The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-06-13
CAPTAIN TILLMAN'S CHARGE.
He GOES TO The RECORDS FOR
PROOF no SUSTAIN 1T.

| a Rrjoirder to the Statemants Made
About His Speeches in the Democratic
State Convention.
10 the Editor Of the News and Couri-
er: Many newspaper readers OF late have
been sore]y puzzled over the hen and
egg problem: eff hen and half lay
an egg and half, how many eggs will
six hens lay in seven days?' I have h.en
the innocent cause of giving the peo-
pie OF South Carolina more difficult
and perpleMug problem than this to
solve, which may be stated thus: If a
chairman Of the ways and means com
mittee (Col. HaskelD disputes fact,
and tries to prove his assertion by
making two conflicting and incorrect
statements; if two editors who ere sup
posed to keep posted CEhe News and
Courier and Register) endorse him and
say he "proved by the records" that MIR.
Illlman was wrong; if one comptroller
general produces other rec rds which
show that both Colonel Haskell
and Mr.. Tillman are incorrect,
and then himself falls into two
palpable errors; and, lastly, if two or
more especial corresp ndents'' at Co.
lumbia make nisstatements and draw
deductions the refrom, al in defence of
the powers that be and their
policy, and to show Mr.. Tillman
up as an ignoramus and an innocent or
Intentional liar, how will the people ever
learn the truth? How will this meddle-
some, impudent, ignorant farmer, who
dares to ''whimper" and "yell'' in Dem
ocratic conventions. and whom the farm
ers must 'unload" if they want.
to get anything from the manipu-
lators and 'bosses," how will he solve
this sum in political arithmetic and make
the taxpayers understand it? The task
may appear difficult one, but l must
attempt it, and from habit, as well as
because I want to reach the people of
the whole State, I must ask you to allow
me space in you columns 70 defend my
self.
In the State Convention, which met
on the 7th inst, made theassertion that
the expenditures of the State Govern
medt were $40, 900 more in 1877 thai
they we're in 1879. This was denied by
Col. Haskell. That evening 1 wrote a
note to the comptroller general, Mr..
Werner, asking him to examine the
official records and decide who was cor
rect. I have just seen in The News and
Courier and Augusta Chronicle of 26eh
May the statement of Gen. Werner,
together with the explanations and COM
ments of the especial correspondents"
of those papers.
Gen. Werner makes the difference in
the expenditures for 1887 and 1873
1920, 900 in round numbers, but goes on
to explain that only SLIT, in cash was
paid as interest on the public debt that
yoar, the bala zee of the interest being
funded. Further, that had the Whole OF
the interest been paid in cash there
would have been difference OF only
S27, 600 in the two years named. He
was not called on to make any such ex-
PLANTATION but to decide SIMPLY the Ques-
ton OF veracity between Col. Haskell
and myself. His official position and
supposed familiarity with the matter had
enabled him to convince the Convention
that was talking of something / knew
about. l am glad, however, Gen:
Werner has made it, as it;was fact. l
did not know, and [ am only desirous of
having the truth made known. But
Gen. Werner himself has fallen into two
mistakes, of course unintentionally.
The total expenditures Of the State
for the fiscal year ending October 81,
1887, were:
(See comptroller generals re-
port, 1887, page 1917 D-...... S9S7, ,974
For 1879. ........... 749,7A
Difference. -. s23s, 1870