The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-03-09
1t was permanent change and not feet

1t was permanent change and not feet.
Ing chance. =. 's--s'T-s i., '=-1
Il was the success Of Movement and not OF
Man.
1t was the uprising Of the people; and not
the elevation Of Captain Tillman.
Tillman's leadership and success in that
memorable campaign were only incidents In
the progress of q popular revolution. Able
fess his abiity-had he died IN midsummer OF
1890, the cause he represented would have trl-
umphed. Were he TO die Tomorrow, his sue
cessor In Office would be chosen next Novem-
1870. Hst " 'D''' "n' '''''N ''
Call 1t by what name you please, the Farm
ers Movement, or the Peoples Movement.
distinct movement II was which cniminatea @ inmate
In the Governors chair. Then for the first
time In the history OF this State did the indi-
vidual voter feel and exercise the power
which the suffrage had placed In his hands TO
reins OF government
THE OLD WAY, AND THE NEW WAY.
Before that time, with docility which Of
ten amounted TO apathy, the voter voted for
those who had been chosen for him by county
and State conventions, In whose selection be
had had n o voice.
We all remember how 1t was done. A few
ty did the thinking and selecting for their
county, politically speaking; and State Con-
ventlons, similarly constituted, did the think
ing and selecting for the State. Then the
voter was told what 10 do, and he did 1t.
have never been able 10 discover Ring"
In South Carolina, In the odious sense Of that
word but II cannot be denied that from 1875
TO 1890, class OF able, influential, office-hold.
ing men in this State and In each county in
the State had the refusal and disposal of the
State and county offices. By system OF mu-
themselves and TO the acceptable recruits who
were year by year permitted to join their
number, they without Intending IL and per-
haps without knowing 1t had practically as
force OF circumstances an office-holding caste.
THE VOTER IS KING.
The cam paign OF 1890 changed all that. Then
for the first time, II was proclaimed that the
voter Is king and ofice-holders and admins.
time was felt the full force and masterful
meaning Of the opening words IN our Consti-
tuition, ave the people Of South Carolina"
This Is the lesson which the Thirteen have
not learnt. They do not seem to see that the
old custom Of selection by few has been
abolished, and that selection by the people
Primary elections and not OF selection by
Conventions; that nominations 10 office are
to be made by the people and not by the
placement.
ing that the people having once tasted the
sweets of power, will now replace that power
IN the hands that formerly welded II. This
the people will never DO. Revolutions do not
the great result of the 1890 campaign than
tney can turn back the shadow on the dial.
They concede that the Farmers Movement
has good In II, and they make their fight.
they say, not aguinst the movement but
against Tillman and his administration and
they ask those who elected Tillman to come
over and help them to defeat him. Why
should they go out into camp Of their own
ask you to Join them? Why not stay In the
main army with you and fight their fight
there?
LOOK OUT FOR A BITTER CAMPAIGN.
do not belittle the Thirteen or the men
and The influences they represent. I fOresee
that II their March Convention Is even mod
erately well attended. 1t will entail upon our
strife and personal anim0sity which will do
us more harm than the 1890 campaign.
The Thirteen represent the associations con-
nected with the War. the Wallace House. the
office, strong antipathy TO Tillman, and.-we
must admit-a sincere patriotic desire 70 work
for the good OF the state. With these influ-
they W be aSe 10 stir
TIllman's record will, unfortunately, furnish
burning texts for fiery stump orators for he
has made mistakes and has been imprudeni
In his speeches-whch Is just another way OF
-
gon Of perfection.
Yet the struggle can have, firmly believe.
but one concusion-the reelection OF Till
man. The "any man.to-beatTillman" policy
can not succeed and tina: is oil the policy in.
dIcate in the address of the Thirteen.
And, after all, granting that, az Governor,
Tillmap has made some olunders, has he
done 80 badly az to demand such a heroic ef-
| fort 10 oust him? What worse has he done
| than some OF his predecessors? No doubt be
| tried to do more than any OF them attempted,
and he found out that q Governor can not do
as much as he supposed.
The Thirteen charge that he has failed to
| fulfill the promise made and TO carry the re-
forms indicated In his campaign speeches.
The only answer to that is.-give him time, =
give him another term; and II the Thirteen
and those they represent will honestly and
manfully help him, Tillman will fuIf. bis
and carry his measures 81 reiSrm
OF him cease in all fairness for a while.
Let those whom be defeated act &C y, magnani; ma gsIn
like men and not like disappointed politi.
| clans.
Let him have another term. and thus let US
spare South Carolina the evils OF a campaign
worse than that OF 1880.
| EARLE AND HAMPTON.
| Let his antagonists emulate the manly con.
duct Of Joseph II. Earle,-whOse magnaniml-
ty admire-and treat Tillman justly and
wish Gen. Hampton had done as Earle has
done. The hero Of 70 made a fatal mistake
In 1890 when he declined to lift bis little finger
against the independent movement, and In.
stead wrote q letter which Judge Haskell used
as O campaign document in his own behalf.
Had he done as much--One-half Hs much
/ then against the HaNkell movement as he is
doing now against Tillmun, tbis State, be-
lieve, would now % have been enjoying polittil;; piti;
In his seat In the Senate. His abdication In
1890 has deprived him OF much Of the great
influence he was once possessed or You re-
gret, am sure, that what influence he still
| My friends, have spoken longer than in
tended. Let me end my talk by sincerely
delegates TO the proposed March Convention.
No call has yet been issued In this county.
Let US hope that none will be issued.
This is the beginning OF presidential cam
paign, and we as Democrats cannot afford to
have faction fights. The campaign proposed
BY the Thirteen can only result In the crea.
tion OF two factions. separated by gulf OF
hate and bitterness that Will not be hrldged
over In a generation. Let us deprecate any
such action and fight together as good Demo-
Gratis against the common enemy.
My voice Is for pence and harmony and for
| the people OF South Carolina; and my night
is for our party and against faction.
| The danger OF pegro domination IL ever
present with us. The growth and perpetuity
OF faction feeling will Increase that danger.
You remember ,Snn Tho Gourted the support m I,, o.
man declared he did not want and would not
have their votes. With all his faults, he sure
OF this, that no dangers nor temptations will
In his hands, SO long as he is Governor. white
mans rule is secure In South Carolina.
SPEECH OF HON. J. T. ROBERTSON.
Colonel Robertson being called upon, come
to the front and said: