The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-01-08
From the Greenmlle Me,cs.

The Greenville Nea0s has contended
steadily that the election of MIR. Irby to
the United States Senate was defeat of
the Alliance. Our understanding of the
matter was that the Alliance members
of the Legislature had met in secret
caucus and, after vote between Messfs.
Donaldson, Stokes and Keitt, had chosen
Mr.. Donaldson as the Alliance nominee,
and 80 voted for him both in the Farm
ers' Movement caucus and the election.
This opinion is confirmed by Ellison S.
Keitt, the recent elected Senator from
Newberry, prominent Alliance man
and editor of the Alliance column of the
Newberry Observer. In his weekly letter
to the Observer, Mr.. Keitt plumply
declares that in the senatorial election
the Alliance and Donaldson were sold
out and that DR.. J. W. Stokes, Senator
from Oraugeburg, president Of the State
Alliance and editor of the Cotton Plant,
VAS the man who did it.
Mr. Keitt describes MIR. Irby as "a
scurvey fellow, leprous with crime and
without the first element of statesman
ship" He says DR.. Stokes betrayed the
Alliance because he fell into trap set
for him by the Tillmanites who gave him
hope of being the nominee of that party
for Governor four years honce; and Wig
orously denounces the doctor as a traitor.
Senator Keitt may be on the wrong
track. Very likely he is, but it is to be
hoped that his somewhat sensational pub.
lication will bring forth explanations of
some very peculiar facts regarding the
senatorial election. There is a good deal
in it not known to the public and which
would be interesting.
The night before the decisive ballot it
was known that the Donaldson line was
broken, but nobody has yet explained
how or why. 1t vas known that Repre-.
sentative Harrison, of this County,
would change from Donaldson to Irby
next day on the first ballot. 1t was also
stated in the Irby camp that Senator
Stokes would on the second ballot lead
enough Donaldson men to Irby to decide
the battle and that number of Donald.
sons supposed adherents were prepared
to desert Donaldson if the Hampton men
began to 60 to him. Friends of Hamp-
ton who were prepared to 90 to Donald
son, the Alliance nominee, and help
elect him, were warned that so soon as
they did so large proportion Of Don
aldaon's supporters would 60 to Irby.
Itis q fact that when Senator Stokes
changed his vote from Donaldson to Irby
there Was stampede in the same direc-
ton by men who had been steadily vot.
ing for Donaldson.
1t ia also fact that men who were
supposed to be friends of Donaldson
and who had voted for him, refused to
vote for an adjournment which was
desired to secure for the Donaldson and
Hampton men the opportunity to CON-
bine their forces. The Hampton and
Donaldson men combined had, as ne
remember now, majority of twelve
before the last ballot. Yet a motion TO
adjourn the joint assembly until the next
day was defeated by a majority of one,
fifteen of Donaldson's supporters failing
to vote.
These facts look queer and indicate
more beneath the surface than has yet
been developed. It would be interesting
10 Know H0dG 1uuUSuSCo td0uHCo fOtCo
from Donaldson, the Alliance nominee
and the man who led In the Farmers
Movement CAUCUS, between two sums, and
how it va. that Dr.. Stokes, president of
the Farmers Alliance and presumably q
member of the Alliance caucus, led
the fatal detection from the nominee of
that caucus-also how it WAS that the
Irby managers we're fully informed of
that detection and how aud when it would
occur and who would lead it fourteen
hours before it happened.
It is inevitable that the whole matter
come out Several things supposed to
be profound secrets are As we'll known to
men whose business 1t was to look below
the surface for hidden springs as If they
had been proclaimed from the house tops.
We did not look for an explosion 80 soon,
however. It may DO that the real facts
will not even now be developed, but
they will come presently. Then ne will
know all about the why's and uher refores,
and Mr.. Keitt's curiosity will be more or
less gratified and the justice of bis sur.
mises accurately tested.
DR.. Stokes has the floor.