The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-08-07
Republicans IN South Carolina Believe.
Under the Present Circumstances, Their
Party Would Be Better Of With
out the Lodge Measure
Special to Philadelphia Press.

special TO Phlladelphla Press.
COLUMBIA. s. c., Aug. 3-Nothing ever known
in the history OF American politics since the
war has exceeded in bitterness ard partisan ha-
tired the contest for supremacy now going on
within the Democratic party in South Carolina
Scarcely public meeting OF the rival organiza-
tiOnS has been held that was not attended with
violence or bloodshed Blackguard epithets and
villainous charges have been hurled from every
stump. Public men have been threatened with
assassination and their followers publicly
branded as thieves and worse. Descendants of
the Oldest families whose pride of ancestry is
their most precious heritage have been held up
to merciless ridicule, termed oligarchy and
an aristocratic ring of political corruptionists
by Tillman and his followers in the Farmers
Alliance.
On the other hand, the latter faction are de-
nOunced by the Bourbons anarchists and So
cal revolutionists, as illiterate followers of a
political Judas lScarlOt, mob composed of the
the Ku Klux and Night RIDERS of Reconstruc-
whose political principles are part of their re-
ligjon, and who never forget or forgive an in
suit to either. The breadth and depth of the
breach can thus be appreciated. If Ben. r. Till
man is nominated for Governor. as t, ON indi-
cations he surely will be. the breach in the dom
tnant party will be lasting for generation for
the old Bourbon, whose pride has been laughed
1mpugDed, will never forgive the insult.
THE CoLORED VOTE SIGHTED
Through all this turmoil the negro has held
alOof; to-day the despsed race stands like q
black tide whose food gates wait to be opened
by the hands of hatred and political jealousy.
Tillman is as crafty as fox. He has declared
his opposition to the colored vote and has chal-
lenged the straight out old BOurbOns to appeal
to their one-time slaves if they dare. At the
same time the alliance, approaching the value
OF the colored vote, in hghting their battle for
recognition and supremacy. have been busy or
gari--- 'olored alliances that will support fhe
alliance candidate, no matter how much he NAV
disclalrn against them.
The Bourbons have been all along responsible
for the suppression OF the colored vote in South
carolina. 1t was their action that nullified the
Haskell resolution Of 1876 according represen-
IN md tic Nv
do it with the vote of the colored man no mat
ter what gall and NORWOOD it may be to them
OPPOSED TO THE LODGE BILL
1t is this condition of affairs that has led the
Intelligent white Republicans of South Carolina
to deprecate the passage of the Federal cleo
lions bill and counsel a pOstponement of action
upon it. The passage of the Lodge bill at this
time, they say. would tend to solidify the white
Democrats now in open war, and the possibility
b ar Ronest vote, now SO bright in prospective,
Lest planters ans eatton manufacturers in Green
o nen FL u s ssla gs sRSs alliance move
"All my sympathles aFe with tire Farmers AZ
lance. am not member of it and caRIot be,
for en- ma nufaeturer and they are aeparFed
from admission. We have never had RepubI-
can form OF government i'll this State, and the
Of t. Te M Eye II n ess sam
war, not against the Democrstic party, but upon
an oligarehy that has ruled all classes alike with
are Just kwakening t. the fact and that is what
makes the aiianss and It's eampaign So popular
educational force, The people are beginning to
think and act for themselves; they want clean,
popular government. The alliance has wrought
great change in public sentiment. There is
greater liberation now for political sentiment
than there has been since the war. The people
eep Sc set @ % enes
personal gain and aggrandizemeht.
81 know Mr., Tltman intimately. He is good
deayins to GUST an oligarchy. l shall vote and
work for the alliance for its success means hon
est government, and progress and prosperity
for the State OF South Carolina
BouKBoNs SEEKING coLoKED VOTERS.
Regarding Tnlman in the light that the Bour
ben Democracy do, namely, that of political
and social revoutionist, the latters implied
threat in daring them to appeal TO the negro, is
acting more as spur than check upon such
moyement. .Feelers have already been put out
by Bourbon leaders to intelligent colored men
With view TO enlisting them on the side of
their former masters, but the answers have
man trusted the Bourbons once too often in 1S76,
and there must be definite understanding
now If the negro is to fight the battle Of his
old master he must have the assurance of pro-
lection hereafter in his rights as Citizen.
This is the view of educated leaders OF the col
Ored with whom the Press correspondent
has talked There is no longing on their part
for supremacy, as was the case prior to 70; there
not as negroes, but as American citizens,
and the colored men of South Carolina who
o
this result only through division of the
negro vote. The Farmers Alliance, since its
entrance into politics, has started the entering
wedge by organizing the negro, and when the
Bourbon also appeals for the black mans vote
the result will be accomplished. With the DOM
inant minority divided and compelling each
other to recognize the citizenship of the negro
who holds the balance of power, the race ques-
lion will be settled, at least SO far as South Caro-
lima is concerned. By their own action the
whites viii thereby establish a precedent, Will
demonstrate what an honest election in which
all votes are polled and counted can accom-
pliSh, with the result that the old order of things
will pass away for time, if not forever
WILL THE CoLoRED VOTE DIVIDE?
Will the negro vote divide:
This is the paramount question, and here is
the reply made to the Press CORRESPONDENTS
question by colored man. whose name for OBJ
vious reasons is omitted. He is a college grad
uate and holds high position in the esteem of
his people and the native whites. He saids
The black vote will be divided, believe, but
whether it will be this year or two wears hence,
can not say; possibly not till 1892 | regard
Tillman'S election fOregOne conclusion
matter whether he fights it out on his present
line, or compromises with the straight-out De-
mOcracy. | do not consider a compromise DOS
sible. The straght-outs have been insulted and
maligned by people of their party and color to
an extent never equaled by the widest fanatic
Of the North. Senator Hampton Jeered
when he made speech recently, and consider
ing his prominence and his service to his party
forgotten by his friends. This was only one of
a series of similar indignities inflicted by the
Tillmanites on the old line Democrats.
1.-The alliance has been steadily organizing
colored alliances all through the State. 1t is
secret, oath-bound organization and if there is
one thing more than another that a negro re-
spectS it is an obligation Of this kind, and eSpe-
clally where he expects personal and financial
benefits as the alliance promises. But there are
Farmers Alliance. Their claims to the ballot
have been disregarded for years past and their
vote suppressed.
MERELY A CHOICE OF EVILS.