Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-02
SOUTH CAROLINA POLITICS.
Nothing Like It's Condition Anywhere hut
In Kansas.

In hAnaoe.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
CHARLESTON. s. c.. Aug. 1. 1892.
The unique condition of political affairs in
South Carolina at this time h worthy the care
full attention Of those who are interested In
watching the growth Of the new south There
10 nothing like IL I'm this nation. save, perhaps,
the case Of Kansas. the early history OF which
Was so closely interviewer with that of Carolina
in aate-bellum times. To properly understand
the situation here il IL necessary to go back
twenty or thirty years and look at the strange
sequence Of political events-
The voting population Of this state. counting
male adults over twenty-one years Of age IL, in
round numbers. 125 600 negroes and $1,000
whites. The actual voting population, count
the registration laws is about 60, 900 whites and
possibly 10 900 or 20, 600 negroes
In 1876. when the whites obtained control Of
the state government by the recognition by
President Hayes of the Hampton government,
Wade Hampton being the governor. the white
voters of the state were bound together SO
closely that any idea Of there ever being
division in their ranks would have been re-
sarded as preposterous. Things went along
smoothlv enough for about ten years. The
white voters were held together by the fear OF
q return to negro domination, and there WAS
peace and unity in the ranks OF the sohd
democracy OF the palmetto state. Gradually
the laws were so amended. keeping within the
constitutional restrictions. that the negro
voters were in a great measure DISTINGUISHED.
AT least so many restrictions were thrown
around the ballot that comparatively few OF
the negroes could be found to take the trouble
to qualify themselves. Then. too, the great
national republican party seemed to have
abandoned the state NJ n fighting ground. the
most aggresriye white leaders Of the republican
party in the state died out, and. finally, by
1884 there was really no organized republican
party in the state worthy OF the EaLne. State
elections became decidedly formal and I'M
eventful affairs.
candidates and these we're elected, US u matter
Of course. One or two abortive attempts were
made to run independent tickets, but these
never polled more than a corporars guard Of
votes. The election was all one sided
BENZ. R. rILLAAS's CAREER
1t Was in 1884 that the star Of benjamin II.
Tillman made its appearance on the political
horizon. Tillman, the present governor. is
quite q young man. He was not confederate
soldier man of fair education with rough
and uncouth manners. with u countenance
which would bar its owner out OF the society Of
decent men anywhere. Tillman had political
sagscity to see that the volatile and excitable
people Of tais peculiar commonwealth wanted
something by way of u change something to
excite and stir their blood. He became the
apostle Of a new political creed. Starting out
on n crusade for a farmers college and dis
tinctiy avOwing his intention to accept no Office
whatever, he soon had q following which grew
and grew until the spring Of 1880. when it swept
over the state like Kansas cyclone, turned
things topsy turvy. and to the amazement and
CONSERVATION Of the old leaders trampied all
the old traditions and memories Of the proud
palmetto state into the dust.
The epitome of yolution which had come over
the state was crystallized in the defeat of Wade
Hampton in 1880 for the United States Senate
by Jno- L. W. frby. the present Senator. No
one who has not had an acquaintance with the
love and veneration of Carolinians for the mem
cries Of the past can have any idea OF the shock
which the new deal gave 10 the element which
had heretofore ruled this state. and ruled if
honestly and economically, too. for despite all
the charges of official corruption and ring rule
that we're reeklessly made by the Tillnlan crowd
In 1890 no one who Is at all acquainted with af-
fairs in the state can deny that its government
from 1876 to 1890 was pure, able, economical
and intelligent.
THE FARMERS MOVEMENT.
In March, 1890 eight months before the date
Of the election. what is now known as Tillman-
ism had its birth N South Carolina. Tillman,
who hai been at work organizing his forces.
Congressman Shell, Senator lrby and select
coterie VI heutenants had formulated the farm
ers' movement and a convention called to
meet In Columbia. 1t met, and, like the recent
snap convention In New York, suggested B. r.
Tillman for governor and nominated full state
ticket. This movement nearly paralyzed the
democrats. who had heretofore managed things.
They made half-hearted fight, but it ended in
the final capture of the machinery Of the party
BY the Tillrnanites. Then followed a hot and
exciting campaign, IN which Tiliman swept
everything before him from the mountain To
the seaboard. captured the democratic nomi-
patfp and. ont
sentative of the democracy Of the state. There
was q bolt BIZ a few OF the old-iinc democrats
and n state ticket was put out headed by Judge
A C. Haskell to oppose Tillman.
But the old cry Of independentism- bug-
bear that had been used successfully for wears
to keep the white voters together-was raised.
and the Haskell ticket, or. as II was called. the
straightout democratic ticket, was showed
under.
THE coLoEED VOTE STAYED At HOME.
1t was in this campaign that the negro voter
was afforded the opportunity Of the decade to
get in his vote and have it counted. 1t ex-
peeted that he would avail himself OF the OPP
portunity, there being no republican ticket III
the field. of voting for one of the opposing dem
ocratic tickets But Sambo did not realize pub
he expectation on that occasion He sulked in
his tent as some politicians are doing row. aud
the Tiilman ticket was elected easily, but with
q bare majority Of the white votes of the STATE
many thousand white voters keeping away from
the polls
The two years Of Tillmanism in South Caro-
lima has brought anything but peace and pros
perity 10 the state. II Is probable that no man
was ever born IN the state who possessed the
peculiar faculty OF tramplng old traditions
and customs tina: Gov Tillman possesses. Ger
tainly no governor of South Carolina ever sue
ceedcd In planting and watering the seeds Of
hatred and discOrd in the state as he has done.
Of course the Fllmaniacs accuse their oppo-
nents with bringing about this state Of affairs.
THINGS IN BAD WAY.
Wherever the responsibility lies. however
there is no doubt that things political and. in
deed. social and industrial. are in a lad way in
South Carolina. The opponents Of Tillmanism.
taking Lesson from their enemies held snap
convention in March last and placed "a full state
ticket in the field. Later the Tillmaniacs met
and rerominated their present ofieeholders and
BY mutual agreement a series Of joint discus
sions extending TO every county In the state are
now In progress Here are the two opposing
tickets:
THE rILLNAS TICKET.
Governor. b 4 TilnAn. occupation. fasner and
politician
lieutenant governor. Eugene b. Gary: occupation.
lawyer
Attorney general J. L McLaurin lawyer
Controller general. ". H Elisrbse. merchant.
ad:ui.ni general I Farley. lawyer.
Gr nj SftAa inf .f s.N,x IA