The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-06-09
Columbia, June 6, 1916.

In it's editorial, "Assails the Demo
cracy," in its issue of June 2. The Co.
lumbia State contends that "the charge
brought by Mr. John L. McLaurir
that Ex-Governor Evans owes his
position as State chairman to the fact
that in 1912 some man not restrained
oy conscientious scruples was need
ed to overturn the verdict of the peo-
pie at the ballot box is a charge not
so much against Mr.. Evans as it l.
against the Democratic party in South
Carolina"
The Columbia State mistakes a po-
litical convention ring for the Demo
cratic party of the State. tMr. Evans
was repudiated by the people of South
Carolina in 1896, while he was still
gorernor of the State, and The Co.
lumbia State led the fight for his re-
pudiation, and none gloried in it
more than The Columbia State. He
has been repudiated by the people
every time he has sought Office since.
No harsher things could be said
about any man than The Columbia
State said about Governor Evans then
and surely the Office Of governor is
higher office than that of State
chairman. No harsher things could
easily be said than The Columbia
State has said about other men who
were governor Of South Carolina
Democratic governors elected by
Democrats after being nominated in
Democratic primary.
No charge has been brought against
the Democratic party in South Caro-
lima. A charge has been brought,
however, and The Columbia State is
the only witness necessary to prove
it.
The convention ring which was
casting around in 1912 for State
chairman mot restrained by con-
scientious scruples, to overturn the
verdict of the people at the ballot.
hox" would naturally turn to the files
of The Columbia State to select such
a man. Nothing would be more nat
ural-for aren't all the political rec
ords written there, and hasn't The
Columbia State fought, bled and died
with this ring in many political con-
tests since February Is, 1891, on
which day it was given birth to fight
the Reform movement?
Who was the logical man for the
task to be performed? Some man
who had the experience, of course,
And who had the experience? Why,
John Gary Evans, according to The
Columbia State, then edited by the
late Mr.. n. G. Gonzales, whose name
still appears at its masthead. What
had Mr.. Gonzales said of Mr.. Evans
as to his willingness to "overturn the
verdict of the people?' Listen to his
words in the issue of his paper Of
August 29, 1896:
"It is rumored that Gov. Evans has
induced by indirection the delay in
the declaration of the primary vote
for senator until today in the hope
that Senator Tillman will persuade
the executive committee to throw out
enough boxes in Charleston to give
him a majority. We are not worried;
for we do not believe that either Till
man or the committee would with
open eyes sacrifice the Reform
party to the success of weakling like
Evans. Such an outrage would double
the number of those tReformers' who
have revolted against Evans. 1t would
smash the party as nothing else
would"
1t must have been On account of
this experience in political chicanery
that the convention of 1912 made him
State chairman. It could not have
been on account of his merit, and he
could not have been the choice of the
people, because The Columbia State,
edited by Mr.. N. G. Gonzales (whose
name still floats at its masthead)
said away back in 1896 that THE
PEOPLE would not risk any further
experiments with him, and that ne
could not rise by his own merit. Lis
ten to the words of Mr.. N. G. Gonzales
in the issue of The State of septem-
Der IA, 1895:
anr5;norilv uo would feel SymD3th =