The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-08-04
For the TIMES.
Ansnt the farlsy-Irby.sheil Affair.

Mr.. EDITOR "A writer in the Columbia
Register of July 28, in alluding to Adjutant
General Farley's srraignment Of Senator
Irhy says: "Let Senator Irby take no notice
whatever Of such attacks"
That may be comforting advice to Senator
Irby, but should his constituents compla-
Gently it.down and allow the grave charges
against their representative in the Senate Of
the Nation to pass unnoticed, and without
thorough aud honest iavestigationf No
d doubt thousands are very we'll satisfied with
the Senator's explanation, but it is we'll
known that thousands are not at all satisfied
with il. And that dissatisfaction is as pro-
nounced among Senator Irby's partizan fol-
lowers as his opponents. "Where there is
go much smoke there must be some fire."
and the people Of all and every political
faith, complexion and Organization, cannot
and will not again indorse the humilisting
and slavish utterauce Of many indiscreet
men in the Reform ranks in 1890 and '92,
that they would ''vote for certain man, if
they caught him with stolen sheep on his
back" Such blind party following not only
encourages dishonesty in the officials we
elect, but invites the most unsorupulous
honey.tongued political rasoals into our
ranks to seek and obtain Office under the
banner and shout of reform. believe We
can aud do, in that way, make honest and
conscientious officials politically corrupt and
downright dishonest. If time and develop.
menis In this State do not bear me out IN
this, shall be most agrseably disappointed
'I am man free born, of lawful age, and
| under the tongue of good report" but / am
not infallible nor. do think auy other man
is SO stern1y pure and incorruptible that he
| is beyond suspicion, and cannot be badly
warped by public aattery or too much SUBJ
missive confidence in his professions.
1t is we'll known to those of US who par
| ticipated in the reform movement of 1890
that J. L. NJ Irby put himself in the high
| position he now occupies by adroit manipu-
| lation Of men and means. However he may
| have reformed under the reform movement
inaugurated by Is. X. Tillman and G. w.
| Shell, there was not enough reform in his
| previous character to entitle him to the full
and implicit confidence of the reform party
of the State now, and / don't think good
investigation of his acts and doings will hurt
the party. If the charges prove to be false
Senator Irby will be a great gamer, in every
respect, and his accusers will be ruined
politically and In every other respect and let
the reform party will be benefited, If it will
purify itself by casting out the guilty ones.
But the Senator has the "inside track
he's a member of the Alliance and Farley is
not. The brethren are not going to turn
out or turn their backs to q brother in high
standing, upon charges preferred by an out.
slider, unless those charges are well
established and Of decidedly corrupt char.
acter. But now that Jim Tillman comes in
to corroborate Farley's charges, with Irby q
assault upon Congressman Shell and his en-.
dorsing note TO compromise an assault upon
O poor but respectable woman, has been add
ed to the catalogue of doubtful transactions
the affair is SO badly mixed up with the out
side and inside Shell is q member of the
Alliance) men aud matters. think Senate,
lrby himself, the Alliance, the reform party
and tho State at large, should demand q
complete, fair aud dispassionate investiga
ton.
Senator Irby, individually, may we'll &C
cept the advice Of the Registers correspon
dent, to "tske no notice whatever Of suol
attacks" but he presumes to represent tn,
people of South CaroliG.- in the Senate o
the United States he is chairman of tn,
Democratic State Executive Committee, ant
in those positions represents not only th
Democratic party, but all the people of tn
State, and the question is, are tho people, hi
constituents, willing to passively submit I,
the "Nuasksn made upon their accredited