The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-05-27


South Carolina has met with an ir-
roparable loss. The death of Senator
Joseph Fl. Earle at an important juno
ture In our public affairs, and when he
had just entered upon the threshold of
an honorable and useful career rs tho
representative Of his native State in
the highest council of tho nation,
brings us face to face with q calamity
that Is felt in every nook and corner Of
the old commonwealth. 1t is not alone
that the State is to be deprived of his
splendid abilities, though the loss in
this respect Is not to be undcrvalued :;
1T is not that he is cut down on the worry
verge Of an enlarged usefulness, in
which he had enlisted with enthusiasm
and proper zeal for tho accomplish
ment of high aud noble purposes, nor
1s 1t altogether on account Of the valu-
able service he was expected to ron
der as au illustriOus son OF tho Pal
metto State, rejecting credit upon the
constituency which had elevated him
to high position, and gaining distinc-
tion for himself while di=charging pub
lie duties in tho nations Senate. All
these arc involved in the sad blow
which has fallen upon the Stat, but i,
will be recognized that in peculiar
sense there is vacancy among our
public men it will be difficult to r, =
place. Senator f. .rlo was conspicuous
for his thorough Independence and
complete freedom from the domination
OF other men, while cOurteOuSly re-
ceiving at all times the advice and
yet when the timo came for him tn act
he relied upon a judgment that seldom
failed to reach right conclusions. II :
admirable pOiso and self-cOntrol, cOu-
Piled with a magnetic presence, at onc,'
drew around him n host Of admirers,
and as the years went by the number
continued to increase until ho had per-
sonal friends and staunch supporters in
every section Of tie State. Thia wnS
evidenced last summer when the p e
pie for the raI ,imc cast ihetr h.l o.
direct for UDit.d Stats ) n.ror,
Scarcely n aprccincl in Huy cuu45 t i
did not give him :. @nOi sGqp"it n&o
1T was his strcLgJa 2lAunG t.e ,o. :
that SO deceived thn7n WAC " to t0u.l-
Ing upon his defeat by great Uuds IN
the first primary. He was known as
one that could be depended upon, and
he was not the candidate Of any faction
Or the subscrvicnt tool of any man. He
was sololy judged upon his merits and
cord.
Five years ago he assumed position
in political affairs that would have
consigned almost any man to obscurity.
He was conscious OF the rectitude OF
his purposes, and calmly bided the
time when his vindicatiOn would come.
Clean and unimpeachable in career
that had gained him considerable emil
nence among his follow citizens, he
had nothing to fear from tho adverse
criticisms which came inevitably to q
man who expressed counter opinions to
those held by many of his friends and
political associates. Time would de-
termino whether he was right, and
when tho day arrived that thoughtful
men were seeking a. loader who would
provo acceptable in Il great emergency,
Joseph II. Earle stood out foremost
among the citizens upon whom could
be rallied the hitherto warning fac
tions, and to him thoro was rapd
accretion Of strength and support that
amply repaid him for tho apparent
Indifference and rejection Of former
days. Ho could stand out in tho white
light Of investigation and go through
tho refining crnciblo Of the most
searching examination without SC
much as tho smell of fire upon his gar
mcnts. His Judgment Of 02 was en-.
dorscd by handsome majority Of his
fellow-D :mocrats in '96.
Senator Eale mad Only q few days O
intercourse with his brother Senators
and yet he made an indcliblo imprcs
sion upon them as Il man OF dignliiot
manners and courtly bearing, while
tho single instance where he wa
brought before them in Il brief arEu
mont for justice and ris ht sutlicGd t.
give them bigh estimate of his intei
lectual capacity. 1t was freely pr'
dicted in Was hinGtOn that he wout
take rank among sac foremost in d,
bate, and that Lis career would Z
marked with honor to his stu,
Among the Yruny.r Senator'S, IA!