The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1896-09-16
EVANS DEFEAT.

battle of ballots has cleared away ana
We can now begin to see "~here we
are at" We have no reason to change
our opinion of the causes which pro-
duced the defeat of Governor Evans
in his candidacy for the Democratic
nomination for United States Sena-
tor. Iudeed, as The causes unfold
themselves and are more clearly dc
yeloped, the opinions expressed last
week in. these coiamrs are confirmed
It is amusing to read tie diveESl-
fed opinion Of the State press on
Evans's defeat. Each paper has had
more or less to say aboat it. Sone
regard it as the beginning of the end
of the Reform movement, going 50
far as to claim the success OF Jroge
Earle as Conservative vic:ory,Otiers
claim that the enactment and rlg-
orous enforcement Of the d!spensary
Law was what worked tie Governors
undoing; while our Charleston cog
temporalies are Of the opiuicn that
putting that city under the Metropoi
itan police system was what old tie
work. Some are of the opinion that
Tiilman's letter TO McS@eeney ard
others is what Influenced many Re
formers to repudiate Governor Evans
and throw the weight of their sup
port to Judge Earle. The Register,
in effect, claims that the Governors
loose remark about that paper at
Florence twoyears ago was factor
in the causes of his deafeat Some
hold the view that the Reform press
withheld its support aud influence
from the Governor on account CT the
passage of some laws by the last
General Assembly adverse to tne IN
terest of the press of the State.
All these influences may have had
their effect in shaping his defeat.
Yet there were other far more weight
cir and important influences at work,
without the use OF which Gov Evans
could never have been defeated
There is no question about the inter
eats of Irby, Brazeals, M;Leurin and
other prominent Reform Lieutenants
whom Evans has antagonized, being
used against him. Even the bond
deal and d;spensary scandals, while
they were important factors. we're
not sufficient to change enou b votes
to elect Judge Earle over him,
had he commanded the confidence
of the leaders and was in perieci
harmony and accord with them. Not
having their confidence and not be-
ing in harmony with them, their sup.
port was given TO another candidate,
who, while not rampant, was con-
sidered ar othordox Reformer of un-
sullied record. In E !gefeld county,
the home OF Das TomPkias, (who
has for months been his political en-
emy,) which invariably gave large
Reform maiorit;es, gave Earle ma
jority of 5l1; and at the same cleo
ton, Thurmond, Reformer, beat Mel
son, Conservative, 4t5 votes for So
lictor. In Larrens, the home Of
Irby, which has always been over,
whelmingly Reform in politics, gave
Earle majority Of 80 In Ander-
SOP, Mr.. Brazeale's home county, an
other strong Reform county and
which nominated Reformers for
county officers. gave majority ct
369 to Earle. Mallbo:o, Represen-
tati7e McLaurin's hone, give Evans
a bare majority compared with the
heavy majorities it heretofore gave
to the Reformers. As far as our in
formation is. ail these counties noml-
pated Reforners for county officers.
We might 60 on and ana]yze the
vote OF eaca county il the S5lte, haS
the above is sufficient to show that
the unpopularity Of Governor Evans
with members of his own faction is
to be attributed. in a large measure.
.one of the causes Of his defeat, ald
that his failure Of nomination cannot
be taken as al evidence of the 'be
ginning of the cad Of Tillmanism
in this State. There never Was &
time, and We trust there never Will
be time, when to: perpetulty CT
the Reform Movement depended
solely upon the nomination OF one
man to an cfice. Were this tie
case, it would be inhnia:ey better 10:
this faction 10 be wrecked upon its
own dishonor, ard above the ruins OF
this once magnificent structure w:!te
the epitaph: Died FROM an ever dose
of hypocracy, for, while pretending
to be patty OF righteous principles,
it Was in reality patty unworih" tie
respect of liberty loving men"
Doubtless the letter Of Senator