Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-06-09

plan. Illl1nan uSeu MS llIluellCe ioi
Evans where he could. and Evans won
the nomination; but as the result of the
campaign there was much bitterness
between Ellerbe and Evans.
Upon the expiration Of the second
term of John Gary Evans. Ellerbe was
elected as his successor
Within a short time after Tillman
went to the senate, he and lrby quar-
relied. Various reasons were given out;
but austute politicians of the time as
signed it to two principle reasons. One
was the fact that Irby took precedence
over Tillman by reason of his holding
the position of senior senator. and the
other was the belief that Tillman pre-
ferred as his colleague his entirely
agreeable understudy, John Gary Ev-
ans. There is little reason to doubt that
both of these considerations had their
weight.
At any rate Tillman gave 1t out that
he proposed to fight his former friend
and colleague ]. L. NJ. Irby, and during
the summer of 1896. both sides began
preparation for a battle royal that
threatened serious consequences to the
Reform party.
John Gary Evans entered the lists
against Irby along with Joseph II.
Earle and others.
After the campaign had progressed
for some time, it became evident TO
Irby and his friends that Tillman would
win unless something was done, ana
Irby decided to withdraw and work for
Earle against Evans.
Earle had opposed Tillman in 1890,
as the Conservative candidate, and the
Conservatives got behind him solidly in
the fight against Evans. The union OF
Irby with the Conservative forces de-
feated Evans and elected Earle.
Within a few weeks after taking his
seat, Earle died, and strong pressure
was brought to bear on Governor Ell
lerbe to appoint Evans as his success
sor: but Ellerbe and John l.. McLaurin
had been friends from boyhood. Nc
Laurin. then in congress, had already
made more impression than any other
South Carolinian Of the new regime in
that body and Ellerbe appointed him.
McLaurin accepted the appointment
with the understanding that it must go
before the people in a special primary
to be held the following summer, and
took his seat on June l, 1897.
The entries in the primary that fol-
lowed were Evans, Irby S. G.. Mayfield,
and McLaurin. Mayfield withdrew be-
fore the close of the campaign.
The campaign was fierce and heated.
Already in the house, McLaurin had
taken the position that if protection
was to be the policy of the government
the products of the south should have
the benefit of protection whenever pos
sible, instead of being Disseminated
against because there was nobody to
look after them, and all the other can
didates fought him as Republican.
Tillman recognizing that McLaurin
was easily the strongest man in the
race, and desiring the election of Evans
fought McLaurin; but McLaurin was
elected over both Evans and Irby by a
majority of 1872 votes.
Following the policy on which he
had been elected in the campaign, Nc
Laurin became powerful and influen-
tial in the senate; and took higher
place than Tillman, notwithstanding
the fact that the latter was now senior
senator.
But Tillman was never able to for
give McLaurin for butting in over his
friend and favorite John Gary Evans,
and continued the war on McLaurin,
ns gging at and hampering him at ev-
cry opportunity.
McLaurins term was to expire on
March 4, 1903, and his successor was to
be elected in the summer of 1902.
Realizing that he could not control
the vote of the people; but still domi-
mating the machinery Of the party,
Tillman had the Democratic executive
committee pass resolutions impugnln'
McLaurins Democracy and frame up
as a condition to entering the primary,
a pledge that McLaurin could not sign
without stultifying himself.
Unwilling to sign this pledge, Nc
Laurin remained at home. Others
whose political records were virtually
the same as McLaurin's so far as posi-
tionS maintained were concerned sign
ed the pledge and A. G. Latimer who
utMcLaurined McLauria in what was
then being opprobriously denounced as
McLaurinism, was elected.
There were two primaries In the
1902 campaign. The entries were John
]. Hemphill, William Elliott. John
Gary Evans, D. H. Henderson and a. e.
Latimer. Latimer and Evans got in
the second primary, Latimer leading,
and in the second heat Latimer won by
a big majority. AS in previous cam
paigns. Tillman gave his influence tol
John Gary Evans
Latimer died shortly before his term
of office expired and the legislature
elected as his successor with the un-
that he was not to enter
the primary for the full term Hon. f.
B. Gary.
There was another fight for this seat
in 1908. The entries were r. G. Rhett,
John p. Grace, John Gary Evans, r. d.
Smith, George JohnStone, o. Is. Martin,
w. w. Lumpkin. Senator Tillman
again gave his support to John Gary
Evans; but in the second primary
Smith defeated Evans by majority OF
more than 10000 votes.
The outlook this year is that there
are to be only two candidates in the
prmary-Senator Smith and
Governor Blease Mr.. Evans is sup
posed to be still manipulating for the
future.