The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-10-17
HE is LIVING ON HOPE.
DR.. POPE BELIEVES HE WILL BE
ELECTED GOVERNOR.

Expressions of Opinion on the Constltu'
tionsl Convention. Governor Tlllman'i
Action About the Military Companiee
and tho Dispsnsary Law.
COLUMBIA, 8. c., Oct. 12.-Dr. SamD'
son Pope, the independent Democratic
candidate for Governor. spent yesterday
IN the city, returning home In the af.
ternoon. He will be down again next
week or thereabouts to make Columbis
bis headquarters until after the cleo
tion. Yesterday morning represen-
tative of The State called on the doc
tor and obtained from him for the press
an interview which makes pretty inter.
esting reading. The interview is as
follows:
"How do you account for the opposl-
tion to you on the part CT certain news.
papers ?" was asked DR.. Pope.
He replied: "The game they are
playing is for the editors of some ol
the weeklies to publish articles under.
rating and misrepresenting my strength
These articles are clipped and published
In some Of the dailies, headlined to suit
thsir purpose. This 1s all for effect: II
is to try and make those who favor me
believe that 1t Is useless for them to 60
to the polls. Now, II I was as weak as
these papers profess to believe, and as
their articles indicate, they would not
trouble themselves about me. Their
action sho VS. they know have strength
and 1t Is an attempt to hoodWink the
people. If my friends 60 to the polls
and vote. my election ID assured"
"D0 you expect to get fair counts 2
81 have great faith" said DR.. Pope
"in the honesty of our people, and be-
lieve that the managers to be sppoint
ed will act fairly. However, If any Of
them should not do so, my friends
must prepare af1davits setting forth
any wrong. doing, and 20 before the
County Board for relief. Should the
County Board refuse, then I will carry
the matter before the State Board o.
Csnvassers, and I know that I vii
then get full justice, as that board Is
composed Of General Farley and Messri
Bates, Ellerbe, Tindal, Buchanan and
Blease."
"What do you think of Governor
Tillman's utterance5 on the future en-
forcement Of the dispensary law"
"Well, If he persists In having the
private residences of our people search
ed by the constabplary and our wom or
and children frightened he may expect
trouble, for the people will not submit
to 1t. It can be done when necessary
by the proper officer, the sheriff Of th'
county, and, If done by him. will ere
ate no friction, as these officers .are
elected by the people and are the prop
er one to act In case of this sort, un
trammeled by any constabulary force
The dispensary seems to be used foI
political purposes, to keep up factlonal
isturbances and for other objects. 1t
will sooner or later be repealed. ever
ii not declared unconstitutional by tn
Supreme Court Of the United States
It was never q Reform measure; II
was the creature Of a cabal, conceived
ia sin and born In iniquity. It seems
that the Governor intends to use the
militia to frighten our people; he may
carry the one thing too Tar; the Anglo
Saxon race know their rights and dar
maintain them Once they are arous
ed nothing will stop them"
"What do you think of the Cover
nor's action 10 suspeDding the mill
''" Il don't know what the Governo
maans nv puttin1 off his order, dis
part of the militia, until after
the dispensary decision, but, when VI
couple this with this threat OF having
1000 militia ready to back him, Il
looks as If he wishei to get rid oi
those he supposed were not his frien ds
and thus intimidate those Of the zoo
who might not be willing to obey hil
commands, In case the trouble whtcl
he seems to fear will arise, does come
"What are your views with regard tt
the constitutional conventionr'
Il have read Senator Irby's effusiol
Il say his. for I imagine that practi
cally he alone Of the committee hat
anything to do with its preparation
1t is a funny instrument, to say tn
least. It is addressed to the Democra
cy Of the State, and yet a part OF tn
Democracy Is insulted In almost ever!
line. It shows to me that the power
that be are trying to bolster up thei
cause, which they believe to be weak
by appealing to the prejudices AM
passions of our people and In this we.
to divert their minds from the true is
sue. To call q convention to max
q new constitution is q serious matter
There are many other. things than sui
frage to be dealt with, and many othe
things are intended by the Ring to b.
dealt with. The suffrage matter l
simply used, In my judgment, to tax
the attention Of the people away iron
other changes intended to be made
If successful, they intend to chang
the organic law In such manner as e
unsettle the law of South Carolina II
many important particulars. Possibl
q dispensary provision may be 1ncoI
porated, and many ether things equal
ly as deleterious. This being the csst
and as the people will not have tn
opportunity of passing upon the Con
stitution, I ana opposed to conVen
tioo, will vote and work against II
and advise my friends to do the same.
"What about the charge that yoI
left the Ring because you couldn't &c
the Office you were after Z?
"Yes, it has been said that l acte
with the Ring until I found I coult
not be selected for Governor. Tn
truth is we left the other faction be
cause We believed that the offices wer
parcelled out. In 1890 the candidate
we're fairly nominated by q convention
In 1892 the same men were given
second term 10 accordance with tn
established custom. In 1894 1 fount
that Ring had been formed. coul'
have been q party to this Ring, an
could have been Secretary OF Stat
uuit hnur turning NV hand oYar [ re-