The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-06-01
REMINISCENCE OF EARLE.
The Impression he Made Upon a Boy
His Splendid Fight In 1890.

me impression he Made Upon a Boy
His Splendid Fight In 1900.
Columbia State.
The life Of man is woven of mingled
| shade and light. III Ich shadow clouds
the brightness; excess of light banishes
the shadow. When career like Sem
| ator Etrle's has closed and we read the
stainless roll of his achievements, con-
vlctlon seizes brain and heart that his
puoiic life redouuded TO the honor of
the land, rs his private life had ever
Illustrated the shining virtues of the
Christian gentleman. In time of evil
men, OF foul speaking, of wlckeuness
rampant and blatant. of social up-
heaval, he saved his crown Of spirit
ual nauhood" and followed not "a lul-
tltude to do evil" His course fore
shadowed brilliant career in the hall 8
0l national counsel l-brilliant and vet
founded on the rock of unremitting la :
Dor. over there In the 'undimmed
light at last you love and know" VINO
fought the tight and died like Roman,
ssentinel at his post.
Sixteen years ago one dark night q
boy lay on cot in little canvass tent
at Buck Forest, North Carolina. The
tent laced east where lights twink ed
boy lay half doztng a tall form fl led
the doorway, and in the half-light be-
came visible the form and features of a
splendid man. All, heav sn, what eyes |!
The voice stamped the impression 1t
was my first sight OF Joseph Earle.
Nothing has ever damned that recOl-
lection. 1t was an era in my life. Col
onel Earle become paadln. fancied
his ringing voice calling mail-clad
knights to battle-himse Ii the knigh
liest figure in the tnrong. That boyish
enthusiasm helped to q better under-
standing of the man. There was really
no Office 90. station that he would not
have = gracese and dign. fed.
There was in the man forced re.
serve that signifisd uncommon mental
strength. South Carolina was seethine
like hot caldron in 1890. Everything
ran like mlllrace for Reform. Tillman
was the iCol OF the masses. Against ali
that Earle lifted up his voice. He fought
the hydra of revolution at the mouth OF
It's lair. He failed, of course, as any
man must have failed but he won more
gecuine respect from Reformers them
selves--from the best of them-than
Tillman could inspire in the plenitude
OF his power. The effect of his superb
fight was his election az Judge, follow
ed later by his election in the Demo
cratic primaries to the United States
senate. He conducted that campaign
on the highest plane. The unbiased
| Judgment Of newspaper men at the time
was that 1t was the only Campaign of
education they had ever Witnessed in
the State. Men heard with attention
and went away instructed upon the
great Issues that engaged the atten-
] tiOn OF the country. Had he done no
more than to pitch the standard OF pub.
lilo debate on tnat lofty height, he
would would deserve an apot.heosiss
] met Senator Earle In the campaign
OF 1892. He was returning to Colum bia
from business trip. In response to a
question he gave his judgment to the
effect that the OpposltlOn would fail
and that Tillmanism would wane slow.
lyif upright men we're put,forward. and
erected to Uffice. Otherwise, it would
quickly pass and South Carolina be the
better for it's passage.
/ After his election TO the senate he
wrote me from Beaufort, In answer tt
a cOngratulatory note, saying that he
OF his friends, but thapthe issue, " as In
Gods hands. Prophetic thought Pc
tent utterance dis alitur visum,
and now he lies asleep, sentinejled BY
the blue mountains In the Pearl o
the Piedmoat."
Thousands will render tribute to hi
worth, and will pay fitting respect Il
his memory. joined the tnrong to LAY
this one flower upon his bier and nov
say farewell.
JAMES HENRY RICE, JR.