The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-02-28
April is the Time.
The ANiance-R Reform Conuention
Certainty No'o.

1t was last Monday that The State
said that the political pot of reform in
this State was boiling merrily, that
some surprising things we're going
on and that probably before the end
of the present week some of them,
showing remarkable condition Of
affairs would be made public. 1t was
impossible then to tell anything
definite, although the representatives
of The State were we'll informed and
are better informed now of the moves
and counter.moves that have been
made and are being made.
There has been a row going on in
the Reform ranks for some time
between the two factions known as
the llby faction and the Alliance
Reform faction A good many have
been looking for it to be settled and
nothing come of it, but it doesn't look
now as if any such settlement is ever
to be. 81 any rate, the latter faction,
headel by Mr.. Bowden, came out
e..4ongly demanding March or April
convention. Irby and his men, after
conference in Washington. declared
just as strongly against the holding
of such convention, and Governor
Tillman did the same. But he soon
saw his error, glanced around, noticed
which way the wind was blowing and
clambered up on the fence. Well,
now, it can he stated as fact that
this convention, which the Alliance
faction demanded, is going to be held
during the first or second week Of
April--not later. And the call is
going to be issued IN few days. 1t
may be that it will be made public
tomorrow or Monday. And it may
surprise the public to know that
Governor Tillman has at last decided
which faction he will affiliate with,
for he will either directly or indirectly
issue this call. 1t will appear that
some kind of a compromise has been
made up. So it has, but the Alliance,
Reform people are the undoubted
masters of the situation. Just why
this statement is made, the public
cannot yet know through the columns
of this paper. The public is simply
asked to wait and see.
Although the fact that the Gov
ernor was to issue the call has been
known for some days here, the
representatives of The State were SO
situated that they would noe make it
public, and yesterday correspondent
sent out the fact from Washington.
When Governor Tiilman was asked
about it, he characterized it as "that
lie. from Washington" and said he
knew nothing about the calling of a
convention by himself. This ap-
pears as denial on thepart of the Gov.
ernor that he will call the convention,
but The State regards this as merely
a ruse on the part of the Governor,
and if he does not cali the convention
directly he will indirectly do so, and
his name will appear affixed to the
call.
1t can be further stated, as pretty
we'll settled fact. that the convention
when it assemblies will make nomina-
tons for a State ticket. which will be
directly against the expressed desire
of the Irby faction. Just now it ap-
pears that Ellerbe is the man who will
head the ticket. He certainly seems to
have the strongest showing of any of
those mentioned John Gary Evans
will hardly be in it, if the situation is
understood correctly. What effect
that will have remains to be seen.
The situation is interesting to say
the least, and there will doubtless be
further developments of still more
interesting,,nature in the nextfew days
And as to lrby and his men. lrby
came from Washington a few days
ago. He must have received informa.
tion of the way affairs were going.
1t is stated that he has been in
Columbia, but such is not thought to
be the case by those who are in a
position to know. He is doubtless
at home watching things with a
jealous eye. But if the writing on
the wall IS read Alright he might as
well have stayed in Washington for
the good he will do to his side.
Some of the things told above
would not have been mentioned, but
for the fact that several who saw the
dispatch from Washington were
anxious to know what it meant In
consequence of this enough is said
to indicate which way the wind is
blowing, and the rest is left for the