The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-05-29
,ious work, for which too much praise

tionable in some minor points. We
attempted one objection to one section
and the Chair would never allow the
matter put to regular vote, so we
reserved cur efforts to resist nominations.
Just before the vote was put on the
question of nominations Capt. Tillman
was called up, aud pointing his finger at
me and designating me distinctly he
asked for a definition of Tillmanism, a
word, he said, I had coined and used in
the Sumter mass meeting. / felt sure
that personal issue between Capt. Till
man and myself would divert injuriously
from the main and all-important issue
then about to be voted upon, SO avoided
as far as possible full definition, though
I was then and have been ever since pre-
pared to define it fully in his presence.
Nominations, or rather suggestion, was
made by the Convention for Governor.
Tillman was, as matter of course,
selected. We took no part whatever in
the work of suggesting but quietly
retired, as instructed to do, while the
Convention was in perfect uprear of
excitement over the declaration of the
Chair that the Convention had decided
to nominate. By our votes and our voice
in earnest protest and argument we
endeavored 10 prevent what we we're
advised by the mass meeting and sim
cerely believed was unwise action on the
part of the Convention.
TIE CONFERENCE OF FARMERS.
Regarding conferences and conventions
as good education agencies for all free
citizens, but especially SO for farmers, I
was glad to see and to respond to the call
for conference OF farmers, one from
each County, to take counsel on the sit
uation. The action of the conference
and my action as a member from this
County you have seen reported correctly
in the IKatchaaan and Soathron, but in
meagre form. The conference in many
informal gatherings and conversations
talked over the whole situation. The
immense disadvantage the opponents of
Mr. Tillman are suffering from not hav.
ing candidate in the field was we'll un
derstooG and considered from every
standpoint. Mr.. Tillman il not only the
candidate, but has all the machinery ofa
complete and independent party to aid in
his election, platform and organized
working committees.
To follow suit and put such in the field
to oppose him would, we thought, recog.
nizs what we cannot bring ourselves to
admit, the existence of Two distinct par.
ties among the white people of the State
called Democratic, but really irfecon-
ciliable if thus divided and contendirg.
We felt that too much depends upon the
solidity of the Democratic party for US
to imperil it by calling another conven-
ton to nominate an opposition candidate.
We had an agreement, though that re
would spare no effort to have the issues
end Mr.. Tillman discussed, that we
might not have judgment 60 against the
party and the administration of our State
Government, "froln the days of the
Lords T'roprietors to The present." by
default.
we called upon all good citizens to aid
us in the work of enlightenment and
correct exercise of the voting power.
We appealed to the Democratic party in
its organized capacity to see that its
integrity is defended properly from the
heavy and hard assaults made upon it
from within by its own members. For
you must remember this is such contest
as was never heard of before. 1t is a
distinct declaration of war on the party.
Yet an appeal to the party for final
decision of the issue. Members are 10
fight each other to the last ditch, and
them come out, go together again and
take vote as to who got the best of it,.
Itis an anomalous contest. The party
can't organize againet its members, and
vet its own members have organized
against it, declaring they will come back
after they have conquered it and receive
its final decision on the issue.
THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE.
One more thought and / am done.
Tillmau is not the cause of all this stir
amonf The farmers. The farmers are
aroused and making things very lively
and intereating in every Southern and in
many of the Western States. In States
where Tillman's name was never heard,
and before it was ever heard of here out
of sight of his own home, there "as a
great movement and organizing of agri.
cultural forces. The disturbance extend.
ing far beyond State borders and ante
dating our own agitation, conclusively
shows that the causes lie outside of our
State lines. To attribute the uprising to
o NAL administration of our State Gov.
ernment is palpably erroneous, as the
same uprising is in very many, in all in
fact, other States among agricultural
classes who cannot be the least affected,
or the least concerned, about our State
Administration.
We should at once see, therefore, that
the judgment that attributes it all to Till.
man as patriot, or an evil designer. is
totally incompetent to deal with the
trouble, and the ignorance that leads to
the belief that such au awakening and
movement could be caused by "the Co
lumbia Club" or "lbe Columbia Ring" is
in pitiable helplessness in such an emer.
gency. History teema with illustrations
of the folly of this class movement led by
a man of l'illman's type. I point you to
Dan Shays, Of America, and Wait Tyler,
OF England.
What would have been The result if II
Hampton had not led South Carolina in
1876, and q Washington the Americans
in 177G?
We only blame Tilman for apparently
purposely misleading an excited class in
time Of great and widespread commotion
into ways that can only bring them more
trouble instead of leas. He appears to
be seeking his own promotion at their
cost. But he may be himselfhonest!y in
error, OF we may be in error in suppos'
ing him in error. To the end that all the
light possible may be shed upon all our
minds and sound conclusions reached
and wise acli1n taken, we call for au
early, long and q thorough canvass.
The Grip Vas Deadly.
1t was not generally known that the
recent epidemic, the grip, was more
deadly than visitation of cholera.
There were none Of the accOmpaniments