Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-09-16
A VICTORY AGAINST ODDS.

mdulsul duu OulCldIuOA WIZ VA
erted for the election of the tat
tooed candidate, and all the aid
which liquor and money could
give to him was lavished. With
out these influences behind him
John Gary Evans would have been
beaten by fifteen or twenty thou
sand votes.
The editor of the State has seen
a letter from Tillman to an ac-
quaintance, begging him to do ev-
erything IN his power for Evans
and warning him that if Evans
should be defeated his own reelec-
ton to the senate would be i'm
periled, He must have sent out a
great many such letters, for his
signature was imprinted upon this
one with rubber stamp. Of his
public mandate to the Reform vo-
ters to support Evans, we under
stand that 100000 copies were
printed and they were distributed
in every county by dispensary
constables and other official and
unofficial runners. When in Edge
field, Tillman, as more than one
note from Trenton has Informed
us, canvassed personally among
his neighbors in Evans's behalf.
The result of this personal solici-
tation, however, was less marked
there than elsewhere, for Evans
lost one of the two votes he had
received at that precinct in the
first primary, and Earle gained
ten votes.
As for the liquor influence, it
was fragrant. The people Of this
State so opposed "the rum power in
politics" that they consented to
the abolition of the barrooms and
the erection of the dispensary sys-
tenn; but we Go not hesitate to as
sert that never in the worst days
of the liquor license era was there
such fragrant and systematic ef-
fort to debauch the voters with in
toxicants as there was during the
last week. Either certain dispen.
saries will develop mysterious
shortages or thousands of dollars
have gone to buy whiskey and beer
to corrupt voters. 1t is not neces-
sary to go into details, but it is a
notorious fact that in this city
and county there was a food of
liquor poured out on election day
and The two or three days proceed
ing it. It went into the country
by the load, and in the city it was
used unsparirgly. Reports to SIM
liar effect come to US from various
quarters.
We are informed that hundreds
of dollars were sent to the Sand
Hills Of this county to buy votes
There is unfortunately a large
venal element among the sandhill-
ers, and the vote for Evans shows
who spent the money. Advices Of
attempted bribery by Slate liquor
constables in other counties have
been received and published
There was lot of money on the
Evans side and it was spent
freely.
The Evans circular letter went
to all the executive appointees
There were some 1000 of them
printed, SO we conclude that the
number If officeholders sought to
be Influenced approximated to that
number. Prominent officials in
all the counties were enlisted and
worked hard. State officers and
their clerks went out as canvassers
for Evans. The force of dispen-
sary constables was employed to
ramify the State with Evans infu-
ence. It has been published, and
not denied, that appointments of
new constables were made just be-
fore the election in order to secure
Evans workers at State expense.
We understand that over 100000
copies of the Tillman letter, the
anonymous appeal for Evans and
other documents were circulated
about five to the voter. Evans
had force of clerks at work
night and day sending out his lit
erature.
In short, every nerve was strain
ed and every device used to divide
the people on factional lines, to
whip the revolving "Reformers"
into the Evans Franks, TO stimulate
prejudice and to debauch the float
ing vote. The State machinery was
unblushingly employed, and it was
supplemented by large expendi-
ture of somebody's money.
On the other hand, Judge Earle's
campaign practically ran itself.
Three or four friends gathered here
and volunteered their services.
Judge Earle was with them only
one evening and took little part in
their consultations. There was
practically no campaign fund.
Some 100000 Earle ballots and
10000 circulars were distributed,
but there was money for nothing
else. We happen to know that
thero was not even money enough
to provide in this city the custo-
mary carriages to bring voters to
tha no1ls IF as much as $3.50 was