The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-09-09
Mr.. DUNCAN'S REPLY.
HIS CHARGES
AGAINST GOVERNOR EVANS.

AGAINST GOVERNOR EVANS.
Says He VIII Prove Every Charge He Has
Made Against the Governor Before the
Legislature II Given Chance.
COLUMBIA, s. c., Sept. 4.-This
seems to be a day of pronuncia men
toes in political circles. Now comes
Mr.. John T. Duncan in reply to SEN
ator Tillman, in which he reiterates
all the charges made against Governor
Evans on the stump. The document
given the papers by Mr.. Duncan reads
Us follows:
GLANDS OFF,"
None are so blind as those who will
not see. But when those who know,
and see, and have the proof before
them day by day, hide these things
and attempt to mislead the people by
partisan appeals where must the con-
demnation fall2
With due respect to Senator Till
man, l must say that his course in
this matter is mistaken one.
He can't make wrong right; he can't
make the guilty innocent, unless his
pardon can blot out guilt.
Tillman says 'the spectacle has
been presented of the man who was
selected by the people to take my place
and assume leadership in the State, be-
ing slandered repeatedly from every
stump by a Reformer who failed to
furnish any proof"
Pray, Senator Tillman, specify.
Was it slander to show by the house
and senate journals that he voted
against you and your friends and for
your enemies or opponents on the
board of agriculture and that he vot-
ed to postpone the acceptance OF the
Clemson bequest, gift to the farmers
of more than $l00,0002
Is it slander to show the recent date
of his partial conversion to Reform3
Is it slander to show by the senate
journal that after his partial conver.
sion to Reform, he led the fight against
you while you were making desperate
efforts to elect a Reform judge on the
supreme bench2 Yet at Spartanburg
he admitted that he was paying off a
personal obligation" while the peo-
pie might be damned.
Was it slander TO ask some questions
about the bond deal2
He told you, and you told me that
his explanation was that he was only
employed ry Rhind after the debt was
founded, to get his commissions. He
said something like this in his first
statement, but three days later. at
Conway. he said he had been associat
ed with Rhind from the beginning. Is
it SANDER to ask why this contradlc-
tion2 Then he said he was to get
part of the commissions and he hoped
it would be SIS, 900 or moro.
Was it slander to ask what was
the nature of his valuable service 10
raise his hopes to such a dazzling Zig
ure2
He had but a natural curiosity to
know if he traded with Rhind before
he commended him to you. Then
was it slander to inquire of the ma
ture of the trade between them, !"
which you yourself say you did not
know"
When said that he (Evans) had re-
Gently tried to persuade party that
the impressions or recollection OF a
former conversation concerning his
commission fee was erroneous, was 1t
slander for CAN'T 10 verify the occur
renee OF such conversions
Is it slander to show that while you
were chairman of the State board OF
that local insurance was tax.
en- by local agents, and that now it is
concentrated in the hands Of Evans
brother at higher stock valuation
and one.fourth of one per cent. higher
rate than offered by Mr.. MAXWELL
Was it SANDER to show that he usurp-
ed the authority of the board of con-
troll when he gave as an excuse for
not having more meetings 'that he
and Tompkins ard Norton had agreed
upon policy and they had left him
to carry it out" Was it slander to
bring up the other two members OF The
board and prove he lied2
Would il be slander to show now
that trick of insurance was resorted
to, to anticipate the possible adverse
action of the present or new board OF
Will the dispensary books be suffi-
cient to show that but few days be-
fore the new board took charge and
Gov. Evans let 90. the unexpired in
on the dispensaries of the
State was cancelled, and all reissued
for 12 months2
Was it slander to prove by Attorney
Gen. Barber that Evans lied when
speaking of the dispensary bill drawn
at the last session, he saying there was
no previous agreement as to any other
proposed billa
Was it slander 10 detail his attempt
to enrich himself with rebates, and
his charge against you, in the pres
ence of an honest man who is ready TO
verify the truth of it,
Evans knew the truth of my charge,
and kept silent. and mp to date has
not denied it. He may when It's too
late to contradict him.
l showed sworn copies OF his own
vouchers on file in the comptroller
generals Office, which were charges
upon his contingent fund, which show
ed that he had travelled more than sew
en- thousand miles at public expenses
in nine months. All know this could
not have been on legitimate public
business. Let him account for this il
he can; If not, keep silent.
1 showed that in the passage OF the
last dispensary law he recommended
one thing and tried TO DO another.
Senator Elird was given as witness in
this case