Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1893-04-13
THE QUARREL OVER WHO SHALL
CONTROL THE FEDERAL PA.
TRONAGE IN SOUTH CARO-
LIMA, AYoNG OUR con.
GRESSMEN AND EX-
CONGRESSYEN.
Two Newspaper Accounts cf the Hear
ing Given to them by POST
master General Bissell.
Especial to The Columbia State.

ltPSSibI w AttS NSAN.NA.VNN
WASHINGTON, April 5.-The hear
ing given the Ocala Congressman by
Postmaster General Bissell to-day
was mighty interesting proceeding.
/ 1t was held in the Post Office De-
partment at 3 P. NJ. and lasted until
$50. There were present Senators
Butler and Irby, Representatives
Shell, Strait, Latimer and Talbert
and ex-Representatives Johnstone
and Hemphill Senator Irby having
taken his private stenographer. along,
Senator Butler engaged one also.
Irby and Talbert were loud and
defiant; Strait and Latimer subdued
and excusatory; She'll rather shy
Butler, Hemptnill and Johnstone cool
and keen.
Senator Irby started out by say
inc that, while his side was armed
only with facts, he had the authority
of gentleman for saying that Sena-
tor Butler had come stick in hand
and pistol in pocket.
Senator Butler challenged the pame
of his informant.
Irby said it was J. H. Tillman.
Senator Butler said it was false
he had never carried a pistol in his
life; he was amazed that his col
league should repeat so ridiculous a
statement in this presence.
Latimer spoke first. He claimed
he had always been, and would
always be, Democrat; that while
he had opposed cleveland's nomina,
ton, he had acquiesced low Y! and
helped elect him.
Mr.. femphili said the ques,,on
was whether Democratic patronage
would be given to aid in opposition
to Democratic principles. lie had
the right, as private citizen, to
make recommendation for Office, and
would continue to exercise it. The
majority against him in the primary
had only been 173, and he repre-
sented more Democrats than Strait.
He was surprised to see these gen
tlemen here. If he had, like them,
claimed that Cleveland was not a
Democrat, he would not, like them,
be found asking favors Of him.
Strait said that any assertion that
he was not Democrat was untrue.
Mr.. Johnstone made a mastery
summary of Latimer's record in oppo-
sition to Democratic principles, and
asked question after question touch
ing his presence at the St. Louis
convention, ETC., which Latimer didn't
answer. He propounded these final
questions with great impressiveness,
telling Latimer not to quibbie or
evade:
First-aDo you hold the Demo
cratic platform adopted at Chicago
to be superior in It's binding force
upon you to the platform or prlnci-
pies OF any other party organization
or body"
No answer.
Second-'Do you approve of, and
are you in opposition to, the plat
form of the Third Party adopted at
Omaha 2"
No answer.
Senator Irby asked Mr.. Johnstone
if he hadn't voted for Latimer. John
stone said he had, as pledged in the
primary. a similar question was
subsequently, asked Of Hemphill as
to Strait, and q similar reply was
made.
Mr.. Talbert made stump speech,
full of sound and fury, signifying
nothing, and pounded the table until
the noise resounded through the cor
ridors. He insisted that this was a
humiliating spectacle; that he had
always been .Jeffersonian Democrat,
opposed TO corporations OF all kinds
and all classes" and that the others
ran on the same platform and were
in the same position, which he claimed
was Democratic.
Mr.. Shell said he was not called on
to defend MS Democracy, as there
was no question Of it. Still he cher
ished Alliance principles as equal to
any other. He had attended ALI
ance conferences in Washington with
Johnstone in the last Congress, and
could say that no man contributed
more to the success of the Alliance
demands than did his friend John
stone.
Latimer claimed last fall that John
stone had taken home from Wash
ington letters from Livingston.
Irby, interpolating: "And Watson
and Macane''
.Johnstone: q didn't do anything
of the sort
Latimer: "And from Tillman, Ever
EFT and Moses
Shell said Johnstone had repudi-
ated the sub-treasury bill.
Irby asked ifshe hadn't supported
the sub-treasury scheme.
Shell said he had favored the Hnan-
cial aims Of the Alliance. :
Johnstone emphatically denied that
Y