The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-01-25
NEAL TO THE PEOPLE.
REVIEWS HIS CONNECTION WITH
THE REFORM MOVEMENT.
Bitter Experimentation Jchn Gary
Evans Was Nominated. and why
the Dispensary LAW Has Been the
Source OF Evil.

SOuTtc Ol Cfus
To the people of South Carolina;
For six wears lave been superinten-
dent of the Suuth Carolina penitcntiary.
The condition of the institution speaks
Tor itself and challenge any criticism or
Investigation. Had l been content to
attend strictly to my official duties, my
management Of the institution has been
such that could have held the position
of Superintendent, without Uppusltlon, as
long as 1 cared to remain in public life.
Fortunately or unfortunately, however, L
have aspirations and hopes beyond tho
mere routine ot official life. have been
inspired by au ambition to be OF practical
benefit to the people of my State, and /
have never entertained for Il moment the
thought that being public officer de-
barred me from tue privilege exercised
by every citizen of attempting to infiu-
ence for good the affairs Of my State. ln
fact, I have felt as public servant that
tt was my duty to do all in my power to
better tile condition Uf public affairs. L
have firmly and consistently, without
regard to the effect ON my individual
fortunes, supported the best men for
office and the pnlicies that believed
would best cunserve the public interest
There is such "a greed for office in South
Carolina that it makes towards 0f most
of tlruse holding or seeking office. have
earnestly striven To NOT allow this blight
to wither my III tnIluod or patriotism.
II South Carolina needs anything she
needs men who are not afraid or VIII"
are not prevented by selfish interests
from following the dictates of culiscience
and duty. LII the very beginning felt
th. ueeu of reform aud was an original
s.F ,rlners Movement" man. >upp"rtcd
Tllluau in 1890, aud almost Without soli-
citation nn my pirt WAS elrctet Smpriin-
trud.nt uf tile South Carnliua pruitrn-
tiarv in 1892. l had lived "n my thrin
anil knew but little of public men ''r
public affairs. had great c'ntidrlre in
the ultimate eo"I puil"'sc "f the Iet"' nj
move neut. In 1898 tile dispenSaiy Sls-
tenn was iulmgurated in South Carolina.
II was Il new an unIiie,l experiment.
| had II great deal uf c.,iitdeuce III Tilt
lIiau aud gave iiitm my c"rIial supp"rt i'll
his eu,ieav,r tn make the law success.
AS long us Tillmlau was IN the gUvtrIIbr' =
office, his natural fnrce aud popularity
wi,h The peuple enabled him tU keep the
machinery luuniug, though with great
iriciiut Ifuresaw durin. Tillman' s last
term mat when smaller and weaker tilen
tIu.lert.,uk tu WELD tlie aut'crhtic power
necessary tu secure the enfurcrmrnt of
the cisp-nsary law ir ineaut dis .ster.
The diSpelsary as originally enacted was
meant to fit tile stern and ailt.'cratc at
| tributes uf tile first farmer governor, but
such l,assh aoniu>ir .tinu of the nv
creating such radical change in the
habit. uf tile people, could not l.ug br
continued aiming II liberty loving people
accustomed u govern themselves. Whtr
il came tn he enforced ty AL "api>t, iini-
tatnr aud wcaklin." trouble hr9an.
In 1894 WAS invited IL Z" tu WASH
| inulun IL atlen'l Il culittrenct. "a>
pres-nL IN IrIY's cnil'ni:tre i,"'ln wl,rn
IL ~as Diet, ruined Ia make john Guy
| Evans wrv,.iiiu ui South Cirrliui. There
was only one M III wlrn ral>e,i his voice
against it, in prot, 1t. | "aS IL witnr>s TO
the sc-lie WHEN lie witIl.lre" in anger
ilunl the conference. | came home from
| Wa>l,iugtu,, convinced that it MAS I'M
polite and wrong rnr Il caucus in WASH
in4tnii tn select Il governor for tile pen
ple al 5 mth Cir,liut i:u,i wien the in
famous C"llct,n plan WAS prop 'S.'l. hy
Which tile conservatives ut IIu 5 dIe w' rr.
lislrancIii>eh arl put up.'n The >ame b.
sis as the uc.r... drtrrtin-d that il [
never held all"tIlrr public office | would
oppose such piece. "i l..Ii'i..al ,llain!.
! AT that lime G.,vrrii,r EIlerl,c WAS l,.'.
the stlrctinm would lave made IL itln
tor guvein"r. blit circumstances wrrc
such as t., bin. him INT" he ii. l.l as lie
logical upp,li-lit at john Gary Evans. |
supported E,lrrbe aud the hl>tury of that
! campaign is tn, we'll known tn need re-
cap,tulatiuu. 1t il very mnpl.asant f.'r =
nian t., te forced t., differ Will. H., lead
err at his own party err faction anil after
the election "f John Gary Exams [ gave
lis administration loyal SUPPORT atni
luped to ste it Il Sllrcrss. Ili> piriiie
an arbitrary a,Iniimis ration was otli'us
Ia the people of SuuLl, Carolira and every
fihre in my nature rev.lted at the thought
"i having sncE 1 governor uf my ST IT..
When The ~euit"iiaI bee htGtn t' buzz
| in his l"tIfIrt it, was Il sliirtt sound tony
ear. tor stw in his selfish ii, size 4" s,il,-
plant the tl,an wio had ma'le lin gsv-
t,tinr the urp,rtuliiIy tn lid the State at
an iuruhu>. ll.ligit iiaI the rl' c'i"rl
uf Eli. rhe would pr"ve IL brie.lic'iun atrl
hlr>sing [" thr p.0pl,. "t SOUTH CIR 'liIi'l
AMI that the capacity y"f john Gar! Evaus
Tor harm would he tar less III The s,iia'-
uf the UniteI $ ate> ill,ii III the govern
",'B ,h,ir NJ. clltf desire, then, was
The clrc,i"n nf Governor Ell,lhm AMI |
sumr,Ilua'e,l U rrStliliy else tu llat rn'.
He wah elected g.'vern"r 10y almost Il
I'm ninl"tls vote uf The l,e,plr. The tail
urr of his administration to r,aliZr the
r.aS"nahl. hopes "f his friends Is t"'
p,iniui for nle lu discuss. | brlit.e LnaI
GWrrllur Ell.-Ilm i. cunStituiinlrilly hon
.>t and that he llas faithfully fiir'l I"
nc,, the requirements nt Il situation hc-
y"nd lis power and p''-sibly BEYOND
that at an. man
a,u iI"w and always willbc his friend,
and a" NOT propose. 1" stv nii.. word IN
this letter in rxcul PATTON nf my II.
which will add Ia the dlifrnlrirs now
suIr"ut"ing him. have cn,l-;,v'l"'I L.
al. .,,priatu with the men in South Caro-