The Washington critic. (Washington City, D.C.) 1890-1890, 1890-02-17
OLD FOGY SENATORS,
SOUTH CAROLINA THINKS HAMP-
TON SHOULD RETIRE.
Growing Power of tho Farmers AN
anco-Govcrnor Richardson n Ia
vOrito--scnator Buffers Emigra-
ton Bill Unpopular.
Special Correspondence Of Tnr Crlrlr-

CHARLESTON, S. G., Feb. 15.--Son-
Tor Wade Hampton is likely to have
trouble In retaining his scat in the
Senate at the expiration of his present
term, which is soon to expire. As one
solid old Charleston man expressed it,,
when talking to me on tho subject
today The people of this State
would not like to kick Senator llamp.
ton out, for they are too grateful a
people TO forget his great services to
the state during the reconstruction
times. However, they would be very
thankful to him if he would leave the
Senate, come home aud not ask to be
sent back when his term expires next
ycar"
fluid the people who arc controlling
The affairs of this State, or rather those
who will control them in the future, want
a vigorous and aggressive man to rep.
resent them in the Senate. One who
is thoroughly imbued with the spirit of
they think, is not only conservative,
but too old fogyish, and that his days
of usefulness in the Senate are past. As
a, man, they love and respect him as
much as ever but they cannot
see how he can achieve addi-
tional honors by remaining in Wash
ington, and as he cannot attract the at
tention to their State that these proud
people would like they cannot see why
lie should wish to be continued in the
Senate.
South Carolina is one of the last
States in this section to become thor
oughly aroused to entering actively
into the progress that is now being dis
played all over the South She is now
moi only awakened regarding CONNER
cial and industrial affairs, but also in
her politics. Tho people who are doing
the most in pushing the State forward
now believe that they should be repre-.
scented in Congress by men of modern
ideas and of push and energy Hence
they are tired Of keeping men in Office
whose days of usefulness arc gone, and
whose ideas are quarter of century
behind the times. For many years the
State has been controlled by half
dozen men. This condition of affairs
will not continue much longer, for these
men must now step aside and let
younger men fill their places.
The Farmers Alliance has become
very powerful during the last few
months. In every part of the State
which l have visited IL is generally
conceded among all classes of people
that the farmers will control the next
election here. However. they do not
expect that the control will be perma.
ncnt one They think that it will be
like the Grange craze that sprung UP a
few years ago among tho tillers of the
soil, which was followed by Green.
back craze. Anyway, it would not in
juTc the Democratic party. because the
members of the Alliance are all Demo.
Gratis. Benjamin L. Tillman was one
Of the leading spirits in the Alliance
but they say he has injured himself
and now Colonel Stockhouse is the
man who will be most highly honored
by the farmers. Should the farmers
get control of the Legislature. he would
be the most likely man, am told tC
succeed Senator Hampton.
The progressive clements of the De
mocracy are secretly enjoying tn,
strength that the Alliance is developing
They seem to see in it an opportunity
to throw out the present regime of Dem
ocrats. and as the Alliance will not con
tinuc 10 be political power more than
year or so, the younger Democrats cal
then step in and take the places al presen
occupied by the old fellows withou
having been charged with THROWN!
aside the men whose services were O
great value to their party in years gone
by,
Should the successor to Senator
Hampton be selected by the Demo
Gratis, Governor Richardson would
likely be the man. He is, by all odds
the shrowdest political manager in tn
State, and although go odd years 0
age, he is still very vigorous ant
aggressive person. he is known a
the silver-tongued oratorof South Caro-
lima. and his admirers think that HI
would be able to distinguish himself il
the Senate, and reflect great credi
upon tho State. They say that h
would be better able to answer Repub
lican Senators like ingalls, and Chan
dler than any Democrat now In tn
Senate, with the possible exception o
Senators Vest and Blackburn.
Senator Butler has considerable tim
yet TO serve, so that there is not mucl
talk yet as to bis successor. He, too, i
considered a little too old fogyish {
suit the element of the Democracy her
that is slowly but surely pushing itsel
TO the front I have been in man
paris of the State, and have converset
with all classes of people, in the hotels
at their homes and on the railroa
trains. and, with very few exceptions
they do not believe in Senator Butler
now famous bill. which proposes to ar
prcpriate money to aid the negroes il
emigration. In the northern part o
The State particularly, which is rapid
being developed, both in railroad facili
ties and its mining resources, aud wher
towns arc springing up and large factc
rics being established, the hostility t
the bill is particularly great. Every
body agrees that the negro is by far til
best laborer, ard that they need him
the south. 1 have friend who is OF
Grating a large mine and employin
several hundred men. lie is an oil
Forty miner. and he tells me that th
negroes make splendid miners, and thu
lie would not give one of them for thre
Southern white men for the use t
which ho puts them. Besides, they al
far more reliable. and can be depende
upon TO work six days out of the weel
The poor white man down here onl
works when the whim or need take
him. and he is very hard to discipline
There is quite feeling of revilsio
displayed among the people of Charlie
ton. The stately old city is a quartz
of a century behind the times, and I'll
younger clement do not hesitate to te
The stranger so. / happened to me-
several country merchants from the il
terror of the State at the hotel at whic
am stopping, and they handled Il
merchants of this city without glove
They said that majority of them en-
ployod business methods that were
III.