The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-04-03


loud calls for him from different parts Of
the house. Tilman said that in the his
tory of South Carolina politics no public
man had ever occupied more embarrass-
ing position than he did. Whatever be
might cay he would be charged with
talking for himself. Without any active
movement on his part his name has been
brought forward for Governor. The
convention had met under call which
he was accused of having written and he
had been charged with attempting to
entauglo the Farmers Movement with
himself He had had something to do
with that as the Governor was witness.
He did not do it for his own interests.
The convention had adopted platform
which would astonish its opponents with
its conservatism. Just here occurred an
excited personal debate between j. j. Oar.
gan, of Sumter, and Mr.. Tillman. Till
man called for any man on the floor to
define him and to tell what Tillmanism
was.
Dargan sprang to his feet and declared
that if the reference WAS to him he could
explain, He had used the term Tilman
ism before the Sumter macs meeting, and
by it he meant departure from the regu-
lar methods of the Democratic party.
Tilman demanded whether Dargan
impugned his democracy.
Dargan answered that his democracy
had been more than once impugned in
the mass meeting, but that be, Dargan
had defended him against the charge OF
disloyalty to the party.
The colloquy was continued for several
minutes in an outwardly smiling manner,
Tillman concluding by saying that he
simply wanted it understood thst what.
ever else he was, he was simon pure
Edgefeld Democrat, and declaring that
| if he ever went to Sumter County he
| wanted to meet the Sumter game cock on
his own dung hill.
Resuming bis speech he aaid that The
platform adopted had been brought there
in his pocket and that not dozen lines
of it were tha work of any other man.
"You have swallowed TilmanisHa whole, =
he said. II don't ask yea to swallow Till
man."
Tillmsn denied that there vas division
in the party but usged the Reepasity o.
publication inside the passy Zines. Ae
proceeded to review his own recepa. Bg
some, he said. be vas regarded as pare
patriot, by others as dynamiter, red
Republican and anything else thst s'as
bad. He had begun this fight alone four
or FIVE years ago at Bennettsyille. BE
reviewed the reasons why he should moi
seek the Office of Governor. If nomina'
ted he would face the bitter opposition
among his own friends and the opposition
of the many Democrats who believed bic
methods revolutionary. He would put
himself single and alone against the
whole brain of the ring. Besides he
would have to rent out his farm and bear
the expenses of campaign, but whether
he was nominated or not he urged that
the farmers movement had come to the
Rubicon and if it was not crossed then he
had better never have come at all. Mer
who sent delegates to this Convention
would be disgusted if they did not ac
now. If he was asked to lead this fghI
he would regard it as leading a forlorr
hope. He was the only man who hslc
courage and brains to array the common
people against the aristocratic ring which
had been expressing them, the platform
adopted by the convention would not be
worth the paper it was written on. Can
didates were now put in the field to pu
life into it, to explain and defend it.:
principles. He referred to the cleo
tion of delegates to the State coll
yention in the last campaign, befolt
the canvass, and said that the Greenvillt
delegation had put their principles in
their pockets 10 elect their candidate
He inferred that the Greenville delega.
ton in this convention had candidate
from their county.
AS to what be had done he wanted i
understood that he wanted no reward fol
that. He did not care snap whether
he was nominated or not. Tillman was
frequently and vociferously applauded
As the speaker took his seat John r.
Harrison, Of Green,ille, rose and declared
his wish to resent the insinuation tina,
GreenYille County had candidates fol
Governor at this time. He declared thai
he had not offered his amendment against
nominations in the interest of Greenville
or any other County. This caused the
debate proper, but contrary to all parlia
mentary precedent the chairman pro
ceeded to deliver 8 warm address in favor
of nominations and Captain Shell briefly
explained that suggestions, net nomina-
tions, we're contemplated, end that tbe
action OF this body would be submitted
to the regular Democratic Convention
This was a crisis which Tillman's lieu
tenant did not fail to seize. Somebody
shouted. II move we nominate Ben
Tillmsn for Governor!" and Capt. T. B
Crews, of LaureDs, called for vote
The ballot was taken by ayes aud noes
and was extremely tedious. When the
call of counties was ended there was q
whisper that the nominations were de-
feated. A scene Of terrific commotiou
followed.
Irby, of Laurens, hurried here and
there seeking to save the pronominatior
cause. BY the Official count Of the sec
retariea, Harrison's motion was defeated
by one vote, the count standing LII tc
lis, but before this result was announc.
ed four yetes we're changed, aud the
| result as anpouncsd stood III TO liz,
DR.. W. P. Addison, OF GreenvUe, Wss the
first man to change bis vote from aye to
no, and three other changes followed. A
protest vas made by j. II. Stribling and
others of the Spartanburg delegation
against the vote of L. E. Farley, who
lived in Laurens, but had been grated
on to Spartanburg's delegation. Far
ley's vote was withdrawn, leaving final
the vote 12O to ia. It is well to remem.
ber that the plan for nominations was
first defeated and only squeezed through
by majority of six.
On the adoption of the resolution foI
nomination of Governor and Lieutenant
Governor the convention adjourned until
half.past eight o'clock. On reassemb
ling Mr.. Sligh, of Newberry, attempted
to amend the nomination scheme by
providing for naming an entire State
ticket, but was defeated.
L. NJ. Irby, of Laurens, took the floor
and nominated Ben Tillman as candi.
date for Governor. The nomination vas
seconded by Mr. Padgett, of Edgefeld,
and Hugh l.. Farley. of Spartanburg.
The nomination was made by acclama.
ton, only one or two dissenting votes
being heard. Every mention of Till
mans name was greeted with tremendous
applause.
J. G. Colt, of Chesterfield, was placed