Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-23
IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
The Struggle Both for the State Ticket and
in the Congressional Districts.

IN the congressional Districts.
GOV. TILLMANs SUPPORTERS ARE ALL ALLIANCE
MEN, But WILL NOT ORGANIZE A THIRD PARTY
UNTIL AFTER THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
As TO THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star
COLUMBIA, 8. C., Aug. 20, 1892.
South Carolina is perhaps the only southern
state in which the third party has not been or
ganized. This fact, however, does not imply
that there is not strong third party sentiment
here or that such sentiment will not find e1-
preston at the polls in November That no
open organization has yet been effected is due
to causes involved in the present democratic
state organization.
Nearly all of Gov. Tillmans supporters for
the democratic nomination are ardent alliance
men. They are as devoted to the views and
policies of the alliance any third party leader
in the country, and they stand upon the Ocala
platform, which, as a Georgia third party man
declared, is the bud which blossomed into the
Omaha platform of the peoples party. The
alliance absolutely controls the Tillman faction.
1t has reduced Gov. Tillman to submission and
made him swallow the Objectionable subtreas-
ury plank. 1t has named every Tillmanite can
didate for Congress.
QUESTION OF poLICY.
The failure of the men who tacitly admit
that they believe in the doctrines Of the third
party to assert their adherence to that party is
explained in the one word-policy! The sup
pOrters Of the Omaha creed and the supporters
OF Gov. Tillman are practically identical. But
il they should declare themselves third party
men they could not vote in the state democratic
primary to be held on the 30th instant for Gov.
Tillman, to whom they are devoted. II they
could not so vote for him they would lose the
state government, which they have held for
two years and whose Offices they now enjoy.
They would lose the opportunity Of defeating
! again the conservatives, to whom they so
bitterly opposed. They would lose O govern
ment by the farmers, for the farmers. And on
the other hand they would have no assurance,
as avowed third partyites, of carrying the state
know that if they could carry the state the
third party could not carry the country
That injustice is not done them in this sum-
mary of their reasoning is proved by the
declaration of their own newspaper. The
Columbia Register, Gov. Tillman's organ, OPP
poses the entrance of the Tillmanite alliance
men into the third party upon the simple
ground that it would be bad policy. 1t argues
that by doing so they would drop their dinners
to grasp at a shadow, and that even as to ma
tional legislation alliance democrats can ac-
compish more by putting their congressional
than by making fight against democratic
nominees at the general election.
1t is quite certain. therefore. that at least
until after the democratic primaries, ten days
hence, there will be no general avowal of third
party utilization by South Carolina alliance men.
They have tacitly agreed to wait until after the
state contest is out of the way. The question
now is whether after the democratic primaries
the third party will be organized here. 1t is
impossible to predict with accuracy what will
be done in this regard. Much will depend upon
the result of the gubernatorial and the con-
gressional contests.
1RONCLAD PARTY RULES.
If they keep their pledges no candidate for
any elective Office IN the state can bolt the dem
ocratic nominations and no man, who votes in
the democratic primaries, can vote for any other
than the democratic nominees at the general
election. For we have heGe party constitution
and rules which are ironclad. They werefevised
by Gov. 1ilman $ friends nearly two years ago to
prevent the success of a movement, like Judge
Haskell's in 1890, and they have since been
strengthened and riveted. The democratic or
ganiZation of the state is an ironclad machine.
No man can vote in the party primaries unless
he swears that he will support the candidates
nominated at the primaries. and no candidate
can have the votes cast for him counted unless
he files written pledge to abide by and sup
port the nominations made. The only chance
for democrat to bolt a nomination. without
perjuring himself. is to refrain from voting and
to refrain from becoming candidate. 1t was not
until a few months ago that the effect of these
regulations upon alliance men was recognized.
They had been intended to bind the anti-alliance
minority, but it turned out that the first men
to chafe under their restrictions were the men
who had established them.
The congressional contests are very hot and
In them lines are strictly drawn between the
supporters of the national democratic platform
md S,E fhn 10 h. -
THE CONGRESSIONAL CONTESTS.
In the first district Congressman VIM H.
Brawley of Charleston is opposed by Dr.
J. William Stokes of Orangeburg, for two years
past the president of the state alliance organ.
the Cotton Plant. Maj. Brawley represented
mainly the large commercial interests of
Charleston and voted against the free silver bill
DIR. Stokes makes this his chief basis of attack.
He repudiates various planks Of the national
democratic PLATFORM especially that recon-
mending the repeal of the 10 per cent tax on
state bank circulation. holding that it would
induce the issue of wildcat currency. His
opponents, however, say that it is because it
would obviate the excuse for the Alliance SUBJ
treaSury demand. DIR. Stokes tells his COM
petitor that as he stands on the national demo-
cratic platform he must look to the national
democracy to elect him. For himself he stands
upon what he terms the state democratic plat
form-the resolution of the May state conven-
tlon lndorslEg the Ocala demands The tight ID
very warm and the vote will be close
FIGHT on THE ALLIANCE
In the second district Congressman George
D. Timan Of Edgefeld, brother of the gov
ernor, who has held his seat in the House for
sixteen years, Is opposed by w. j. Talbert. also
of Edgefeld, superintendent of the state peni-
tertiary and until recently state lecturer Of the
alliance, Col. Robert Aldrich Of Barnwell and
John T.. CASTOR Of Aiken. Congressman Till
man is farmer and SO is his chief competitor.
Messrs. Aldrich and CASTOR are lawyers. who
have espoused the Tillman cause "Uncle
George" as the Congressman is affectiouately
called by his friends, was, like him. bitterly
opposed to the Ocala platform, but, unlike him,
maintains his hostility. He is making an open
and bitter fight on the alliance which Talbert,
of course. supports. In a speech a couple of
days ago the latter complimented Congressman
Tom Watson Of Georgia highly and said no
Thought he was right" This is taken as an
evidence of his inclination toward the third
party. There have been several exciting scenes
between the two leaders in this race. At one
meeting Tillman denounced Talbert as ''an in
famous liar and Talbert retorted by ''hurling
the lie back down his old rotten throat" The
indications are that, as a majority is necessary
| to nominate, Tillman and Talbert will be pitted
against each other in a second primary. Gov
Tillman's attitude to this contest is the SUBJ
ject of much curiosity and some bad feeling.