Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1892-07-28
Mai. Murray at Greenyille.

On Friday night, July 22d, there was a
Conservative rally at Greenville and ad-
dresses were made by several speakers.
Maj. E. B. Murray, of Anderson, was
present and delivered one of his strong
argumentative speeches. We clip the
following synopsis of his speech from
the Greenville Neaes:
Maj. Murray said that never before had
such condition of affairs existed in
South Carolina: never before had there
been time when people would not re-
spect each others motives; never before
was the grand old State less respected
abroad; never before had there been
such division and strife. Some one, he
said, is responsible for this state of af.
fairs. Efforts are being made to still
further widen the breach. Two years
ago charges were made against the in.
tegrity of officers against whose good
names nothing had ever been proved.
No name was too honored for assault, nc
institution too sacred to be slandered.
Promises had been mad" and it was TO,
the people to determine whether they
had been carried out.
Maj Murray then proceeded in strong
and mastery manner to arraign the pres.
ent administration for its failure to dc
anything for the people and for its many
sins of commission and dangerous pur-
poses. The most serious objection tc
the continuance of the present officials
in power was their financial mismanage-
ment. The speaker attributed the finan.
cial stringency in this State partly to the
administration. He knew that the State
government had nothing to do with bad
crops and low prices, but he did know
that there was lack of confidence by
capitalists in our State. A debt OF
S6.000,0oO would fall due in twelve
months. The administration is utterly
unable to cope with its refunding with
out great loss to the people. \ condi.
ton confronts us, he said, almost the
same as there had been in Virginia
The administration which had been
turned out had refunded large slice OF
the State debt at 4: per cent and could
have refunded the remainder at still
lower rate of interest. 1t was easy tc
float State bonds where people have con.
tidence in the State Already a large
syndicate has refused to invest money in
South Carolina, giving rs their reasons
some of the remarks of Gov. Tillman. a
loan to state. he said, is upon the honor
of the State and cannot be collected by
law.
When the credit of State gees down
said the speaker, it affects the whole peo
pie, and every class of business. Any OF
the banks will verify this statement
When Gen. Earle offered tc give $1,000 OF
his salary if elected Governor to the
school fund if Tillman would do so
Tillman declined and said he would save
the people 100000 the first year he was
Governor. lie did not save cent. The
first year he was Governor the appropri-
ations were $4,000 greater than during
Gov. Richardson's last year. The total
expenditures were $4,000 more. Work
on the State House had stopped, but
nevertheless the expenses had increased
Scarcely transaction of the State. said
Maj Murray. had been managed in a
businesS like manner. He spoke of the
Coosaw case, where over 100000 had
been lost, and the agricultural hall case
The speaker then mentioned the increase
in assessments on certain classes of prop
erty. One man. he said, issues orders fol
thousands Of dollars of property to be
raised III value. No man with money
would invest in State where this was
the case and capitalists had already said
So The whole course of the administrS
ton had been in defiance OF law and was
an attempt 90 oliGda olliiGda she people. The
State s recent litigation had Caused the
employment of more lawyers than in any
time since 1876. Some of these lawyers
were Haskellites and some Republicans.
Everything showed lack of tact and
business management. Nothing had
been gained by it and he asked. Had any
one been profitcd? What benefit had
the farming class derived? Not a bill
had been passed giving them any advan-
tages. Past administrations had done SO
and the speaker nar:cu several instances.
There had not 5ecn an administration in
years chat was not controlled by far
merS.
Maj. Murray asked how Tillman repre-
sented the farmers and what has the
iaboring man received? 1t was the latter
class that was especially threatened by
Tillman's continuance in Office. The Re
publicans. while in control, had not
adopted measures that opposed the labor
ing people They only put poll tax OF
81 on the people, while Tillman wanted
that increased to 50 and advocates a
property and educational qualification
for voting. That would prevent many a
poor man from voting. Tillman also
wanted the lien law repealed. There
were a g7-at many other similar things
the speaker said he could mention.
There was not class of people in the
State that was not menaced by Tillman.
He wanted to control the Judiciary and
legislative and make both subservient to
his will. The speaker scored Tillman for
pretending to be offended at rowdyism
and then leaving the stand at Lexington
arm in arm with Cal. Caughman, the man
who had refused to let some of the Con
servatives speak and had been the ring
leader of the mob. Tillman had said he
would prosecute violations of the law.
yet he had done nothing with Attorney
General McLaurin, who had admitted
having a pistol in his pocket in this city.
Maj. Murray referred to Tillman's ours
ing on the stand and said he was lower
ering the moral standard of the State.
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The National Democratic executive
committee met in New York last Thurs
day and organized for work. The chair
man is William F. Harrity, of Pennsylva-
MIA; secretary, S. P. Sheerin, of Indiana;