The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-09-19
THE REORGANIZATION CON
VENTION.

The straigh.out Convention held in
Columbia % Monday under the call Of
Thomas J.: Carxile, Esq. did little
harm. The Convention q. this time
was mistake, We sincerely believe
even talk Of convention was mis-
take. Since both mistakes had been
made already, we are thankful that
error was not piled on the top Of mis-
takes by the nomination 10 the Con-
veption of State ticket.
Our reasons for believing the present
democratic movement to be mistake
are easily stated.
The plan Of campaign tacitly decided
upon in the irst months of the year
was to let Tillmao and bis crowd run
things to suit themselves. To give him
full swing in the disposition Of the
Offices. In the meanwhile the Conser-
vative Democrats were to keep up their
organization, wherever organization had
survived, and wait until Tillmanism
disintegrated from its own corruption
This was the policy to be pursued. 70
hint of the organization Of National
Democratic clubs was next akin to trea-
sou. Now the Watchnaan and South
ron favored no such plan. We wanted
the clubs organized aud we wanted a
s.raightout fight, bus. having a faint
idea that in the multitude of counsel
there was wisdom We acquiesced and
went into the campaign to wio in Sum-
ter County. 10 keep up The organiza-
ton we had to recognize the call of the
Irby Com mittee, 60 into conventions
called by his authority and 60 into a
primary ordered by this committee and
take the pledge prescribed. We did
SO. believing that We were doing the
best thing for the party, that could be
done under the circumstance and in
the doing we made certain pledges that
as honest men We propose to observe.
Such being the conditions, we could not
advocate the nomination of ticket or
the emoliug Of a convention. 1t it
was good generalship to stand aloof
from contest with Tillmanism when
all the Conservatives were free to enter
the fight, it looks to US as the veriest
foolishuess to precipitate fight when a
large number Of true aud tried demo-
Gratis cannot couscientiously unite with
the others iu the fight If it was good
colicy for us to stand aside and take
uote of how the refawmers quarrelled
about how the Offices were to be shared
out, would it not be better policy to
pursue this plan to its legitimate con-
clusion {. Should we not stand aside
and observe how the refawmers would
quarrel about how the Offices had been
shared out? Would not the quarrel In
crease in bitterness the longer coptlu-
ued? Soft appears to US. aud if there
ever was anything in this do-nothlng
plan, just oow vas the time when We
would have begun to perceive it. And
now this new plan Of campaign is
sprung all in a hurry. A regular
furry of demands to fight, fight, fight,
by the men who few manths ago said
wait. wait, wait, the refawmers will
soou 20 to fighting among themselves.
As result we fail to obtain the bene-
fits from the waiting policy, disorgan-
ize an already badly disorganized aud
disuuited faction. and throw the wrang-
ling Tillmanites back into ranks, obe-
dient to the lash of the boss as means
of self.preservation.
The utter hopelessness of an appeal
to the general election a, this tune
seems so clear from our point of view
that it is difficult to conceive the
grounds upon which the promoters base
their hopes and expectations. Our
own faction is not united, the refawmers
control the registration and election
machinery and will not hesitate to use
every advantage; and besides if the
negro comes in. who Grst appealed te
him1 who has the better chance of ob-
tanning his support than the Tillman-
ties I? The negro has not forgotten how
Murray got his seat and Tillman and
his ring will not let him forget it. Il