The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-09-22


Governor EVANS issues an Address to the
Democracy.
THANKS TO HIS SUPPORTERS.
Reviews the Recent Senatorial Cam
paigp and Gives His Ideas as to
the 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 a few words to the
public at large. / came to the Cover
norship of the State with the policy OF
the Reform movement thoroughly out
lined and given to mt by the Re-
formers who had nominated me and [
have been confronted by many difficult
and important problems for solution,
These problems were political, legis-
lattve and judicial, and while not alto
gether of my own making IL was my
duty as the leader of my faction to
shirk no duty imposed upon meaby my
party, my predecessor in Office or the
General Assembly. Under such cir.
c~umstances, there was but cRe course
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 L met
with most serious difficulties and neces.
sarily made many enemies, more politi-
a than personal, for the reason as Is
well 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 n
failure and TO restore them to power.
From this faction 1 could expect noth
ing ave implacable opposition to my
administration. /, 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 beneficiaries of the Reform
movement. Had L known at the be-
ginning what was to occur during the
campaign, l might well have said,
Save me from my friends and l will
take care of my enemies No doubt
many changes had taken place in the
minds of individuals on matters con-
nected with the Reform movement and
the State government. The final result
OF this election, unfortunate as it is to
u faction and to me, Is due, in the
first instance, to the thorough organi-
zation of the Conservative minority,
which fought me with all their bitter
ness and v~ituperation, not for the rea-
son, as is sought to be inculcated by
their newspapers, of any unworthiness
on my part, but simply because | re-
nrnenntp1 thu Pnfnrn, ,nun,n ften nd
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 stabbing me in the back and
finally united with the opposition,
which was powerless without their
help, to accomplish my defeat. If the
Reform party has been injured by this
campaign or my defeat sis the beginn-
ing of the end" let the blame rest upon
the heads OF the traitors and false
friends in W ranks without whose
help it could not nave been accomplish
ed. Who these parties are | need
not state here, for late developments
have exposed some of them and time
will ncove tho others to the public.
| can find no words with which to
fully express my deep appreciation OF
the adherence and steady devotion aud
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 oLen foes and secret enemies. When
we take into consideration the persis-
tency with which SANDER and misre.
presentation we're repeated, though AS
often refuted, not only by individuals,
but by a partisan and INSCRIPTIONS
press, which seemed bent upon max
ing our people believe the statements
of men in whom they had no con-
idence and reports without any Gounda-
tion, it seems wonderful that d greater
number OF our people were not made
to believe them n to vote against
mo. 1t is q beautiful example. how
ever, and will eve serve to make me
appreciate and have confidence in the
honesty OF the masses. 1t shall be the
proudest recOllections Of my life when
L recall the fact that after the most
Infamous campaign ever known in the
history Of South Carolina, not eX--p..
ing Radical days, or probably in any
other State, fully one-half OF our peo-
pie, if'not more, for some 5000 TO 10, 900
in the country could not be e item to
the polls, persisted in refusing to be-
lieve these ISLANDERS, although seconded
by q venal 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 ayowed or
known to me at the time.
Let 1T be understood hat ] am not
complaining or blaming those OF our
Innocent Or unsuspectipg people who
were thus led to vote against me, but
now that the campaign is over and the
result declared, | am satisfied all fair
minded men will carefully review the
wrongs done nj and will place their
righteous indignation upon the guilty
parties and point the finger of scOrn at
those unworthy of belief. | am will
ing TO leave the whole matter with
the people, for am sure that to many,
ever Of those who voted against me-, a
sober second thought will come, which
will convince them Of the great in
justice that has baen done, and SO far
as my enemies are concerned, time will
bring it's revenges.
have but little to say in reference
to my opponents. One OF them is
beneath my notice after having been
so contemptuously reDudiated and