The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1893-08-09
Defends SENATOR SLIGH.

fends Railroad Com I'D missioner Sigh from
III. CriticIsms of The Observer-It Was
Known that Mr. Sigh Was Going
to the Senate to Help him be
Kai!:road CommI ssioner.
Mr.. EDITOR: Owing to my absence
from home for few days, am forced
10 hand in my letter week later than
l expected. Now, in the first place, |
want it understood that while [ pro-
pose to put in few thoughts on an
article which appeared in the Newber-
ry Observer of the 18th ult., under the
headline "Nhat Did It," l am not
seeking a controversy, or any abuse
whatever; neither ain [ trying to an
taeonise the Observer or any other
journal. While 1 always like to see
| peace and harmony prevail, still l
want to see fair play dealt out on both
sides.
The Observer says that its editor
took no part in the last primary and
that be did not even vote: therefore, 1t
cannot be said that be is biased or par
tial in anyt hing he might say of the
cause of DIR. Wyche's defeat. shall
not say that the Observer is biased in
the matter, but am perfectly willing to
let its words speak for themselves, and
then let the people be the judge.
As to the defeat of DR.. Wyche, this
is nothing more than l predicted when
first saw the early date fixed for the
special election, which forced the pri-
mary upon the farmers when the pres
sure of farm work was so great that
even one-half of them did not have
time to read q newspaper, and there
fore would not know when the prl-
mary election would come off. AS
proof of this, l asked one of our best
citizens, OF Sunday previous to the
election, if he was going to the election,
and he answered: What day does it
come ott'?' then asked him if be
took a paper. He answered: "Yes,
take The Herald and News, and Press
and Reporter, but have not even had
time to open my papers for the past
few weeks"
The Observer says that most of those
who stayed at home the 18th of June
did so because they were not much
| concerned about the election, and that
had they gone to the polls they would
have divided their votes IN about the
same proportion between the two can
| didates. Now, the aforementioned
man, after being Informed of the date
| Of the election, went to the polls and
voted for Wyche. There were also
two others living within less than a
mile of this man who have told me
since the election that if they could
| have possibly got to the polls they
would have voted for Wyche. Now
this not only happened in this section,
but the same thing happened all over
| the county. l think this is evidence
enough Of the cause of DR.. Wyche's
| defeat.
Now, gentle reader, let US notice the
secret of the Observers article.
1t is not to show up the cause Of the
defeat of DR.. Wyche. Oh, no, 1t is
Just one of those old thunderbolts at
the Reform party. In plain evidence
of this, it struck the Hon. J. A. Sigh,
| who is we'll known to be one Of the
| driving wheels of that party; and to
dislocate one OF those wheels simply
means to stop the whole machine.
How inct nsistent is the Observer in
saying "if Mr.. Sigh had been consider
ing the wishes and views of the people
who elected him Senator and the fac
ton to which he belongs, more than
his own pocket book, it seems to US
be would have been willing to hold on
to the small salaried office, where he
could carry out the wishes Of bis con-
stituents by voting for Tillman."
Now I pull off my hat to the world
in contradiction to this, for think |
know what l am talking about when
/ say that there was scarcely oDe of
MIR. Siigh's friends that did not know
be was candidate for Railroad Com
missioner at the time they voted for
him for the Senate; and they are still
proud to say that be has been promoted
to this position.
But anything to down Sigh seems
to be the full Intention of a great many
people who oppose the Reform move
meDt. And what great pity it
is to see a journal that has been es-
teemed so highly as the Newt berry Ob-
server, come out with such a t1imsy
argument. But it is said that We poor
farmers don't know any better any
how-we even havn't got the courage
of our own nvictions-therefore it is
a very easy matter to mislead such b
set of people. So it has been, and SO it
would be if it were not for just such
men as the Honorable J. 4. Sigh.
Long live such men as Mr.. Sigh, for
he has always been at the front in the
hottest of the fight. He has stood like
= stonewall in the interest of the Far
mers' movement and Reform party;
while be las been defeated, yet be has
stood as firm rock. l nave lived
within seven miles Of Mr.. Sigh,
not only since he entered the arena Of
politics, but for the past twenty-five
years, and have known his qualities
we'll; and can truthfully say, 1rom an
ur preiudice,i heart, that be is one of
the truest and most liberal men have
ever seen. AS statesman he has
fought for his people like hero; as an
AlIiancuman he has done the same,
and as Il faithful minister of The gospel
his works have followed him.
Yes, said the Observer was incon-
sistent in saying what it did about Mr..
Sigh, and | htver propose to make
accusations unless | am able to SUBJ
stantiate the same.
| remember very well when Judge
Corhran ran for Congress in 1885, aud
at the same time clinging to judge
ship. Tue Observer must have thought
then that it was right for man TO
think more Of his pocket book than of
the onts he represented, for the Obser-
yer fully endorsed Cothran, out of the
five candidates that we're running at
the same time.
Well, we must not think hard of the
Observer for swallowing Cothran, for
Cothran belonged to different family
than that represented by MIR. Sigh.
Yet the Observer is not biased or par
tial In anvthinp it may say in this