The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-03
BUTLER HITS BACK.
The Senator's Plain Talk About DR.. Stokes
Strong Denial OF Statements About
the Prosperity Speech-Doubled
Teamed in spite of an Agree
ment to the Contrary DIR.
Pope's Mistake.
TCharleston World. |

-lFoIl 11Al-I1j %N' N'i A'5
ator Butler arrived here yesterday
evening from the North, where he has
been since the day after his Prosperity
speech, in attendance on the session OF
the naval committee of the senate
Supposing he had not had access to tile
South Carolina papers, your represen'
tative sought an interview with him
touching the echoes of the Prosperity
meeting. Senator Butler WIS asked
"Have you seen copy of the Cotton
Plant with a criticism by Doctor
Stokes, the editor, Of your speech at
Prosperity?'
"No, have not, but gentleman on
the train from Washington yesterday,
told me Of it, and promised to send me
the paper, which l hope to get on my
return to Edgefield tomorrow. From
what this gentleman said of the edito-
rial should say that DR.. Stokes could
easily and successfully aspire to the
position of prince of-well I will not
say liars, because that would not be
parliamentary or decorous, but l will
say an adept in perversion and mis-
representation. However, l will be
better able to speak of it after have
read it."
"Here is a letter from DR.. S. Pope
copied in the Charleston World Of
Aug. %, from the Cotton Plant in
which he says among other things:
General Butler begged the question.
He was told by Captain Talbert, when
he was referring to the appointment
clause of the Vance bill, that it was q
bill doctored by Governor Vance after
it was sent to him in order to make it
unpopular and that it was unfair to
refer to it as the sub-treasury bill. Gen.
eral Butler replied that be took it as be
found it and insisted on presenting it
as the bill. General Butler also referred
to men who wanted to borrow money
at > per cent. per annum as men who
desired to borrow but did not intend to
pay back-and yet the government at
Washington is to-day borrowing money
at , per cont, the great State of Ohio
at 2.65 per cent. and the State Of New
York at per cent. or less-yet when
individuals at the South desire to bor-
row money from the government at 2
per cent. based on cotton as security
they are told that men who desire to
borrow at , per cent. on this security
don't expect to pay what they borrow"
'Is that a fair representation of what
you said in your Prosperity speech?'
"Let me see the whole letter." said
the Senator. After reading Doctor
Pope's letter, Senator Butler said:
"Now, l am very, very much sur
prised to see such statement from
Doctor Pope, for have known him
most pleasantly for a great number of
years, and while I have always re-
garded him as an earnest advocate Of
whatever he thought right, I had the
opinion that he was an honorable, fair
man; s-.=s tx! would strike right out from
the shoulder; but this letter of his
shows that he either did not hear or
comprehend what I said, or has will
fully perverted it. should be very
sorry to think the latter, and shall,
therefore, inquire of him if he is correct
ly represented.
"As to the sub-treasury bill from
which I quoted, having been 'doctored
by Governor Vance to make it unpop-
ular, Doctor Pope will pardon me if l
say I do not believe one word Of this
accusation against Governor Vance.
He is an honorable man, and would not
be guilty of such trick. But Governor
Vance is able to take care of himself,
and doubtless will do 50 if this charge
should be brought home to him.
General Butler also +. ferred to men
who wanted to borrow money a. . per
cent. per annum as men who desired
to borrow but did not intend to pay
back This is what Doctor Pope says.
Well General Butler said nothing of
the kind; nothing that could be dis
torted by any fair minded man into
such an expression, and no man in that
large audience ought to have known it
better than Doctor Pope. I must, there
fore, conclude that he misunderstood
me, for I am not prepared to believe
that he would Intentionally misre-
present what I said. Fortunately, l
have preserved the notes from which l
spoke, and believe full sten1Sraphic
notes were taken Of the speech, and in
due time will refer to them.
"As to the other portions of the letter
of Doctor Pope, I have nothing to say.
have no knowledge of any applause
having been manufactured for one side
or the other. For myself, I care very
little for such things, especially if l
have anything of a serious nature to
say: and I thought the Introductory
remarks of Doctor Sigh on that subject
timely and appropriate, and 1 so ex-
pressed myself in the opening of my
remarks"
SIS there anything furtheryou would
like to say in regard to Doctor Pope's
letter?n
"WelI, let me see; yes. here is re-
markable and startling announcement:
"But Captain Talbert in the after
noon utterly demolished the arguments
of our distinguished Senator. Yet,
strange to say, there was not news
paper reporter there to report his
snoech nor was General Butler present