The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-07
MARCH CONVENTION SURE.
Alliance Leaders Unshaken in Their Deter
mination-TiIIman'sA Argument
Not Considered Good.
From The State. I

Not Considered Good.
lFrom The State.l
The Alliance faction of the Reform
party have not the slightest idea Of
abandoning their intention Of holding
an early convention to make nomina-
tions for State officers. The leaders on
their side are displaying their determi-
nation in calm and deliberate manner.
Their talk indicates that they are alb
solutely sure oftheir ground aad seems
to show that they have not the slightest
fear of Senator Irby's combination.
From what can now be aseertained
there seems to be no doubt whatever
that the early convention to be called
by Mr.. Shell and his committee, will
he held, and it is believed that the call
will very soon be issued. The men who
are leading this faction know in advance
what each Alliance in the State is GO
Jog to say. and thus it is that they are
80 sure of their ground.
The following leading article along
this line will appear in the Cotton
Plant, the recognized organ Of the
Alliance -Reformers to-day. While it is
calm it meass a great deal and dur
ing the next week it will be heard
from:
GAS time passes and the ambitions of
men begin to come to the surface we
see the necessity ofan early convention
of Reformers clearer than ever. AS
this matter, the greatest danger to our
cause, comes when the ambitions OF
men clash-and when their friends
take sides and turn harmony into dis.
cord, the personality Of the men be-
come paramount to all else and meas
ures are obscured by the excitement of
a personal fight.
ITO prevent all this and to.have the
will Of the people supreme in our State
we have urged the calling Of March
convention, in which the people could
speak their willard their voice would
be obeyed by all cheerfully. Letters
received from all parts OF the State
convince Us that we were right in our
Interpretation Of the wishes of our peo-
pie and the reasons we gave were salts
factory to them, and all that remains
to be done is for the people to speak
their wishes through mass meetings in
each community.
"The only reason given yet against
holding preliminary convention of
Reformers worthy Of notice is the one
given by Governor Tillman in his.
interview in the daily papers Of the
25th inst. He takes the position that
one of cur demands in 1880 was the
holding Of State primary in which
our people could vote for Governor and
other State officers, after campaign
in which the candidates, discussed the
issues before the people, and that to
hold March or spring convention
would be inconsistent on our part.
Others agree with the Governor in this
view. AT first blush it looks plausible
enough, but those holding that evident
ly fail to see the actual situation.
"We have no direct primary now,
and the people. when voting, can only
vote for delegates representing q candi-
date. Take a county that has twelve
delegates in the State convention, and
suppose there will be five Reform can,
dldates for Governor; there would be
just sixty Reform candidates for dele
gates. And then would ccme in the
complications with the numerous can
didates for State officers which would
open the way fer ea endless amount Of
trading and log-rolllng that would be
certain to leave Us in the soup.
"We believe in primary where the
citizen can vote directly for his choice,
but until we get that we must take the
course from irreparable injury.
1.-THE interest we take in the matter
is impersonal and solely because we
are satisfsl that it is our duty to adj
vocate the policy that will prevent the
Alliance demands being side-tracked,
as they would be in general scramble
for Office under the circumstances out
lined above. We, as all others, are anx-
ious to obey the peoples wishes. Five
counties have spoken in favor of an
early convention, and one opposed, and
all the other counties should hold mass
meetings at an early day as posi-
BILE and let their views be known.
"Our views as to who should call tho
convention, is generally concurred in.
The executive committee Of the Far
mers' Association is the only body that
has been chosen by the Reformers and
they could not be accused of partiality
to any candidate. Objection on that
ground would be made to any volunta-
~ committee.
"Call mass meeting in your county
at once, and speak out"
Ellison 9. Eeitt on TI1lman.
fCotton Plant.