The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-08-09
THE MEETING AT SUMTER.
Speeches by Governor Richardson, Lieut..
Gov. Mauldin and Others.
(From the News and Courier

holA ~ puLuteIS loT Juo boVeutu OOn-
gressional district, came off on the 1st
inst.
Speeches were made by Gov. Richard
son, Lieut.. Gov. Mauldin, Attorney
General Earle, Comptroller General
Werner and Capt. b. r.. TiIlman.
The Governor and the Lieutenant
Governor spoke generally to the same
effect as at the previous meetings. Capt.
Tillman's speech contained nothing new.
Comptroller General Werner spoke of
the State finances. He invited Capt.
Delgar to ask two farmers in the meeting
to exmine their two sets of figures, and
decide whether he or Capt. Tillman was
correct in his statement of the differ
ences between the expenses of 1S78-79
and l886-87.
Tillman: "Take Gen. Moore and Gen.
Earle, both are respected"
Werner: 81 will show the committee
what manipulation of figures you are"
He read the correspondence between
himself and Capt. Tillman on the vexed
question and Capt. Tillmens statements
at Chester on Monday. There was a
lively and continued running tilt on this
matter between the two. Here is the
summing mp Of it.
Capt. Tillman charged that Mr.. Yer
ner, in his statement of the differences
between the fiscal years of 1879 and
1868 had used the comptroller report
for 1869, and the treasure rs
report for 1878-79, and that he gave as
difference, after taking off the funded
interest OF 1892, 900, only $4,000. Mr..
Tillman claimed that this was done for
partisan purposes. In the figures which
Capt. Tillman gave the reporter of The
News and Courier, which were published
Tuesday, he claimed to prove that he
had proven substantially the correctness
OF his statement in the recent Democrat
ic Convention, but when pressed by Mr..
Werner he admitted that he had culled
out of the treasurer s statement for 1873
70 the figures which he used to swell the
difference to $237, 900, they being in
cluded in the aggregate expenditures for
the year l878-79, as shown by the trea-
sure's report. That is, he admitted doing
just what he had charged the comptroller
general with doing. He claimed he was
right in doing it, however.
Capt. Tillman and Mr.. Werner alter.
mated in speaking on this subject and
there was the liveliest interest among
the audience and much confusion.
ATTORNEY GENERAL EARLE.
was now loudly called for. He defeated
the State Government from the charges
made against it and reviewed the States
work in education,
This talk about reducing taxation, he
said, was demagogic. If legislators
were untrue to the behests of the people,
let them be turned out and new men put
in their places.
Again, in answer to Capt. Tillman, he
said he was willing to abolish the annex
so-called and give it's funds to the agri-
cultural college.
Capt. Tillman announced that the
Hatch fund had been stolen from the
farmers and that the agricultural board
did not represent them. Col. Earle dis
Eented from Capt. Tillman's position in
regard to the privilege tax fund That
should not 60 to tho agricultural college.
1t belonged to the people.
Tillman: "The agricultural board don't
represent the people,"
Earle: "Put them out, then"
Tillman: "But the Legislature is ma
nipulated."
Earle: "Then put ont the members.
Capt. Tillman is not the State. He
mustn't expect everybody to trail after
his opinions
After lively passage beyond the reach
of reporting, Gen. Earle said:
81 approve many thingsyou advocate,
but do not abuse people without cause.
Do not charge a class with wrong doing
and array class against class"
Tillman: "I've said harder things
against farmers than lawyers. I've called
them fools and puppets.
Earle: "4Ou cannot point to single
South Carolina Representative in Demo
cratic days who has stolen dollar"
Tillman: "I don't know about that.
There are some hshy things" Great
confusion, the entire platform being COW
cred with excited men crowding about
the couple. Cries of "Put him up to
testifyp'1
Earle: "Come ont openly and say it, -
Tillman, with hesitation and looking
awkward: ga reputable man in Marion
charges-land then he repeated Big
ham 3 slander about Governor Thomp-
SON. l don't endorse it, but [ was in
the House myself when Dean made that
report Bigham says he did. The News
and Courier thin morning has a reply
mentioning q lot of things in the man
sion, bnt that is not conclusive to NO."
Werner, exoitedly: "That schedule was
copied from records in my office. There
is not scntilla of truth in that accusa-
tion; not scintilla."
Tillman. doggedly: "Glad to hear
some one deny it.
Earle; "Then the thing that looks
fishy has disappeared. With all respect
for Governor Thompson, if man will
make an affidavit Against MN L Will haze
him brought to South Carolina and tried
Bnt don't let us have these accusations. y
Tillman: "It's not my charge, not my
business"
Earle: "Not your business when q
Governor OF the State is accused oI
theft?"
Tillman: "I would be ashamed tc
make the charge"
Earle: "Ashamed to accuse Governor
Thompson, and not ashamed to accuse
the Legislature of stealing agriculture
J funds?"
Tillmsn: Gam / under cross examina
} tion2"
Earle! "I ask you to specify ant
prove"
, Tillman: "1'm satisfied about Gov