The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-04-10
Xh4 T'4#reat.
CAMDEN. s. E.. APRIL 10, 1880.
THESHELL~Til.LMAN CONVENTION
WHAT DOES THE STU aTiGN
DEMAND!

that We wonld discuss III this iss"e-ls;,
What doe. the situation demand: 2d, How
shall it Lc met: 3r,l What position o1%hU
the farmers and utkcr Democrats OF kcr-
shaw County take in regard to Il:
What does the situation demand: The
reply TO this enquiry involves such varic-
tv Of though, and abundance Of suggestion
a$ 70 render i! difficult to compress them
into comparatively y brief shape. 1t is re-
Prospective in that itWou!d strictly demand
history Of lie Increment inaGgaratcd by
Tlliman. according 10 his own statement,
five Yeas ago. Ii is prospective, because
it is impossible 10 contemplate it without
considering is influence and cirects on
the future policy anI wcGIrc Of the DEM
oc.atic party Of South Carolina. With
out entering into either of these con-
siderations, specifically orminutely, We will
treat them incidentally in discussing the
reply TO the enquiry. to.wit, that the situa-
tion demands the ca:m consideration Of ecry
true Dsm>crGf III tie Stae. rcg2rdless Of class
or calling and in thus considering tie issue
precipitated by Shell and Tillman every
true Democrat should ask himself certain
questions, in the answer to which is involv-
ed the determination he shall arrive at
First-l!avc these men gone about their
scheme in the right way? Grant that they
are sincere, which we nov question, is it in
accordance with party machinery and party
discipline for any set oi mcn to take the
authority upon themselves to issue call,
as Shell did. for Convention to meet and
nominate ticket, lay down platform and
appoint an executive committee TO conduct
their campaign? We say cmphatically no.
Every party must have party machinery
and constituted authority to act forit, and
every divergence from this machinery or
disregard OF this constituted authority
weakens party prestige and discipline, and
tends to introduce indcpendenti$m. Deny
it as they may, and pledge themselves with
all the loud-monthcd proteStations they
may, this is the logical sequence of their
action.
We do moi deny the right Of Tillman's
admirers or Sympathizcrs TO hold u caucus
and put him in the field, hat 10 formally
hold Convention, nominate, lay down q
platform and appoint an executive COM
mittcc, is shaking the red flag in the face
CT the Democratic organisation OF the State
and is an act Of defiance which, il unclack-
ed and Gnrebukcd, means in the cnd the
disruptiom Of the party 2r the tame sub
mission ii The majority, embracing all
CLASSES, TO ihis Shcll-Iillman minority.
>;ocond-Why did these men not make
the fight for Tiim0n before The primaries or
conventions +. sccarc delegates to the State
Convention in August. instead Of calling
this Convention? We are constrained to
believe that thcy determined to foreStall
The acion Of i:le August Convention By
forcing T';!Irlan Oh Ske party in advance.
Their calculations. evidently, was that there
II
ut their Convention rs to discourage and
demoraliz& the regular organization Of the
party and I'LL who differed Wit. them -
Contrary [" thcir expectations Tie proceed
ings Of the Convention show that they mis-
calculated their strength and were actually
defeated, having to resort to parliamentary
tactics TO scc,nc the ycrY small majority
they did.
ThiM-Is Tillman the farmers candi-
date? We say he is not, ana facts show it.
lie is the candidate O. one hundred and
tNcnty-one out Of Two hundred and thirty
five men in the Convention of March 27th
On the tiyst count, before changes were
made, there We're one mndlcd and seven
teen votes for nomination, to one hundred
and eighteen against it. Among this hun
drcd and twenty-one were four votes from
Pickcns instructed BY the farmers OF that
County to oppose nominations, n;Ec So
called farmers" from Charleston (whose
Democracy is said TO be questionable } clec-
ted al Il small meeting called a lav or two
before the Convention assembled bY one
Russell, u political chameleon, not man
Of whom it is fair to presume knows the
difference between stalk Of cotton and
stalk of olra. ans! two Beaufort delegates
who represented nobcdy but themselves. -
He was nominated really by minority CT
the Convention. Four Counties sent no
delegates, and the meetings III the Counties
which sent them were composed only of i
handful Of farmers. And the manner in
which the proceedings were cut and dried,
and Tillman forced Oh tie Convention.
must dissatisfy If not disgust any fair
minded man. II he is to be the farmers
candidate, there is nothing Yet to indicate
it. lie is tie candidate of The Shcli-TIl-
man faction of the Democratic PARTY. This
AMI nothing more.
Fourth-Is Ti!lmGn the proper man 10
be Governor OF South Carolina: In otter
words. does he possess those qualifications
which should be possessed by the man who
is Governor: In all seriousness We say 40.
and in answering this query we judge lin
bv his declarations and conduct, and not
from any prcjuli,.". 'rh" Governor OF tlI!s
State should hc free from c?as; prejudice,
and kindly disposed towards al! Of her peo-
plc. lie sEo:iid he above E;c'iCus coAteu-
riou and bitter antipaIhy, an1 should rise