Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-03-07
TILLMAN ON REFORM. :"
He Continues to Oppose Early
Nominations.
Columbia Register.

CttlI VI Vic OO1lCtOl 1eOhOi ihSAS 'oA
mass meeting in that county on
Monday, March 9Th, for the cleo
tion of delegate to State con-
vention, and an invitation to the
other counties to do likewise.
What do you think of it?"
The governor answered, after
some consideration of the question
II feel some reluctance in obtrud-
ing my views on the public on a
matter which 1 fully discussed in
an interview shortly after my re-
turn from Washington. There is
evident among the people a. feeling
of restlessness and uncertainty
arising from all this talk and
advocacy of an early convention.
If the 'autis' were making any ac-
tive moves l could understand IT.,
and see how it would be desirable
or necessary to concentrate the
reform vote in support of one
leader, but the advocates of a con-
vention to nominate a reform can
didate for governor appear to forget
that such nomination without
previous discussion to allow the
people to judge of the fitness of
the various as,,irants, is totally
inconsistent with all our previ-
Gus professions and practices,
and must necessarily breed heart
burnings among the candidates
who may be out and cause disgust
among their friends. The dangers
which some men profess to see, IT
there is a free for-all race in the
primary, do not appear to me as
great as those which may confront
us should the man who may ge.
such nomination MT meet the ex-
pectations of the people when he
begins to canvass.
"You take if then, that the can.
didate for governor will canvass,
even though hr has no opposition?"
"Why, of course, The consti'u-
ton of the democratic party i'll this
State requires candidates for State
offices to make canvass, and
should a convention put forward
a man who did not give satisfac-
ton on the stump, some other re-
former, or unobjectionable anti
would inevitably be brought out
and might beat the convention
nominee. We had better be con-
sistent in our practices and ad-
here to our principles and run the
one danger rather than stultify
ourselves and at the same time run
the other risk"
"What then, do you consider
the best course to be pursued by
the reformels?" was the straight
question which was asked next.
"The Colleton people have hit
on a scheme to allay the unrest,
which is, perhaps, as good as any,
with two additions or changes.
They were in too big a hurry,
and instead of calling a conven-
ton of one from each county. the
mass meeting of reformers in the
different counties should simply
meet and elect ono of their best
men, with no axe to grind, to form
a State campaign committee. 1t
takes at least three weeks for any
movement among the people to get
under way, so as to carry the whole
mass. One half the reformers IN
Colleton do not know that a mass
meeting is called for that county
next Monday, and not knowing
it, they would resent any radical
action such as instructing their
delegate of one to the State con-
vention to call nominating con-
vention later. If it is the desire
of the masses of the reformers to
move in this matter, the process is
easy and simple, but it must not
be too hurried. There is no need
of hurry, anyway, and any move
ment which does not come from
the people themselves will create
dissatisfaction and meet defeat"
"How, then, shall the thing be
brought about?',
"Well, in my judgment the only
way in which it can be brought
about is for fifteen or twenty lead
ing men in each county to unite in
a call similar to that of the Col
letor leaders for mass meeting
of reformers at their respective
court houses, salesday IN April, to
elect a member of State reform