The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-10-04
South Carolina Politics.

Mr.. A. W. Butt, the Washington cor
respondent of the Augusta Chronicle, i'll
letter to his paper last Friday, says:
South Carolina, it seems, cannot keep
her political secrets at home. If that
State has surprised the world with re-
forms in the last four years, it will con-
tinue to astonish its own citizens with
political maneuvers during the coming
two years with plot and counter plot
among the reform factions.
There is plot now brewing to Tehash
the judiciary and some strong political
figures will go down in the melee if the
administration scheme goes through.
The Hon. Eugene B. Gary, present
Lieutensnt-Governor, has been marked
by Tillman for slaughter, for the reason
that he is not at the nod Of the admins.
tration.
The Hon. Ira 3. Jones, present Speaker
of the House, whom Gov. Tillman has
made so prominent in the recent railroad
cases, is to be madelAssociate Justice, if
the present scheme prevails. The Hon.
Samuel MCGOWAN, present Associate
Justice, is. to be retired to private life.
The greatest surprise will be when it
becomes known that Tillman has set his
head to defeat Attorney General d. A.
Townsend, who is ambitious for the Ju-
dietary, all because he could not manipu-
late the dispensary cases as the Governor
thought they should have been done.
Then again Tlllman is making move to
gather about him men Of more ability
than be has been wont to have for, as
prominent reformer said to-day, that it is
the only way Tillman himself can become
permanent figure in politics.
The plan to defeat Mr.. Townsend, it
seems, is to give to him the choice of
running against Judge Wallace or Of
going in the Judicial district of Judge
Hudson, whom the reformers are intent
on defeating, and then springing the
Hon. John L. McLaurin, now member OF
Congress, and beat him. If Townsend
runs in the district of Judge WallLce be
will be opposed by the Hon. re. Watts,
member Of the House, and in case the
reformers are not strong enough with
Watts their plan is to throw Watts forces
to Wallace and defeat Townsend with
him.
Judge James Aldrich is to be retained.
Some forces are said to be concentrating
on the present mayor of Charleston, Mr..
Ficken, who is reformer, to defeat
Judge izlar, and in the event of not get
ting enough strength there then they will
concentrate on the Hon. W. G. Bennett,
of Abbeville, e1-member of the House,
who will be ohampioned by R. R. Hemp
hill, the, present State Senator. There
seems tosbe an unwillingness on the part
of Hon! d. E. Finley, State Senator, to
oppose the present presiding Judge I. D.
Witherspoon, in fact, it is stated by
Finley's friends here that he has refused
to enter plan to defeat or oppose Judge
Witherspoon. In that event the field will
be left open to Hon. J. G.. Jordan and
Hon. R. G. Watts.
In the judicial district of Judge T. B.
Fraser, no reform lawyer can be found
with sufficient strength and legal ability
to risk fight in the field and the refor-
mers do not want to display their weak
ness by acknowledging that there is not
enough talent in their ranks as to take
another candidate from the field at large.