The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-09-17
THE ADVERTISER.
LAURENs, $. c., Sept. IL, 1909.
Latimer Beats Evans.

MI. Latimer, the gentleman who has
been in Congress ten years n on
every stump opened his speeches. WIN
the statement that she was the only
farmer in the race against five lawyers
and who may be a patriot OF high or
der and talent, is elected Senator. He
have had worse. We are sure that Mr.
Latimer will do the best possible &C.
cording to his lights and he is an IN
dustrious person. We are not dissatis-
fed with Latimer. We have had
worse. We may never have better. we
wish him we'll. He will not be the
most unworthy man in the Senate.
The possibility Of the election OIL
John Gary Evans never really existed
What The ADVERTISER said before
the campaign opened, that he was
more sure to receive o good vote than
any other candidate, and yet certain 10
be defeated, was true. Between Evans
and Latimer the Reforners were d.
vided. The "Antis" were not divided
Save in ~Spartanburg, Columbia ana
Charleston the "Antis" unanimously
t'hed it inn for Evans. He was their
game. With Evans for quarry, they
delighted in the chase. 1t Is h grea1-
est "anti', victory yet achieved. Addi-
tionally, the McLaurin sentiment was
a powerful assistant to Latimer. Inc
holders of McLaurin patronage helped
Latimer. We do not charge, mind, that
Mr.. Latimer is a McLaurin man. We
merely say that four-ffths Of the NC
Laurin crowd wanted Latimer, ana
there we stop. The Charleston POST,
by the way, is mistaken in saying that
THE ADVERTISER claims that Latimer
embodies McLaurinism. Antagonism
of our old political clan and sympathy
of McLauriu's friends made Latimer's
election sure. In Charleston, Evans re-
ceived' a handsome vote comparatively
He did not expect much and the Omar
lesion community manifested a broad
and generous spir' in the votes That
they gave Evans and bad judgment In
those that they refused him.
1t is worth noting that tho News
and Courier declared for Latimer on
the morning Of the election on the
sole ground that he helped to get an
exposition for Charleston. The News
and Courier thus squarely goes on re-
cord that the Congressman who works
to get an appropriation for Charleston,
deserves a seat In the Senate. This Is
the News and Courier's conception OF
Senatorial qualifications. 1t is The
News and Courier's affair, but it's stand
ards of selection are interesting and
worth noting.
We wish to say very distinctly and
unequivocally that we did not support
MIR. Evans as a "choice of evils" We
supported him because we believed he
would represent the State OF South
Carolina with ability and honesty in
the American Senate. 1t is worth not
ing again that Mr.. Latimer's press
friends as a rule endorsed him with
apologies that would be insulting to a
man of spirit. They were fighting Ey-
ans-they were in the chase, that vas
all. Evans friends were for Evans,
because however they may have differ
ed with him heretofore they believed
him worthy of their support &c this
time.
THE ADVERTISER could o%f'course &C.
complish little for it's candidate in Lau-
rens. 1t weakened itself with some OF
it's friends. But The ADVERTISER has
no regrets for its stand except that 1T
failed to achieve the desired result. We
shall not quarrel with those who pre-
ferred Latimer--even with those who
opposed Evans with a venom that we
do not regard creditable to human ma
ture. We dismiss the subject with the
prediction that if Ex-Governor Evans
is still ambitious for a political career
he will have 1T. He has ability and
training, boldness and political skill.
He will accept defeat in the dignifed
manner that a gentleman should, not
withstanding the effort that has been
made to render him odious in South
Carolina. He is a young man, not yet
in his prime. He will be young enough
fifteen years hence to begin a long and
successful career in politics. 1t is not
likely that the people will ask him to
walt that length OF time. The gentle
tlemen who have labored SO earnestly
to destroy as well as to defeat him Will
find themselves disappointed. Mr.. Ev-
ans will "bide his time" indulge in no
display of ill temper which his perse-
cdtors long to see and, one dayRQr 9TH
er, be at the front again. THE ADyER-
TIsER may or may not be his friend
then, that will depend on the issues,
but Mr.. Evans will be. force Ia South
Carolina even longer than some of his
,detractors.
*x*
"His Excellency."
With ID. O. Hayward, the Colleton