The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-31
Spec,al to News and Courier.

SDSClI1l W ~NS - S~14~
COLUMBIA, October 29.-After Gov
ernor Tillman had explained the STU
alton in Beaufort, as seen by him. ne
took an intermission, and after awhile
asked to give his views on the Constr.
tutioual Convention. He was careful
in what he had 10 say and every now
and then would stop to think 1t over.
Occasionally he would make side re-
mark. .MThe interview is OF Importance
and distinctly shows that the Reform
ers are not absolutely certain of their
Convention. He said:
"While I am talking on politics ana
the status in that Congressional dis
trict I had just as we'll give those OF our
people, who care to know my views on
other questions, few words of warn
ing on the dangers ahead Of US. There
is q crisis upon US, and the immediate
future is fraught with more good or Ill
than any period in our history SINCE
1861, The dark wave of corruption,
nisgovernment and well-nigh anarchy y,
which engulphed our State during the
days of Radical dominion, failed to
overW helm and destroy our clvlliza-
ton because of the feeling ofrace unity;
blood was thicker than water, and
white men were ever ready to respond
to the call Of white supremacy. When
the tocsin was sounded in 1876 the
white men of the State responded as
one man, and our people moved as
solid phalanx to recover their lost lib
critics and restore decency and order III
the con6Dct Of CIR affairs
1.-The unfortunate divisions which
have arisen among US, and l will not
now discuss the question as TO where
the blame lies, have reached the point
for second time where white men OF
acknowledged integrity and character
and decent reputation are willing TO
use the negro in our politics in the
hope of regaining lost ascendency.
I have no uneasiness as to the result OF
the election this year. There is no
possibility Of any great lnroad being
made on the Democratic party as now
organized. Evans will be elected by
an overwhelming vote and the COM
plexion Of the legislature will little II
any change from the status hxed oy
the primary Of August Is.
"But the issue which vitally con-
Germs the future of the State aud its
people, the calling of Constitutional
Convention, is in doubt. Ill the ele-
ments opposed to Reform in the State,
every newspaper controlled by the So
called Conservatives and several which
have hitherto sided with the Reform
ers are opposing the Convention with
every argument possible. When l
consider the fact that this opposition
may defeat the calling of convention
I shu6der to think what will lneTlta-
blv follow in the next political CAM
paign.
IF THIS WERE ONLY TRUE.
sour people will come together II the
Convention is called, and patriotism
and character without regard to faction
will govern in the selection or those
who will make new Constitution.
But if the Convention is not called then
We will be- divided into two hostile
carnps of white men in the next cam
paign, struggling to see which can get
the most negro votes. This is newt
able as that the sun will rise tomorrow.
What the result will be upon the future
progress of the State and its business
interests must be apparent to every
thinking man. Some men affect TO BE-
lieve that the negro, as factor IN our
politics, would produce no untoward
results, nor be dangerous to the pubic
welfare. Others say that the best
white people, as they term themselves,
and the negroes in political combina-
tion would bring about restoration OF
good government.
THIS IS TRUE.
"But can ye touch pitch and not be
defled? Can the 100000 white men in
South Carolina energize and marshal
the 100000 negro voters in the State
and lead them to the polls, con-
tending for the mastery, without de-
structicn of all of our business Interests
apd a paralysis of every industry? Can
this vast horde ofiguorantand beoased,
voters participate in government with
out corrupting and debauc hing the
public service? Is it not clear that
while in the first fight, and even posi-
bly in the ,ond, decent and honest
men may be elected to office, that the
inevitable trend Of politics will be for
those who are most willing to go to
the level of the negro to control them?
Will the negroes not demand and en-
force a division of the offices as re-
cognition of their service? Can we hope
that character end intelligence will
continue to control when such contln.
gencies arise, as they inevitably Will
arise? VIII not the needy and greedy
office seekers, the corrupt, the low, the
base, among the whites finally use the
negro votes to virtually confiscate pro-
per,y and renew under the form of law
John J. Patterson's five more years Of
food st ealing"
BECAUSE HE MIGHT JUMP FROM THE
FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE.
Chow theu can any patriotic, sensi-
bic man, who loves his State and race,
hesitate as to how he shall vote on this
Convention question? I confess 1t
puzzles me to account for the Insane
opposition which has arisen IN so many
quarters. In some counties, where the
Whites are in the majority, which have,
therefore, never undergone, except IN a
modified degree, the degradation ana
miseries of the reconstruction period,
demagogical pleas are used 10 frighten
the poor whites. If we had white
majority in the State this burning
question of negro supremacy, or quasi
supremacy, need not cause so much
alarm.
BIT IT IS THE WHITE MEN IN THE
BLACK COUNTIES WHO OPPOSE THE
CONVENTION MOST.
"But those white men in the white
counties, who are opposing Constitu-
tional Convention and say there is no
danger. are like the ostrich which
hides its head in the sand and con-
siders itself out of harms way. They
hnra naver suffered what their brethren