The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-05
ARE REFoRMERs REFORMERS FOR
OFFICE ONLYe
Or Is Tillnan the Only Cohesive Power In
the Reform Psrty?-Some Reflections
by Capt. Jno. F. Banks.

Or Is Gilman the Only Cohesive Power In
the Reform Party?-Some Reflections
by Capt. Jno. F. Banks.
In reviewing the result of the late
election in this county some analogous
facts present themselves for solution.
We see the Reform Legislative ticket
elected by an easy majority, while lot
a single county officer, with perhaps
one exception, has been elected from
the Reform faction. What does this
mean? Is it that Mr.. Tillman (whom I
believe to be an uncompromising and
incorruptible patrioD is the only man
who Can hold together the Reform fac
tion in this county? Or is it that the
Reform faction has no men in it COM
petent or honest enough to discharge
, the duties of a county officer? Or yet
again, is it that only the most incom-
petent and least deserving of the Re-
lorna faction are offered for Office?
(which being the case we should caucus
q little.) Or finally and worst of all, is
it that the Reform party is founded in
error; that the underlying principles
are false-intrinsically worthless, and
that Mr.. Tillman is the adhesive power
upon which the Reform faction is
sprinkled as q rope of sand, and which
when such adhesive power is with
drawn the whole fabric falls to pieces?
Considering these theories as to the
defeat of all candidates except those for
the Legislature: It is scarcely possible
that every Reform candidate for county
Offices is incompetent or unworthy.
There are among the candidates de-
feated, men who are the peers ofany in
the county in honor, integrity and their
firm adherence to the principles of the
Reform party, and they have been de.
feated by men neither flesh nor fish;
who have pever Except perhaps once)
supported Mr.. Tillman, but have per-
sistently opposed him and the platform
upon which be stands. How are we to
reconcile this Inconsistency?
As to the first theory, I do not sup
pose that the Reform faction will be
willing to admit that there are none ia
it competent or worthy to discharge the
duties of county officers. This would be
admitting that the members elected to
the Legislature were incompetent or
unworthy.
The last theory is, that lacking in
soundness Of principles; wanting in the
moral support Of truth, without which
everything must eventually fail, the
temporary cohesive power fails from the
tension which is required to hold it for
short time to the accomplishment of
a certain required object, when the
whole thing disintegrates and falls to
pieces.
For one, cannot accept the last the
ory. I have believed and still believe
that the principles upon which Stands
the Reform party ia this State, in the
main, represent truth, jnstice and equal
rights to all citizens, and that many
have lost sight of principle in their
blind adherence to men. Hence, they
will vote for men opposed to the prin-
cinles which they profess TO believe iR,
thus endangering those principles: for
a party cannot long hold together
when those who re its true and un-
Compromising friends from principle
are rewarded with defeat, while those
men who, like Macbeth's witches, ,"keep
the word of promise to our ear and
break it toour hope", are rewarded with
all paying Offices. Our friends, the
Conservatives, do not act thus. They
stick to their men almost to man and
have always succeeded in getting
enough and more than enough Re-
formers to elect them. Indeed they
seem to have in mind the policy of
striving to secure the paying Offices for
their political allies, and by this means
to undermine the Reform faction by
spreading dissatisfaction among Re-
form candidates and their friends.
They are "wise as serpents," but be-
lieve me, they are not quite 80 "harm-
less as doves" This course, to some
extent, gives the appearance of truth to
their principles, whatever they are. 1
confess do not know, unless it is to
get the calamity howlers out and get in
such as do not know when to howl. I
think the bowling will begin all along
the line before long.
AS respects my personal feeling in the
matter Of my defeat, although I know
the public take very little interest in it,
I think it due my friends to say some
thing along this line. Well theu, there
is no soreheadedness in it. if I know
what that implies. I suppose that
thoughtful Reformers will recognize in
my treatment at the hands of those
who should have been my friends,
something like the case of Brutus. I
have certainly received injury IN the
house of friends. Most Reformers
know that I have been somewhat
prominent in this county in working
for the cause, and have to some extent
rendered myself obnoxious to few of
the more radical Of the, opposition, while
my late competitor has nothing to COM
mend him to the favorable considera-
ton of Reformers, unless it is his her
maphrodltic, strsddling politics. Il
have written this last concerning his
politics and not his official duties, in
which I suppose he has been faith
full
Some will say then it is for pay tbIrf
you seem to be working for R>aas tn
Not at all, for ! expect {sto,in, {Ssontinne TO- ~,
e"sas %ssee'5e na5e doDe, while it is indi- alb
ted by the late election, that those
10 are working in hope Of reward are
,koning without their host. (Better i