The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-08-06
WADE HAMPTON.
The South Carolina Statesman Gives
His Views on One or Two
Subjects.
1artfT atevisiOn In the SOUTH Fa.
vOrite Presidential Candidates
His Impression of Grant.

CHICAGO, Aug. 4-The Tribune has a |
special from Philadelphia, giving an inter
view with Wade Hampton, IN which the |
senator gives his views as follows;
''You expect, then, the tariff win be an issue
in the coming political contests between the |
Republican and Democratic partiesF"
Il think there is no doubt of it. Tariff re- |
vision is q popular idea with the Democracy, |
but not free trade The south has too many
growing industries to be in favor of striking !
down the tariff and absolutely opening the |
doors to foreign competition. Our mining |
and manufacturing interests, you know, are |
but in their infancy, and we must have an
equitable protection for them"
Are your people contented under their
present conditionp
Our people are prospecting They are |
building up the waste places with wonderful |
rapidity. The relations between the blacks |
and the whites are satisfactory. The colored |
people, as well as the whites, are accumulat- |
ing something. Many of the negroes are get |
ting property, buying little homes and i'm |
proving them. As they do they are becom |
ing better citizens, interested in preserving
the peace, and i'll furnishing crime. l doubt |
whether the labor has improved, and it is u
problem whether it ever will But they are
improving and time and opportunity may
correct everything that needs correction"
Are your people much interested in poi
iticssn
81 am glad to say they are not. They are
simply attending to their business and trying
to improve their material condition. We
have had altogether to much of politics
Elections naturally create frictions and re-
sentiments that it takes time to mend II
wish we had fewer of them. | have always
favored extending the presidential term so as
to bring contests further apart would
apply the same rule to state and even county
politics"
Would the old ticket of Tilden and Hen
bricks find favor in your sectionM
1t would not. Mr.. Tilden is no longer
strong in the south If he had been renomi
mated at the last election he would have
polled the entire party vote There was
then feeling that he was entitled to con-
sideration. That sentiment has died out and
there is no call for the old ticket from the
southern states that have been able to find "
Would Mcdonald be a strong candidate
with youf'
Our people like MI Mcdonald very well
He has many friends in the South, and his
position upon many national questions suits
Our people, but he is by no means our strong
est candidate
''Who isF'
Senator Bayard, Of Delaware has strong
hold upon the affections of our people, and
would he the strongest candidate with us that
could be nominated He defended the
south with great power when she needed
friends, and besides that he is sound
upon all national questions, that are the
| foundation of our prosperity he,
| heve he would be the strongest candidate for
| the Democracy north as well as south. He
| has over been consistent and true upon
| financial questions, and represents the couser-
vative tariff view He is broad-guage through
out and would bring brains dignity, and the
highest character to the presidential Office.
l believe he could poll larger vote than any
man we could nominate
Would Gov Butler, of Massachusetts,
have any standing as presidential candidate
| in the south7'
| Il think not. Our people do not consider
| him as possibility They are looking for
ward to the nomination of clear conserva-
| tive statesman | have no doubt but he
could poll many Republican votes, but be
could not demand the full Democratic sup
| port"
do you look for an interesting session of
congress when you shall meet in December
mo doubt we will have an interesting
session. There are many important questions
to be passed upon. There is the reciprocity
treaty with Mexico to be disposed Of That
| is an important matter. l met the commits
| sioners, Gen. Grant, Mr. Trescott, and the
Mexican minister, and had an interesting
| talk upon the question / was quite i'm
! pressed with it. / have heard no expression
of opinion for or against it in the south, and
of course cannot indicate the probable action
| of the senate thereon"
WAS this the first time you had ever met
| Gen Grant"
1 Il never met him until about year or
more ago, when | came over here to dine
| with Mr. George ". Childs | must say
was very much surprised at the conversation
al powers displayed He is splendid talker,
and was very much interested in his ao-
| count of his travels abroad l confess / found
none of that retcence and want OF ability to
express himself that / heard SO much
about during the last fifteen years
found him a much broader and
ADLER man than | had expected
He discussed the Mexican question as he did
every other upon which / heard him talk
with great deal of ability"
"Yon never tested his fighting powers dur
ing the war"
| mo, my operations were in different sec
ton of the country and against another wing
of the Federal army"