them. He did not even
attempt to retain possession of his
Senatorial brogans," but retired
from the race before the first bell was
rung. He saw that he would be dis.
tanced if he persisted ir running.
One reason why Irby saw defeat star
ing him in the face was that he had
tried to elevate himself by showing
other men down. Whenever he i'm
agined he saw in a prominent Reform
er prospective rival, his jealousy led
him to attempt to undermine that
mans position and influence. In this
work he had some ready, plant and
unscrupulous tools. Nor was this ef-
fort confined to men. Newspapers
which would not. become his organs felt
| the weight of his displeasure. The
Register, because it would not sink
from the high level Of an independent
Democratic newspaper, was schemed
against and worked against, but The
Register is stronger than ever, and so
are most of the prospective rivals
whom Senator Irby wished politically
buried. 1t was rumored that the rea-
son of Irby's energetic support OF
Evans for Governor was that he had
been promised that Evans would not
oppose his re election, but would use
the power of the Governors Office, if
elected, to aid Irby to retain his Sen
atorial brogaus" Be that as it may,
the returns from the up country indi-
cate that Jrby's friends were not in
active-They believed Evans had been
guilty OF treachery to Irby, and they
punished him by voting for Earle.
Another factor IN the polling of such
big vote for Earle in the Piedmont
section was the defeat of Hon. John
E. Breazeale of Anderson when a can.
didate for election as Circuit Judge.
Mr.. Breazsale was an original Reform
er, yet Gen. Jos. H. Earle defeated
him for Judge. 1t was reported in
the up country that the same infu-
ences which were promoting EVans's
Senatorial candidacy were largely re-
sponsible for Breazeale's defeat Many
Piedmont Reformers reasoned thus:
If Earle is a good enough Reformer
with whom to defeat an original Re-
former like BreaZeale he is good
enough Refocmer with whom to de-
feat Evans, whose claims to ab initio
membership in the movement have
been challenged. Then in the Pee
Dee country Evans vote was much
smaller than it would have been had
he not to a certain extent initiated Ir,
by's policy of attempting to advance
himself by showing others down.
General McLaurin was looked upon
by both Irby and Evans as possible
rival and both sought to crush him.
The consequences are instructive to
the student of political history, espec
tally to him who entertains the idea of
actively entering the political arena.
McLaurin has just been triumphantly
renominated for Congressman without
opposition, while both Evans and irby
are booked for the political retired
list at the expiration of their present
terms of office. While McLaurin has
been out of the State nearly all the
summer and has thaken no hand in
the Senatorial fight his friends saw
and resented the antipathy to him and
voted against Evans. One of the
chief causes contributing tothe defat of
Evans was the fact of his having been
the beneficiary cf the Colleton plan
primary. by the operation of
which a large element of the Demo
cracy of the State was debarred from
any practical participation in the. |
choice of the party's gubernatorial
nominee. The Conservatives could
not vote in the primary which really
named Evans for Governor, and thou
sands of Reformers would not vote in |
it, because they considered it undemo-
cratic and regarded it with suspicion |
as trap. 1t may be safely asserted |
that nine-tenths of the opponents OF
the Colleton plan primary cast their
ballots against Evans in the two pri-
maries. Tillman's appeal in behalf Of |
Evans could have no effect with the
opponents of the Colleton plan pri
mary, because they regard him as par
ticeps criminis. That appeal was un
fortunate in many respects-it deter (
mined many who were wavering to |
cast their ballots for Earle, and afford
ed an opportunity for Tillman's op-
ponents to charge him with attempted
bossism and popping the lash. It did
not help Evans and it hurt Tillman,
for in writing that letter he was in
consistent, having criticised General
Hampton for taking part IN fight
among Democrats. Many OF the Re-
4Horm leaders were out of harmony
with Evans and either held aloof or
worked for Earle. In 1894 Evans
made a charge against The Regi ter
and evaded making square, manly
apology when called to time. There
fore, though The Register treated him
with absolute and scrupuious fairness,
it could not champion his Cause without
loss of self-respect. TO such causes as
the above, more than to any belief in
the charges and insinuations against
Governor Evans, The Re yister attri.
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