The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-01-17
THE IMPENDING BATTLE.
CAPT. SHELL TO LEAD IN THE CAM
PAlGN AGAINST COL. lReY.

pgign From the stronger FsctIon's Or
gan-Msrch Convention Practically
Called-Ttnman's Hands OF.
COLUMBIA, Jan. l1.-When the an
nouncement was made in December
that the campaign this year would
open early in January, a great many
had doubts about it. Few outside the
charmed circle then knew that the
political pot within the ranks of the
Reform party was boiling over, and
that there was fight within the ranks
of the heretofore solid phalanxes Of
Reform, imminent. But such was the
case. It has been brewing for long
time, and now there is crisis.
There are to be two factions in the
Reform party in the coming campaign.
That fact is now no longer denied by
the leaders of the more powerful fac
ton. The indications are that Senator
lrby, the present State chairman, will
lead the faction which represents the
minority, and that be will have but
little to do with the real manipulation
OF the coming campaign as far as the
Reform element is concerned. He and
several followers some months ago cut
loose almost entirely from the main
wing of the Reformers. and they are
all likely to fall by the wayside, fight
ing as they fall.
Congressman Shell, it Is positively
announced, was approached while in
the city few days ago by the leaders
Of the Alliance or farming element of
the Reform party, and he has consent
ed to be at the head of the committee
that will manage the campaign for this
faction. He was the former president
Of the Farmers Association in this
State.
The Cotton Plant, which is the Off
cial organ of the Misunderstanding ele-
ment of the Reform party, will sup
port the latter faction. W0en this
weeks issue of that paper Is issued
this afternoon it will publish the fol-
lowing double-leaded editorial, under
the caption, ga March Convention"
which is equivalent to a call for sucha
convention.
with the very beginning of this
year we are confronted with the fact
that this is campaign year and that
we are soon to meet olr opponents In
a battle for the peoples rights and the
development of our State in business
prosperity and the happiness of its
citizens. Such being the case we at
once realize the great lmp portance Of at
once getting our forces together aud
coming to an agreement on the policy
1 to be pursued so that thera can be no
misunderstanding, and the success of
our cause assured.
The politicians must bs made to
take a back seat and let the people
themselves set the pace. To dothat
the people should meet in Saeir neigh
borhood clubs and send delegates to a
State convention. which. will adopt
platform and nominate candidate fer
Governor to represent our people on
that platform. a Lieutenant Cover
nor should also be pu; up, but the re-
! nominated by the delegates to the Sep
tember convention.
"The State convention TOR this pur-
pose should be held not later than the
month of March-bafore the farmers
get too busy il their crops to attend to
it, and before bad blood rises between
the friends of the aspirants for the
GoVernorship on the Reform side.
"The Alliance cannot take part in
partisan politics, and therefore has
only the right to point out tins necessi.
ty of calling the people together and
leaving it to some one else to do the
work. We believe that the last presi-
dent and executive committee Of the
Farmers Association Of this State are
the proper ones to issue such CAL, and
we are confident that the people would
respond promptly and-unaaimously to
call issued by them. THIS IS a move.
ment of the people to reform and I'M
prove our government, and not move
ment to place any man or set OF men
in Office merely. We must keep on the
high ground Of pure patriotism, and
seek out the men for service who will
be the most capable Of carrying out our
wishes. Measures and not men must
be made prominent.
'I5 will be noticed that we do not
agree with some points in the res0lu-
tiOns passed on last Friday by our
Laurens brethren and published else
where in this issue; but after mature
consideration we feel satisfied that our
position is the correct one. We hope
that our readers will use our columns
in a discussion of the matter, and Ia
that way reach the most satisfactory
conclusion. We have briefly ousllned
our views, with reasons therefor, and
we shall use our best endeaVors to
maintain the rights and privileges OF
our people and promote harmony in
the work.
| Yesterday a representative of the
State had quite long talk with one or
TWO of the Leaders of the Alliance side.
They say that tie leaders of the other
side will be 10y, Stanyarne wilson,
Larry Cant. and John Gary Evans.
They seem to think that a combination
was formed nearly a year ago by Iroy
and his followers to run things to suit
themselves and make slate Of the Of
ticors for the coming tern, which would
be presented to the voters and would
be swallowed By them. They say that
the effort to crush Gut every le2dlng
Gilman mantle attacks upon Iipdal,
McLaurin and others-Was the direct
resul5 of this combination engineered
by Irby. They consider I7by dead as
far as State politics ere concerned. In
regard to those Allialue resolutions
adopted in Laurens few days ag0,one
of these men yesterday said that they
we're gotten up under Irby's influence,
and represented nobody's views but
his own. He was good manipulation,
and got the County Alliance to adopt
them. He did not think that another
Alliance in the State would have done
so.
The leaders say chat inasmuch as
this VIII not affect Governor Tiilman's
fight for the Senate, he will be hands
off in the fight. They say that Irby
has been spreading the idea that be
and Tl!lman have besn working to-
gether. They know that Governor
Tillman's views ia regard to q conVen.
ton are not those that were expressed
in the Laurens resolutions. They
think. too, that Governor Tlllman
/ 6,