The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-10-17
He Is LIVING ON HOPE.
DR.. POPE BELIEVES HE WILL BE
ELECTED GOVERNOR.


| Expressions of opinion on the Conssitu
| .ional Convention, Governor Tillman'
Action About the Military Companiee
and the Di,psnsary Lsw>
COLUMBIA, S. c., Oct. 1s.-Dr. SamD
son Pope, the independent Democratic
candidate for Governor. spent yesterday
in the city, returning home 10 the af
ternoon. He will be down again next
week or thereabouts to make Columbia
his headquarters until after the elec
ton. Yesterday morning represen.
tative Of The State callsd on the doc
tor and obtained from him for the press
an interview which makes pretty Inter.
esting reading. The interview Is as
follows:
How do you account for the opposi-
tion to you on the part CT certain news
papers?" was asked DR.. Pope.
He replied: The game they are
playing is for the editors of some OF
the weeklies to publish articles under
rating and misrepresenting my strength
These articles are clipped and published
In some of the dailies, headlined to suit
thsir purpose. This 1s all for effect: 1t
is to try and make those who favor me
believe that 1t is useless for them to 20
to the polls. Now, II was as weak as
these papers profess to believe, and as
their articles indicate, they would not
trouble themselves about me. Their
action shows they know h,ye strength
and 1t is an attempt to hoodwink the
people. If my friends 60 to the polls
and vote, my election is assured
"Do you expect to get fair count?'
81 have great faith" said DR.. Pope,
''iD the honesty Of our people, and be-
lieve that the managers to be appoint
ed will act fairly. However, if any of
them should not do 80, my friends
must prepare afi1avits setting forth
any wrongdoing, and 90 before the
County Board for relief. Should the
County Board refuse, then I will carry
the matter before the State Board of
Canvassers, and I know that I will
then get full justice, as that board Is
composed Of General Farley and Messrs
Bates, ElIerbs, Tindal, Buchanan and
Bease."
what do you think of Governor
Tillman's utterances on the future en-
forcement Of the dispensary law"
well. If he persists In having the
private residences Of our people search
ed by the constabulary and our won en-
and children frightened he may expect
trouble, for the people will not submit
to 1t. It can be done when necessary
by the proper officer, the sheriff Of the
county, and, If done by him. will Gre
ate no friction, as these officers are
elected by the p7ople and are the prop
er one to act In case Of this sort, un-
trammeled by any constabulary force.
The dispensary seems to be used for
political purposes, to keep up factional
disturbances and for other objects. 1t
will sooner or later be repealed, even
if not declared unconstitutional by the
Supreme Court of the United States.
It was never Rsform measure; it
was the creature of a caba!, conceived
ia sin and born In iniquity.' It seems
that the Governor intends to uss the
militia to frighten our people; he may
carry the one thing too far; the Anglo
Saxon race know their rights and dare
maintain them Oace they are arous-
ed nothing will stop them"
what do you think OF the Cover
nor's action in suspeDdIng the mtll-
tia?"
II don't know what the Governor
means by putting off his order, dis
missing part of the militia. until after
the dispensary decision, but, when we
couple this with this threat Of having
2Oe0 militia ready to back him, 1t
looks as If be wishei to get rid of
those be supposed were not bis frien ds .
and thus intimidate those OF the 1900
who might not be willing to obey his
commands, In case the trouble which
he seems to fear will arise, does come"
What are your views with regard to
the constitutional convention?
II have read Senator Irby's effuslon
Il say his, for imagine that practi-
cally he alone Of the committee had
anything to do with its preparation.
1t is a funny instrument, to say the
least. 1t Is addressed to the Democra.
cy of the State. and yet part of the
Democracy Is insuIted In almost every
line. Il shows to me that the powers
that be are trying to bolster up their
cause, which they believe to be weak,
by appealing to the prejudices and
passions Of our people and in this way
to divert their minds from the true is
sue. To call a convention to make
a new constitution is serious matter.
There are many other things than 50 f.
frage to be dealt with, and many 9th er
things are intended by the Ring to be
dealt with. The suffrage matter Is
simply used, in my Judgment, to take
the attention of the people away from
other changes intended to be made.
If successful, they intend to change
the organic law in such manner as to
unsettIe the law Of South Carolina In
many important particulars. Possibly
a dispensary provision may be incor-
porated, and many other things equal
ly as deleterious. This being the case,
and as the people will not have the
opportunity of passing upon the Con-
stitution, / ana opposed to conven-
tion, will vote and work against 1t.
and advise my friends to do the same.
"What about the charge that you
left the Ring because you couldn't get
the Office you were after?"
"Yes, it has been said that I acted
with the Ring until l found l could
not be selected for Governor. The
truth is We left the other faction be-
cause We believed that the Offices were
parcelled out. In 1890 the Candidates
were fairly nominated by convention.
In 1892 the same men were given a
second term io accordance with the
established custom. In 1894 I found
that Ring had been formed. [ could
have been party to this Ring, and
could have been Secretary OF State
without turning my hand over. 1 re-
fused to be aparty to this on princi-
pie. and continued to run for Cover
nor. lhad opposed Rings, and 1 would
not be party to a Ring"
All Democrats.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10.-Represeata-
tives Shell had another talk with Sec.
retary Garden to-day at Democratic
headquarters and he conveyed the en-
couraging intelligence to the memOers
of the como nittee that South Carolina
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