The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-09-24

youthful majesty's demands.
'---..szs g
Governor Evans Issues an Address to the
Democracy.
THANKS TO HIS SUPPORTERS.
Reviews the Recent Senatorial Cam
paign and Givos His Ideas as to
tho Causes OF His Defeat.
TO the Democracy of South Carolina ::
AS the primary election Is now over
and the result officially declared l feel
1t my duty to thank my friends and sup
porters and to say u few words to the
public at large. | came to the Cover
norship Of the State with the policy Of
tho Reform movement thoroughly out
lined and given to mo by the Re-
formers who had nominated me and |
have been confronted by many difficult
and important problems for solution.
These problems we're political, legis-
]ative and judicial, and while not alto
gether of my own making it was my
duty as the leader of my faction to
shirk no duty imposed upon melby my
party, my predecessor in Office Or the
General Assembly. Under such cir
open to me, which was to carry out as
faithfully and as earnestly as possible,
and with all the means placed in my
hands, the laws of the State and the
expressed will of the majority.
In the performance OF my duty met
with most serious difficulties and neces-
sarily made many enomies, moro politi-
cal than personal, for tho reason as is
woll known there has been from the
beginning OF the Reform movement up
to the present time q minority faction
which have been active, vigilant, Bit
ter and untiring; ready to take any
course or adopt any measures calcu-
lated to make my administration Il
failure and to restore them to power.
From this faction I could expect moth
ing save implacable opposition to my
administration. I, Of course, was not
surprised at their bitter opposition to
my election to the position of United
States Senator, but l did expect the
support and hearty cooperation of at
least the benefciaries OF tho Reform
movement Had known at the be-
ginning what was to occur during the
campaign, | might we'll have said,
" Save mo from my friends and | will
take care of my enemies.' No doubt
many changes had taken place in the
minds of individuals on matters con-
necJed with the Reform movement and
the State government. The final result
OF this election, unfortunate aS it is to
our faction and to me, is due, in the
Lrst instance, to the thorough organi-
ZaliOn Of the Conservative minority,
which fought mo with all their bitter
ness anu vituperation, not for the rea-
son, as is sought to be inculcated by
their newspapers, of any unworthiness
on my part, but simply because | re-
presented the Reform movement, and
the principles which they had fought
since 1890. This was made to succeed
by the cooperation Of my so-called
friends and members Of my official
family who. while pretending to sup
port me and my administration, were
really etabbing me in tho back and
finally united with the opposition,
which was powerless without their
help, to accomplish my defeat. II the
Reform party has been injured by this
campaign or my defeat "is the bcginn-
ing of the end" let the blame rest upon
the heads Of the traitors and false
friends in our own ranks without whose
help it could not have been accomplish
ed. Who these parties are | need
have exposed some of them and time
will uncover the others to the public
[ can find no words with which to
fully express my deep appreciation Of
tho adherence and steady devotion and
love of principle of the forty Thousand
!Seformers who remained so loyal to
our cause and to me, regardless of all
the SANDER, misrepresentation and
abuse that have been heaped upon us
by open foes and secret enemies. When
we take into consideration the persis-
tency with which slander and misre-
presentation were repeated, though as
Otter rcfN'"", n"t only by individuals,
but ny IL p.lrLiaan @nd unscrupulous
press, which seemed bent upon max
ing our people believe the statements
Of mon In whom they had no con-
iidence and reports without any founda-
tion, 1t seems wonderful that a greater
number OF our people were not made
to believe thom and to vote against
me. 1t is Il beautiful example. how
over, and will ever serve to make me
appreciate and have confidence in the
honesty Of the masses. 1t shall be the
proudest roCollectiOns Of my life when
| recall the fact that after the most
infamous campaign ever known in the
history Of South Carolina, not except
ing Radical days, or probably in any
other State, fully one-half Of our peo-
pie, ifnot more, for some 5000 to 900
IN tho country could not be g,ttcn to
the polls, persisted in refusing to be-
lieve these ISLANDERS, although seconded
by a vcnal press resorting to all the
devices which the most ingenious
malice could suggest. Besides this,
all sorts Of ISLANDERS were secretly
whispered into the ears Of our country
people regarding my personal and
private character, which could not be
met, denied or refuted, until after the
election, because not openly avoweG or
known to me at the time.
Let it be understood that I am not
complaining or blaming those of our
innocent or unsuspecting people who
wore thus led to vote against me, but
now that tho campaign is over and the
result declared. [ am satisfied all fair
minded men will carefully review the
wrongs done mo and will place their