The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-09-04


West Savannah.... 81 l.
Williamston No. L.: 100 .
Williamson, No. g.. IL o
Totals............... 1896 142
"A Triumph of Patriotism.
From the Grecnvile News, Aug,tst 2S.
!. The gravest crisis in the history of this
State since 1876 vas reached and safely
passed during the night between Tues
day and yesterday.
The conference,of Democrats opposed
to the election of B. R. Tillman as Gov.
ernor of this State met on that night IN
the hall of the House of Representatives
at Columbia. It was generally known
by those who know the politics OF the
State that there has been among some
of; the Democrats opposed to Tillman a
feeling of such profound disgust with
Tillman and his methods, repugnance so
strong and resentment 80 deep that they
were ready to go to almost any extreme
| of political action to defeat him. Hints
of this have been printed in the news.
papers and men have openly declared
their purpose to defeat Tillman at any
cost.
When this conference for Tuesday
night was called it was felt that the crisis
was near; that then and there the
strength of the feeling against Tillman
and of the purpose to 60 outside the
party would be developed and asserted ;
| that then and there it would be determin-
ed whether the anti-Tillman Democrats
of the State would swallow him if ne is
nominated or squarely bolt the party in
an effort to defeat him.
The conference WAS representative
body. Young men in the majority, but
white heads and boards were not infre-
quent. There were farmers, mechanics,
lawyers and business men. The most
striking feature Of the conference was
| the substantial character of its members:
They looked like well.to.do men who
have 8 stake in the welfare of the State
and determination, character and intellI.
gence were told of in their faces, utter
ances and demeanor.
1t was nearly ten o'clock when the
first skirmish was completed and the
conference closed its doors and imposed
Limitation of secre~y on it's members.
Many of the men who opposed any ac-
tion tending to opposition to the demo-
cratic nominees opposed the secret ses,,
sion because they felt that publicity OF
debate and vote mig ght be an obstacle to
any action. Others who we're on their
side, however, favored the closing of the
doors because they felt the need for en-.
tire freedom from restraint in the discus.
sion that all knew was coming.
The ladies who lined the galleries
withdrew reluctantly. pausing to await
the result of the suggestion OF an enthL.
siastic man on the floor. He said he had
vet to meet the first South Carolina
woman who did not cordially detest
Tillman, and that he believed the secrets
of those who we're trying to beat him
would be safe in the keeping of the no.
men. A swirl of cheers from men gath.
cred in the central aisle greeted the sug-
gestion, but more practical men were
inexorable. "We are not here for child's
play |" sang out one strong voice. The
galleries we're slowly emptied, the glass
doors were closed and the conference
settled itselffor work.
The ladies were unfortunate. They
were shut out from one of the strongest,
sblest and most earnest debates heard in
hisstate in many day. The occasion was
too serious for oratorical display or tricks
to catch applause. There vas applause
now and then response to some
ringing sentence with cheers which must
have been heard many blocks away.
But men talked as if their souls depend.
ed on what they were saying. There
| we're no long speeches. The matter OF
debate reduced the question to narrow
compass. There were some resolutions
requesting-not demanding" as was
previously stated-that the State Execu-
tive Committee rescind its call for the
September convention and call conyen-
tion to meet in October; that in the
event of the committees refusal and the
nomination of B. R, TilIman in the Sep.
tember convention new ticket should
be prepared and presented to the people.
The long dreaded bolt and division of
the party was put squarely before the
anti-Tillman Democrats of the State and
was sqaarely met. There was no blink
ing or dodging of the question. That
question was whether il would be better
for the State to have Captain Tillman
made Governor with his methods and
character considered at their worst, to
have the reign of the caucus fully estab-
lished in County, district and State and
to have his opponents and all who re-
fused to shout for him crushed, prosecuted
and overriden; or to appeal to the black
and Radical vote to join with his oppo.
neuts in an effort to overthrow him.
There we're men there fresh and quiv-
ering from persecution and insult such as
white men have never before in the his.
tory of the State been subjected to by
white men. There were men there who
had been charged falsely, publicly, wan.
tonly and with the deliberate purpose OF
catching a few votes with the foulest
crimes. There we're young men there
burning with modification and anger
because they had heard and seen insult
and derision heaped on gray heads which
they had loved and venerated from their
infancy. There were old men who felt
that the State that their witheripg hands
fought for when they were strong and
which their never withering hearts love
with passionate devotion is in danger of
being degraded by having foul accusa.
tions against her and her most honored
sons sustained by vote of her people
men who felt and said the success of
Tillmau would teach the lesson that the
road to political success in South Caro-.
lima is by false pretences, by broken faith,
by disregarded promises, by smesring
white namea with black lies, by tramp
ling on the justly honored traditions that
have heretofore regulated the conduct of
our men in public life and out of it, by
arousing and appealing to class prejudi.
ces, by stirring and uaing the worst pas.
sions Of human nature, by establishing
and maintaining ruthless tyranny of
public and brutal clamor and secret,
irresponsible and greedy plotting.
These feelings were concentrated there,
gathered to centre from where they
have been ranking and burning in every
part of the State. Anger was hot. Pas.
sion blazed out in heated faces and found
vent in strong words poured out eagerly.