The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-07-11
A REFORMER's COMPLAINT.
ADJUTaNT GENERAL FARLEY ON
THE WAR PATH.

| <Abo ooIaNI SENEttAh FARLEY ON
THE WAR PATH.
Senator Irby is Denounced as a
| Dictator and Tyrant-The Only
| Danger to the Reform Movement.
The following letter from Gen.
Hugh l.. Farley has been given to the
public, although it was rejected by one
OF the reform newspapers to which it
Is addressed:
To the Editors of the Register and
Headlight:
Sirs: Various articles in reference
to politics and the blacklisting"
which is going on have appeared In
the newspapers of this State, and my
name has been frequently used in con-
nection Herewith, but I have paid
very little attention to them, regard
ing them as merely sensational in most
cases or as the petty malice of design
ing parties who only wanted to create
more bitterness and division in the
reform ranks, to which did not wish to
contribute
Late developments, however, have
convinced me that there is q settled,
malicious and determined purpose, on
the part OF certain parties, not only to
blacklist" but to misrepresent and
mal1gn me and others, which has found
expression in such way as to cause
my friends to ask me the reason for it,
and to demand that it shall be ex-
posed.
The first intimation had of this was
in the appearance of the following cor
respondence in the Augusta Chron-
icle, signed "Craddock," which ap-
peared immediately after the inaugural
OF President Cleveland, and was copied
by various papers in this State:
The leaders of the South Carolina
reform movement that assembled in
Washington during the Inauguration
seemed to have more important bust
ness than sight seeing. The rank and
nile OF the reform movement OF the
State, to all appearance, have been sat
lsfied with the leadership of Tillman
and lrby, but not so with some of the
lieutenants. One of the State officials
announced to supposed enemy of
Governor Tillman and Senatory Irby
that the following combinations had
been agreed upon: Congressman
Shell, who signed the prepared mani
festo in 1890, and who all at once re-
Gently became so disgusted with
politics and politicians that he had
himself interviewed, announcing his
retirement from politics, is to be the
anti-Tillman candidate for Governor,
posing as a healing plaster between
the two factions. Senator Butler is to
be their candidate for reelection.
General Farley is to succeed Shell in
Congress. Mr.. Talbert is to have no
opposition from the conservative fac
tion for Congress and is to receive the
conservative support. The position of
Adjutant General Farley is said to
man, but it is likely that he will not
accept"
Later an article appeared in the
Laurensville Herald, in which the
charge is made that had attended the
Donaldson caucus at Spartanburg, in
which various parties mentioned as
traitors" ETC., were sharpening
their Brutus daggers for Ben Tilfman,"
and like expressions.
Now, 1 would have been content to
let these things go by without digni-
flying them by a denial, relying upon
my record and character as sufficient
refutation with all interested and we'll
informed parties, as l and IN : others
saw the animus and purpose with
which they were written, and could
easily tell the source from which they
came, but later developments have
convinced me that it is my duty to ex-
pose them. 1t may be as we'll, how
ever. while | am writing to say in my
own behalf as well as the others named,
that there is not one particle of truth in
the alleged combination said to
have been agreed upon in Washington,
and that the whole thing sprang from
the malice and the imagination of one
pion liar" of the State.
This is not only simple denial but
challenge to the real author of the
Craddock" article, who shall name,
to produce any credible evidence to
support his statement. If necessary l
will appeal to all the parties named,
i. e., Butler, Shell, Talbert and ]. H.
Tillman as to whether there has ever
been conversation, or intimation, or
! effort at such scheme. Although it
is a small matter, it may be we'll also
to state, by way of showing how lies
are manufactured, that no Farley
to or attended the so-called "Donald-
son caucus" at which the "Brutus
daggers" were sharpened, Indeed l
am yet to be informed whether the
caucus OF alliancemen at Spartanburg
had any political significance, and the
first intimation that had that attend.
ed it went from Stanyarne Wilson to
Columbia, and later in the Laurens.
Vile Herald, which possibly got its
information from the same source
The parties who attended Senator
Donaldson's alliance caucus can easily
tell who were expected, or invited to,
or did attend the Donaldson caucus, as
l suppose they had right to do, ant
also as to the object. This, however
is a matter of little Importance.
AS the blacklisting and the
"Craddock article, charging politi
cal combination commenced in Wash
ington, and has been followed up by
various articles and interviews in the
papers, charging conspiracy and al
luding to various parties as traitors,
ETC., to the "reform movement" thus
causing great dissatisfaction, confu
sion and suspicion as well as threaten
ing contention and division in Ou
ranks, 1T Is of the greatest importanc,
to find out what is the cause OF it, VIII,
is at the bottom OF it or responsible for /
and in short to inquire who is the rea
author of CraddOck ?"
| will state simply that have the
evidence in writing, in my possession
which shows with other facts that
am in possession of, that one Senator
John Laurens Manning Irby dictated
the article quoted above to his privat,
secretary, and had it sent to tn,
Chronicle under the name of "Crad
1Ock.D thf, cpnn1ar lo =