The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-02-07
March Convention Sure.
Columbia Stale. Feb. 1.

The Alliance faction of the Reform
party have not tho slightest idea of aban-
tIouipy their intention of holding an ear
ly convention to mako. nominations for
State offices. The leaders on their side
arc displaying their determination in
calm and deliberate manner. Their talk
indicates that they are absolutely sure of
their ground and seems to show that they
have not the lightsst fear of Senator 1r-
>by's com bination.
From what can now be ascertainod
there seems to be no doubt whatever that
the early convention to be called by Mr..
Shell and his com mmittee, will be held and
it is believed that the call will be issued.
The men who are leading this faction
know in advance what each Alliance in
the State is going to say, and thus It IS
that they are sure of their ground.
The following leading article along this
line will appear in the Cotton Plant, the re-
cornized organ of the Alliance-ReIo ormers
today. While it is calm it means great
deal apd during the next week it will be
heard from
"As time passes and the ambitions of
men begin to come to the SURFACE we see
the necessity of an carly convention of
Reformers clearer than ever AS this
matter, the greatest danger to our .ause,
comes when the am bitions Of men clash
and when their friends take sides and
turn harmony into discord, the personal
ity of the men become paramount to all
else and measures are obscured by tho
excitement of a personal fight.
"To 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 con-
vince us that We were right in our in
terpretatiou of the wishes of our people
and the reasons we gave were satisfactory
to them, and all that remains to be done
is for the people to speak their wishes
through mass meetings IN each commu.
nifty.
"The only reason given yet against
holding preliminary convention OF Re-
formers worthy of notice is the one
given by Governor Tillman in his inter-
view in the daily papers of the 25th inst.
He takes the position that one of our de-
mands in 1890 was the holding Of o 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 con-
vention 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 evidently fail to see the actual situ-
alton.
1--WE have no direct primary now, and
the people, when voting, can only vote
for delegates representing e. candidate.
Take county that has twelve delegates
in the State convention, and suppose
there will be FIVE Reform candidates for
Governor; there would ejust sixty Re-
form candidates for delegates. And then
would come in the complications with
the numerous candidates FOR State
officers which would open the way for an
endless amount of trading and log-roll-
ing that would be certain to leave us In
the soup.
1--WE believein primary where the
but until we get that we must take the
course from irreparable Injury.
"The interest we take In the matter
is impersonal and solely because we
are satisfied that it Is our duty to advo-
cate the policy that will prevent the AL
lance demands being side-tracked, as
they would be in general scram BILE for
Office under the circumstances outlined
above. We, as all others are anxious to
obey the peoples wishes. Five counties
have spoken in favor of an early conven-
tion, and one opposed, and all the other
counties should hold mass meetings at an
early a day as possible and let their
views be known.
sour views as /, who should call the
convention, is also generally concurred
In. The executive committee Of the
Farmers Association Is the only body
that has been chosen by the Reformers
and they cannot be accused of partiality
to any candidate. Objection on that
ground would be made to any voluntary
committee.
"Call mass meeting in your county
at once, and speak out"