Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-05-15
The First Battle.
iFrom the Grconvillc Daily Nows.l

day to the 'Jomt ulscusslon,N as IT.
may be called, held at Ridgcway on
Saturday. The matter is worth the
space because the event told of is q
very important one in our political
history. All tho facts and incidents
connected with il arc Of interest now
and may be Of more interest in the
future and they should be carefully
remembered by all who are interested
in South Cardinals politics.
The first fact of the meeting to
attract attention is the small attend
ance. All accounts agree that not
more than three hundred men were
present, and that of that number
two hundred were noisy and cnthu-
siastic supporters of Tillnan, while
one hundred were against him with
equal noise and enthusiasm. 1t is
likely, however, that the threatening
weather and rain prevented the peo-
pie from attending the meeting in
greater force. If three hundred
were present on bad day, it is safe
to say that eight hundred would
have been there if the weather had
been fine. Rain is serious matter
to n man who has ride or drive of
|
from five to fifteen miles iii Il with
the prospect of having to wear his
wet clothes all day.
The behavior Of the audience was
bad. 1t indicates that the people of
that section forget the fact that the
pending fight is one among Demo
Gratis on honest differences Of opinion
and preferences, that passion and
prejudice have no proper place in it
and that it is the Judgment of the
people that is being appealed to-.
No fair and honest Judgment of the
merits of a matter can be formed by
people who go to hear discussion
of it with the determination to cheer
everything the man they prefer may
say and to impede and insult the
other man by every method in their
power. From the newspaper ac-
counts, both sides were equally
guilty in this respect.
4 X
Probably much of this disorder
and confusion will be avoided at fu-
trc meetings when the weather is
fine and women can attend. Hard
words and ugly outbreaks of temper
will not be likely to occur in South
Carolina among respectable mon when
women are present to be mortified or
alarmed. 1t is to be hoped that at
all the meetings of the preliminary
campaign the ladies will attend in
full force. They arc moro effective
in co nmanding the peace than a
regiment of deputy shcriifs.
If there was the slightest reason
to look for personal difficulty to
result from the debate at Ridgcway
Mr.. Tillman did right to withdraw
Immediately with his friends and de-
serves the thanks Of the State for
doing so. Such troubles in crowd
Of excited men are always likely to
be serious and a bloody fight over
politics among white Democrats
would be q dreadful calamity. 1t
would make a bitter and endless fcud
and divide our people forever, lcav-
ing them at the mercy of their worst
foes. Only the most utterly reckless
and foolish of hot-hcadcd uncon-
sidcring fools would promote any
such disaster.
Mr.. Tillman is not in position to
resent personal insults, particularly
those applied to him at public meet
ings. He would be justified in the
opinion Of brave and sensible men
in swallowing anything, no matter
how bitter, rather than do anything
to cause trouble and blood. shed and
their fearful consequences. With
this fact understood, as it will be,
with the general knowledge that
agains: direct personal assaults he
will be defensccss. tied hand and
foot by tho responsibility he has
taken on himself, only cheap cow
ards and bullics eager to establish
without risk reputation for fcrocity
will insult him without strong provo
cation. OF course Mr.. Tilman
must respect his own position if he
expects others to respect it. IIc
can not hector and insult other pco-
pie and take refuge from retaliation
behind his responsibilities. lie is,
during this campaign, non combat
| ant but bn canpot ock IN ho roror1