The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-09-29
GOOD ApvIoE NO anFonnGRs:

GOOD ADVICE no REFORaaEHS.
The Danger of Prescribing Other
Men for Exercising the Right TO
Vote as They Pleased I'm the Pri-
maries.
Columbia Register, oath inst.
ion it has several times expressed that
the Reform faction emerged from the
recent Senatorial primary stronger
than it went into that contest. 1t has
demonstrated to the world its broad
ness and Hberality, its Independence
and progressiveness, by showing that
the stamp of complete factional afilia-
ton was not sufficient to secure its solid
support. In what is known as the Con-
sentative faction there are thousands
Of men who have been as staunchly
loyal TO the organized Democracy as
the Reformers themselves, and who
have always admired and endorsed the
basic principles Of the Reform move
ment, but held aloof at the first from
afiliation Herewith because of the
recklessness with which Tillman scat
tered broadcast charges against the
honesty and integrity of men whose
prowess and patriotism illumined some
of the brightest pages OF South Caro-
lina's history /; they felt that a vote for
Tillman in q primary would be an en-
dorsement of his charges, and this they
We're unwilling to give, though sympa-
thizing otherwise with the plans, pur-
poses and principles Of the movement
which placed him In power. After
Tillman's election to the United States
Senate and removal from the arena of
active politics in South Carolina, these
members Of the Conservative faction
were ready to bury the Ratchet and
join with the Reformers in securing
the benefits of the Reform movement
and working for even better things for
the beloved mother State. The only
thing In the way of this union of the
conservative forces of the citizenship
Of South Carolina was a fear on the part
of the men we have described that par
titan %prejudlces would make OF them
mere political hewers Of wood anu
drawers of water should they join with
the Reformers-not merely hat they
would be debarred from office-holdipg,
but that they would be denied free and
full communion and all voice or influ-
ence in determining the accomplish
ments of the political force with which
they would identify themselves. Joseph
II. Earle was the most conspicuous
representative of this class of the Con-
~servatives, and probably occupied more
advanced ground than any other mem
Der of it. His nomination as the De-
mocracy's candidate for United States
Senator, largely by the votes of Re-
formers, is proof to the class of conser-
vative Conservatives hat their fears
were groundless and that there is
nothing in the way of that complete
reunion of the liberal, progressive,
conservative white men of South Car
DINA, which every thinking, patriotic
son OF the State must have earnestly
desired.
The Register does not claim the gift
of prophetic vision, but it does assert
possession Of some power to tell the
study and analysis of the history of the
past, since there is paught new under
the u and history repeats itself. An
army which can obtain no recruits, no
matter how successful in battle. must
ultimately be beaten If opposed to an
army which strengthens itself after
each defeat it sustains. An historic
Illustration of the truth of that postu-
late was tersely expressed by Congress-
man Talbert when he said the 'Con-
federates were never conquered, but
wore themselves out thrashing the
other fellows" Maintenance OF q pro-
oNiiPVifo POI oAouh pISJuulCo NY UES
RefOrmers would ultimately have
doomed the faction to downfall, for it
would have prevented the factions
acquiring recruits while each victory
1t gained was purchased by y loss OF
strength. Had Evans been nominated,
that might have been called "a Reform
triumph" but it would have been an
other such victory as that obtained by
Pyrrhus in Italy, when he could obtain
no achievements, of which he ex-
claimed, Another such victory and
we are lost" The Reform faction is
stronger because it has opened it's
doors to recruits.
But those Reformers who are indulg-
ing in bitter invectives arainst such
members of their faction as had the
independence to vote for Earle for SEN
ator should halt, for they are paving
the way to disruption of me Reform
faction and its overthrow. The men
at whom they are hurting such epithets
as TRAITOR" and "~betrayer' are Just as
steunch and loyal and true as them
selves, and are not likely to tamely
submit to such insults. II those insults
are persisted in, tn effect will be that
the combination which elected e ,rle
will be made permanent and, since it
has demonstrated its strength, will at
tract to itself the several Thousand
voters whose convictions are o so
stable as to Offset their desire to be on
the winning side. The Register ad-
vises those Reformers who supported
Governor Evans and are giving free
rein to their chagrin to carefully re-
read this editorial. If they are inter
Eestedin the preservation of the Reform
movement 1t will pay them to do so.
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