The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-01-19
The Message

little President, Gov. John Gary Evans.
II was sent up to both bodies OF the
! General Assembly on Wednesday last.
Gov. Evans dies like the swan singing
an old familiar note. The Dispensary,
Is largely the subject of argument and
eulogy in all its features, and includes
a justification of taking life in its en-
forcement. Another protracted argu-
ment to support the annuiment OF To-
cal self-goverment in the chief city of
the State. Here too instead Of Adams,
Seward and Grant, are invoked the
name, and shade OF Jefferson the chief
apostle and only prophet Of liberty
history.
Throughout the paper there is much
passion and vindictiveness against
those whom the Governor Is pleased TO
cal his enemies-the whiskey interest.
But the Governor forgets that himself
Is the chief offender In this regard;
that he Is the author and life preser-
yer OF the whiskey trade in the State,
being the boosted father Of the dispen-
sary law, and thus constituting the
whole people a corporation OF whiskey
vendors. The profits arising to the tax
payers, filling the Golfers of city, town,
county and State are paraded appeal
Ing to the avarice or lowest trait in hu-
man nature. But Governor Evans pa
sionate defence Of the dispensary is ex-
npoah1n onl un haocft1,, hD1l h;~,
blameless. 1t is his pet-his hobble-
dehoy. a man should be true to him
self and stand up for measures that are
his friends. The ~dispensary has been
his friend, In that the large patronage
it gave his Excellency, furnished his
administration it's best backing. Gov.
Evans was true to himself in that the
dispensary law can ''nevor shake it's
CORY locks at him"-that he, the Gov
ernor, was a false friend. The Gov
boasts that the State has flour
ished under his rule and the long mes
sage is constructed to prove it. Peri
Giles in his long administration Of the
Athenian Republic filled the city with
great and beautiful public buildings
and glorious objects Of art. Twitted
with extravaganza he proposed to pay
for the improvements if the Athenians
would suffer him to inscribe his name
on the buildings. Whatever our Gov
ernor has made Of the State, in this
farewell document, he has certainly
inscribed John Gary Evans, and not
like Draco's laws, too high and in too
minute characters to be read. The
same personality permates the paper
down to the peroration.
The public institutions, P~enitentiary
and others are represented as in q
healthy condition; the railroads doing
we'll; the great farming interests; and
the people happy. The Governor ia
vors the schools and the State Col
leges; he criticises Clemson and it's
management and iatimates that the
Legislature should c.refully look after
this great institution of the people,
He is not n of the trustees of this in
%stitution, but VIZ charitably regard
that this fact has not inspifed his
quasi eflScfsm. In conclusion lowing
himself off the stage, he makes a
graceful courtesy, thanking the people
for the great trust given him, con-
graduating himself and the country
that the republic has suffered no de-
triment, kissing his hand and retiring
with his face to the foe.
*x*
The Hon. Mr.. Money, of Mississippi
visited Cuba and saw Gen. Fitz Hugh
Lee, Consul General from this country
to Havana. He returns homo and Cos
sips in the newspapers about what Gen.
Lee said in private talks. Nobody
would expect anything more decent of
Senator Money than that he should
blow about having talked with Cen
eral Lee. Gen. Lee, however, should
have known better. He told "Money"-
as reported, that Spain could not sup
press the insurrectionists.
~
We think the News and Courier mis-
taken in describing Gov. Evans, as "an
alumnus" Of the South Carolina Col
lege. A graduate of a Carolina Col
lege would, inevitably have acquired
healthy ideas, of the rights of the
States, monopoly, personal liberty, and
local self-government. There must be
some mistake. North of Mason and
Dixon's line and o great way-some
"pent-up Utica"
*x*
The immaculate Boss Plat, in a eau
Gus of Republicans, was selected to sue
ceed D. B. Hill as Senator of New
York. This is equivalent to election.
The survival Of the f~ittcst, with other
postulates of evolution, remains un-
proven.