The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-07-11
TIE MARION MEETING.
IT WAS A GOOD ONE DESPITE TIE
BAD WEATHER.

Interest Shown Chiefly In the Senatorial
Ffght-Govsrnor Ttnman's Questions
and Senator Butiea's Answerp.
MARION, 5. c., July 3.-If this had
been ball game instead of a campaign
meeting here today its record would
have been written, "Rain-no game
But the candidates could not be fright
ened by wettipg, so anxious were
they to have their innings, look the
dear people in the eye and see them
face to face. There were about 700 per-
sons who turned out to see the Senate
rial rock pitching and the various and
sundry side accompaniments to the
big political show. They were martyrs
to their curiosity, interest or whatever
feeling that took them there. They
not only saw reeds shaken by the wind,
but felt themselves drenched from
head to foot by torrents Of water from
black clouds that hung over the town.
For several hours there was terrific
down. pour and the crowd and most OF
the speakers had to succumb to a hrst
class dUeking. The meeting was held
in q grove about a block away from
any shelter, and the crowd were sensl'
BILE enough to keep huddling together
and crouching under what umbrellas
were on hand, otherwise they would
have been like drowned rats had they
broke for cover. General Buffers
speech was the feature Of today's meet
ing. 1t was really gem, and the pig
Tillmanite audience listened to him
with such rapt attention that he actu-
ally seemed to have made severe IN
roads into the Governors Marion
forces. His speech was combination
Of eloquence, wit and practical Illus
tratiop.
County Chairman J. D. Montgomery
opened the meeting by asking the
crowd not to put any injecting ques-
tions" to the speakers and reminded
them that the city needed money so
that if ahy one misbehaved himself he
would be sent to jail and made to "giVe
up the stuff"
Voice-Let every man consider him
SELF marshal for good behavior. Gap
plause.)
After prayer by the Rev. Mr. Beas-
ley the chairman began to call out the
programme and was about to ring IN
the Senatorial candidates last when
Governor Tilman halted him with the
remark: "Oh, no, they had US last at
Florence and you amt going to put us
at the tail-end this time" The chair
man succumbed and reversed his pro-
gramme.
Railroad Commissioner Thomas came
in on the lightning express. He re-
hearsed his devotion to reform and
quoted Trautwine on Civil Engineer
ing, declared that the transportation
question was live issue and there
was no better way to make the great
engine Of State strike stump than to
put unskilled meH on the board Of
railroad commissio
Commissioner J. a. Sligb, of New
berry was the next speaker. He ac-
knoWledged that he was not pretty
man, but conSoled himself with the
thought that his wife contended he
was the best looking man in the
world, though he could get no one else
to sympathizs with him.
Voice-That's right. (Appluuse)
Mr.. Sligh-You know how it feels
don't you? Renewed laughter.)
Mr.. Sigh was very bashful refor-
mer. His reform was ipgrained from
birth and he could not be anything
else. He declared that as railroad COM
missioner he had always risen above
factioaal prejudice and had endeavored
to solve ali questions in an equitable
way between the people and the rail-
roads. He had just remarked that he
was for unity among the people when
time was called on him.
Mr.. G. Walt Whitman spoke next.
He took hand primary to ascertain
how many persons in the crowd had
read the Alliance demands, four per-
sons responding. He began to tell
about how straightout and a mono
metallist in Columbia had written to
the Governor thanking him for sup
porting the South Carolina College,
when it began to pour down cats and
dogs" and he suspended for while.
He was dead game, however, and re-
sumed when the rain slackened. He
was still discussing everything in sight
when tiuae was called.
Governor Tillman declared in his
speech that General Butler had hOller-
ed like Tucker for Office after 1876.
He offered to join Butler in signing
request to the State Executive Com
mittee to have separate Senatorial
box in the primary. He added that
even If Butler could get more votes in
q separate box he was going to get the
legislators or there would be hocus-
pocus somewhere.
don't understand an expression
that General Butler used at Darling
ton, but tell him If he will quit abso-
lutely discussing anything but public
questions and quit accusing me of
being thief with his dispensary ques-
tions, I will promise to quit pelting
him, for his record is twice as Vulner-
able as mine, If he treats me courte-
ousiy l will not hit him below the belt,
but say that | am not to be intimida-
ted or broWbeateD. There are three
questions that want him to answer:
First. let him name the man who he
says told him that ran at Hamburg
and will prove him liar by all the
other rioters.
CSCOuO, 4SC d1LA &ifC LAC tA1C uouCS
Of the constables who he says received
So per day from the whiskey men
while they were getting 50 from the
State. I tried to get the best men I
could for constables but I expect that
I did get some black sheep in the
crowd. If he or any man knows Of
such cases let him name them.
The third case l want him to settle
with County Chairman Brice Of York
vile. General Butler said I insulted
him at the Yorkvil!e meeting and at
the Chester meeting he pitched into
me in very ungentlemanly and outra-
geous manner. He says he asked per-
mission at YorkYilIe to reply to me
and that he was refused. l read from
the YorkYille Enquirer that Chairman
Brice asked General Butler if he wished
to reply and that he declined. He and
Mr.. Brice can settle that between
them.
AS Governor and Senator we ought
to have enough respect for you and
for ourselves to conduct ourselves in
q decent manner in this campaign. l
have simply met aggression and insult
with the same.