The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-09-17
Earle is the Winner.
VII! Make an Able and Progressive Senator.
His Public and Private Life Pure
and Upright.

Both Factions Joined in His Flee
The second primary has resulted in
the nomination Of Joseph H. Earle as
the choice Of the Democracy FOR the
high and dignificd Office of United
States Senator. The election of Judge
Earle to this position will not take
place until January, 1897, when the
Legislature ronvcncs in annual session.
The Democratic nominees for the
Legislature lie pledged to abide the
result Of the primary, and hence they
arc simply @ put the Will Of the pco-
pie into 70 cc when they cast their
ballots for } ldge Earle as The success
sor OF Hon. John l.. NJ. Irby, whose
term expire on the 4th of March
1897. The Legislature will be COM
posed of men nominated at the pri-
mary, and il matters not that a county
was carried for Evans or Earle. the
aggregate result in the State gave Il
majority TO Earle, which settles the
question SO far as the Democratic
members are concerned.
This is the first election or nomina-
ton OF the Kind in the state. II,hcr-
to it has depended upon The individual
choice Of the legislator. or he has been
governed by The pledge made during
the campaign to the people. In 1894
the members of the Legislature were
chosen for the first time with spccia,
reference TO the candidates for United
States Senator, giving their pledges
for either Tillman or Butler, whi II re-
suited in IN overwhelming victory for
Tillman. II was olc Of the original
rlanks of the Reform platform that
every officer in the State was to be
nominated AT a primary election, but
it was never carricu into effect until
the present ycal. The rules of the
Democratic party were amended so as
tn provide for the selection of a cHndi-
date for United States Senator by a
direct vote uf the people, and the con.
test between Evans and Earle is the
initial event in that practice. There
was some talk last spring OF amending
the rules Of the party SO as to remand
the election Of United States Senator
0s heretofore to the Lcgi Stature. This
proposition met with very little favor
in any quar- cr, and when the rumor
gained curl nncy that the suggestion
came from Governor Evans n some of
his friends, il was vigorously denied ON
the part Of Evans. II might be lntrr.
csling to speculate upon the probabli-
ties Of the Senatorial race if the rules
hal been so amended, but the fact is
no one dared 10 father such a proprSi-
lion, and the people were given the
rcins for tho irsl time in an absolute
sense. They have spoken in no un-
certain tones. and any suggestion that
the result is not binding upon the Leg
islaturc wuud be rank treason TO ;hr
people, who are sovereign.
Judge Fla ic became Il candidate at
the sohcitat on Of Rcf"rmcrS and Con
scrvativCs, 5 they were stylcG undcl
the old ali nmrnt. he was moi in
clincd to en- cr the field, and for tive
or three mo lths after he was approach
cd on the $, bjcct there was not mucl
tendency to make the race. His con
sent was pnrtially given prior to The
opening of be campaign, but il was
day Of the lilst campaign meeting Il
Manning, at which time Judge Ear!'
was holding court in Charleston. IL;
pledge was in tho hands OF Mr.. Il. O
futdy, OF Sumter, former law part
hcr OF Judge Earlc's, and through so,n
misunderstanding the pledge was file,
and then withdrawn, but the matte
was Strengthened out by subscqucn
leie.'rams, and his pledge was duly &C
ccptcu py Hon. ID. III. T0mrkins
chairman OF the State executive con,
mlttee. For eight or ten meetings
was mpiaclicable for Judge Earle {
DE present, unless he had neolcctc
Official duties, and this he would nc
do. His entrance into the camnaio
was at Sumter, his old home. whrr
his earlier triumphs in politics wrr
made, and which was good omen ! r
his success in this lace.
The official returns give Earle NJ,
jority of 3,ilS votes, and show a,tot,
of 2,7lS votes, of which Earle =,
ceivod 1908 and Evans 39, roo Thi
is not rs full vote as many cxrcctc
in the second primary, but it is an il
crease of nearly 5000 over the lrs