The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1916-11-03
EVANS SUMMONS
ALL DEMOCRATS

To the Democrats of South Carolina. :.
My attention has been called to The
fact that tickets for the general cleo
ton are being distributed to voters
IN the counties with the name of Cole
L. Blease printed thereon in place of
Il. |. Manning, the regular nominee for
governor of the Democratic party of
TINS State. In speech before a con-
ventlon of his friends in Columbia
on October "a, the defeated candidate
IN the primary stated that neither he
nor his friends were bound by the
result OF the late primary election in
which he was a candidate. This man
nied pledge to support the nominees.
state and national, of the Democratic
party and when he voted took an
oath to abide the result of the pri-
mary election and to support the nom
lnees thereof When the State COM
mlttee met to tabulate the returns
and declare the result not a protest
or contest written or verbal was made
on behalf of any candidate.
This fiimsy pretense of fraud with
out offering evidence thereof to the
committee or to the courts of the
State is simply an excuse to make a
cowardly and covert attack on the
regular nominees of the party. These
ballots that are being distributed will
be voted by some or they would not
be handled in the various counties Of
the State. There are between 1000
and $4,000 negroes registered. I'm
less the believers in a white mans
government go to the polls and vote
the regular ticket on election dav
there is danger of it's defeat or at
least humiliation. deem it my duty
as State chairman of the Democratic
party to sound this note of alarm and
call upon all white men who remem-
Der the dark days of Radical misrule
not to be caught sleeping on guard
while these enemies of our civiliza-
ton are assassinating the nominees
of the party.
Our people have trusted white men
to be true so long that they are hard
to make believe that one could yio-
late his sacred pledge or oath, out It
is frankly admitted by some that thew
intend doing it and we must meet
it like men. If candidates before the
primary and voters thereat bound nv
solemn oath to support the nomi-
nees can violate their oaths because
they believe that improper means
have been employed resorting to the
party machinery or the State courts
to correct the supposed wrongs then
every man is his own Judge and jury
and his only restraint is his own con
science. Can we afford to counte-
nance such conduct as this? IF so
our primary laws are not worth the
paper they are written upon and the
safeguards of white supremacy are
mere shadows. Not only is our Stass
ticket menaced but there are three sets
of presidential electors in the field
and the defeated candidate openly
states that he will not assist in elect
ing Woodrow Wilson, the Democratic
nominee for president. Could a more
open bolter be wanted than this? Our
nominees for State Offices are all good
and true white men with honorable
records. Our nominee for president
has done more for the country at large
and the South in particular than any
president since the War Between the
States. Their characters are unim-
peached. Rally then to their support.
Don't go to sleep while the periurer
votes. Be vigilant and see that every
vote Is cast and counted, this is your
only safeguard.
John Gary Evans,
South Carolina Chairman, Democratic
Party.
Spartanburp