The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-07-19
FARMERS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
A Meeting OF the State Executive Commit
tee In Columbia.
Special to Ne,cs and Courier.

COLUMBIA, S. O., July 10.-The lobby
of the Grand Central was lively this eve.
ming. The TiIlmanites were there. Tt
was the occasion of the meeting of the
executive committee the State Farmers
Association. There were twelve or fifteen
prominent "Reform men" present.
Among them were Capt. Tillman. r. 81.
Thomas, d. x. Norris, E. T. Stackhouse,
J..W. Beasley, and several persons, not
members of the committee, but in sym
pathy with them. One of these was Capt.
Sigh, of Newberry, who was invited to
attend the secret meeting and took ad-
vantage of the invitation.
The committee met at 6.15 and the
greatest precautions were taken to prevent
their proceeding being overheard. The
room 10 which the meetiog was held was
large bedroom at the end of the corridor,
on the third floor. 1t was about the
most isolated spot in the hotel. In addi.
tion To this Capt. Tillman acted as the
doorkeeper. he occupied seat directly
in the doorway all the evening, and
would look around at every approaching
footsteps.
President Norris occupied the chair.
It was understood early in the evening
that the object of this meeting was to
formulate some plan of aggressive
campaign. Of course, this report does
not pretend to be a verbatim account of
the entire proceedings, but the principal
points are correctly given.
The first question taken up was wheth-
er the Association should make an sg.
gressive fight and put canvassers in the
field, who would attend all the congress
sional district meeting and make opposi.
ton speeches to the Governor and
Lieutenant Governor. He said that while
they had good sound men on their side,
they had not the "gift of the blab," and
the politicians would "get away with
Them" Mr.. Tillman further believed
that Combine existed between all the
present officers to pool their strength and
stand or fall together"
President Norris called upon number
of those present to make reports upon the
following questions:
Chow is the farmers movement in your
county 2"
"Do you think that you can control
the delegates to the State Convention"
etc.
These questions were answered by about
half dozen of those present.
Mr. Tillman reported Edgeield as
uncertain, but he thought that be could
vote the delegation from that county for
any one the Association should desig-
nate.
About this time Capt. Tillman took
occasion to state that he had 70 selfish
motives in this fight; that all he wanted
was to "whip out this gang," alluding to
the present State officers.
Before one question had been settled
the Agricultural College was introduced.
Mr.. Tillman wanted men sent to the
next Legislature who we're heartand soul
with them and who would pull the annex
to pieces. If such men were not there,
the consideration of the Clemson bequest
would be postponed until the annex had
grown and taken root, and then the far
mers would be given a high school ip
place of "a college.
A resolution was offered making it the
sense of the committee that q fight be
made for the offices of Governor and
Lieutenant Governor. Itwas unanimous:
ly adopted. All local farmers clubs will
be requested to elect delegates to the coun.
ty conventions who will send farmers
movement men to the State Nominating
Convention.
Mr.. Tillman considered it more. .impor.
tant to elect Legislators in sympathy with
them than to elect q Governor of their