The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-08-31
INTERESTING CONTEST
XEsrERDAK ~ soUTH cARoLrSA.
Conservatives Make Great Gains and May
be SuscessfuI--Returns Coming
in Very Slowly.

HNfVi OtAylo were. lutl nave DebD DIOuBDt
70 the verge Of assassination and civil war
and excitement and i'll feeling still run high.
Five years ago Captain B. r. Tillman
made q speech at the annual meeting Of the
South CaroliDa Agricultural and Mechanical
Society, making O vigorous attack upon the
way u was being managed and creating g
decided sensation by the spicy way in which
ne criticised q number OF existing institu-
tlons.
His ideas we're dIssented from and Till
man went home and b0gau TO iii the news
papers with wholesale criticism Of every
thing In sight He said that the entire gov
erninentsl fabric was permeated with cor
ruptiOn, that the State was controlled by q
ring whose members had political leprO-
sy.' that the members OF the Legislature
who did no. vote for a certain measure we're
renegades and traitors, and that the politi-
clans Of Charleston and Columbia were ac-
custOned 90 meet az the Columbia Club and
decide upon the State officers.
For several years Captain Tllman has
continued his onslaught upon the State
government. He began by making speeches
IN various counties and his incendiary Ian
guage fred the farmers until they almost
worshipped him.
40 OFFICE-sEEKER, HE SAYS.
Captain Tillman was accused Of Office
seeking. This he promptly denied. and
said that oil be wanted was 30 be one o. the
trustees Of an agricultural college % be
established by the State for the benefit of
the farmers, whom, he declared were dis
crimlnated against at the state University
and tho military dude factory the South
Carolina Military Academy. He declared
that he would not accept office and that he
could not ahord 70 give his enemies club
% break his head with
In ls,S when Richardson was nominated
for reelection Tillman took the stump aud
began such TRADE Of abuse as was never
known IN this State before.
TIE SHE'LL MANIFESTO.
In February, 1890. there appeared what is
known as the Shell Manifesto" 10 was
written by Captain Gilman and was signed
6v q. W.. Shell. then president of the
Farmers Association, now Congressman.
IL was a remarkable document 10 arragned
the state officers and their administration
OF Affairs for the period between 1876 and
1850 IL declared that there was 'incipient
rottenness' in the government; that the
railroad commissioners had been tanned"
by the railroads. etc, and called upon the
various counties 90 send delegates 80 q con-
vention 20 be held in March.
The convention was held and Tilman was
lIfallLh
peated asBeveratiOns that he did not want
Office lac vehementy urged the convention
TO make nominations. declaring that they
We're on the brink of the Rubicon and to 20
back without making nominations would be
20 stuItify themselves. lie said thar If he
were the only man with the nerve and BRAN
10 array tho common people against the
arstocracy' put me on the tioket'
sEErT TVE are.
A State canvass was ordered and Colonel
Joseph II. Earle and General John Bratton
took the field against Iillman. But it was
no use. 1iliman had the farmers with him.
and he swept the state like wildfre He
carried out his promise, and 10 was not long |
before the country people declared war
against the towns. The "One-gallus boys /
We're wild 10 their advocacy of 'fiiman, and t
they believed that the State House in Co /
umbia was political pest-house rseking |
with corruption. The other candidates were /
loWled down and not allowed TO speak.
During his two years incumbency Gov !
3rnor lillman has proved a political fire
Jrand. All OF his actions have been sensa-
IOnal His opponents charge that he has
)een thorough partisan and even a dema-
rogue; tnat he has not fulfilled his prom
ses Of retrenchment and reform: that he
las increased taxes aud offices. and that he
ver existed before. The most deep-seated
objections urged against him are that he has
uined the credit OF the State. derided the
judiciary and tried % make the judges sub
ervient 10 his will. and that he and his coll
aagues have conducted the affairs OF the
tate IA an unbuslness-like manner
coNsERyATIYE OPPOSITION.
The opposition to Tillman has been in
ense. Last March his opponents held A
OnventiOn and suggested q ticket 10 tho
democratic voters 20 be voted 40 tho pri-
lary. The head Of that ticket is John T.. |
heppard, one OF the brainiest young men
o the state. who was Observation-Disclosures
nder Thompson, whom be succeeded when
le latter resigned.
In the canvass Of the State which has
lst closed Governor lllm0n has declared |
nat the issue has been whether the people
r the corporations shall rule. He has
reached chat the opposition wanted the
,rmers 20 plough on while they ruled. |
nd that the money power aud the arist0c-
ICY had combined % put the common peO-
lie down.
The conservatives. az the anti Tillmanites
70 called. have argued that Iliman Is try
g 10 centrallze power ~ himself and set
mself up as dictator; that he ia making
the test for Ohce-hOlding.
ld Is trying 10 elect Tillman Legislature
al Judiciary: that he mas sandered the
tate and its best men; and that he breaches
cialism and communism: and that his
election viii throw the State back twenty
re years
A MOST INTERESTING CONTEST.
No such election in point of interest has
zen held 10 South Carolina since 1870 when
% Republican party was driven from
,wer. AS the one which has been going on
IRE to-day All over the State men have
-t their business and after attending the
Ills are awaiting bulletins Returns are
ming IN slowly on account OF the scarcity I
railroads and telegraph lines It Will be :
'enty-tour hours before al reports are IN {
the county seats. I
The Conservative or anti-Iilman gain Y
y been very great over 1890. That faction !
perhaps twice as strong rs then. The 4
WINS are all very largely in the majority
r the Sheppard or Conservative ticket
lereas Tllman and his ticket have their
let strength IN the country districts Re- v
IT'S coming IN Tor the towns up 10 q late /
ur put Sheppard in the lead. His ma /
1ty Will be reduced. however, as the J.
1ntry districts are returned. Some Of b
5se are forty miles from county seats. c
A SIGNIFICANT MESSAGE. 4
This very significant passage appears to- j
Y IN the Register. the Governors official | ;
ran. Governor lllman says unless there X
! fair election he will not obey instruc-
rs. The signs are that this primary
j not settle the issue and the bolt will
no from one Of the two factions. which G
on edge against each other. A feature III
the balloting in the city to-day was the r,
usal OF the managers of election TO =,