The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-07-24
iJCRUs;'.; REPLY 10 TILLMiN.

10 tiie Editor Of the News and Cou-
ricr: ! have been informed by friends
who were ut Sumter at the late pClitl-
cal meeting, that Capt Tllimal DC
nounced me there as being Il traitor to
bin aid as having been rewarded Ior
becoming the same by place Oh tie
board Of agriculture" :
Before giving the reasons why l be.
came convinced that Tillman was an
unworthy and dangerous leader ] will
lis briefly as possible State my conlec-
ton with the Farmers Movement.
Leaving the South Carolina College,
after being u student OF only three
months, to join the army, found my
self ut the end Of the war utterly bank
rlpt in fortune, with only the prelIml-
nary ground work OF Il literary eauca'
ton. compelled T5 commence my IN
dustrial life utterly ignorant OF its
practical "details Conscious OF tie dlS.
advantages under which | labored |
had long concluded that one OF the
prime causes Of agricultural dccadence
was this very want among our young
men Of 4 practical agricultural ana
mechanical education.
When Mr.. Tiliman sounded the cah
! FOR the farmers To organize for the
establishment OF Il college where such
education could he had it found me as
! great an enthusiast possibly as was In
| the state. Not only did ! fully believe
! in the necessity Of organization for that
! purpose, but was convinced that we
would be able thereby to rectify many OF
the abuses which had grown up IN the
business relations between the farmers
and the middle men. With these re-
mediel and means of practical educa.
! ton established, thought that | could
see the return uf prosperity to the agrl-
cultural profession Of Sontn Carolina,
Though prepared by these convictions
to give my utmost aid to the organl2Hr
ton, | WAS not satisfied with tho
methods Of Capt. Tillman, when he was
charging mis:ndnagement and lnSln-
uatiny corruption, and will ask you
to publish the reasons which finally led
ne to druounce him to my friends in
the organization and to refuse to any
longer associate myself with such
leadership. have hesitatcd or rather
refused requests OF opponents and
friends of Capt. Tillman to give these
reasons BECAUSE felt there might be Il
claim OF 'coniideutial' in aHr original
relation. His late attack on me removes
all such doubts Lud forces inc to give
publicity to my connections with Capt
rillman and prove to my friends that
he had 10 excuse to make his charges
t,,l | had ample reasons for my course.
l'hsse may appear tame when put on
paper, but taken collectively and with
many others which sp,ine will not d.
low Inc to give, they led me, from being
an enthusiast, to the conclusion that |
would he a traitor to myself and to my
State were to any longer associate i'll
work with 4 man | believe unworthy
i,nd interruptions, or with an organiza.
;ion cI which H. was tbs acknowledged
leader.
| WAS invited to attend tic caucus Of
farmers called to meet tic night before
tic meeting of the iirSt Farmers Con-
yciiti0n. When about to proceed TO
business | told Capt. Tillman that
wiSIjet. to ;e plain with him. and asked
him to explain It's charges and insinF-
atiOnS which he had made, DGui;uae
did act believe them 81 be true. Here
pied: - know that they are not true
bur | thought il best to make them, 50
as to give n0toriety to the movement;
il; tl.:;t ! haye succeeded and they are
now ii a!l nnA." With this promise |
agreed to join.
"Bamb0ozlcd" 10y Him us then M1s, |
some time after my return hume |
wrote to him that l thought he ought |
to get to the Legislature, us his servi- |!
ceS would be very much needed. lie
REPLIED that he would like to run and
be!;eyaI that lie could he elected, but
that lie did not SGa how he could be able
20 get over the pledges he had % QfIe1
,;iycn, that he would not accept any |
'!ille but trustee Of all agricultural ,pl:
!u.v." unless ! would nominate him for
Tie place III yGu. paper: anil gut lAe!n-
DcrS OF the farmers organizations III
different parts of the State to do the
same, So that i; would be theinllice seek
Ing the man and not the man the office.
This |, Of cUurSr refused to be Il party
10.
When the i.G9isl::t!;rtn net tIere we're
pians advanced us to how ilic iiGnlE -
Establish the college was TO be ritisc1
without Il tleulaId GpGH t!ie treasury II
the State, the people demanding u re-
luction OF taxes. Capt. Tiilnan a.iro-
ca'Gd doubling the tux Oh fertilizers,
because it was an Indirect tax anu the =
farmers would never know any better.
My suspicious were now pnt I'd the