The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-02-27
TILLMAN INTERVIEWED.
W1YHE ATTENDED A RECENT CON-
FERENCE IN COLUMBIA.

WHY HE ATTENDED a RECEN CON-
FERENCE IN COLUMBIA.
What Was Agreed Upon by Those Who
Were st the conferonce--Equal Repre-
sentstion in the Constitutional Conven-
yention of Both Factions.
CoLUMBA, S. c., Feb. 22.-Every-
one who has any eyes or ears has re-
allied that something important is go
ing on in the political world. A good
deal of what has been done has been
known, but for obvious reasons moth
ing could be said about it. There have
been conferences and consultations
between various leaders of various
factions, and rumor's tongue has been
waeging to a considerable extent and
no end of reports have been in circu'
lation. Whenever Senator Tillman
comes to the city it is expected that
there is something in it, and he was
quite naturally central figure to
those who were doing the specializing.
It was known that he and Governor
Evans had a conference on Monday
night, lasting for several hours, with
a number of leading Conservatives;
This conference naturally excited
more interest and curiosity among
those who were not on the inside than
anything else, and it was given addl-
tional force from the fact that it IS the
first time, so far as IS known, that
Our Ben, as he is popularly called,
has ever met with leading politicians
on the other side except n battle roy;
al on the stump, when. as they used
to say, ,'the fur few" Everyone has
been on the qH vive to catch on to
what happened at the meeting, but II
must be confessed that although it is a
hard matter to keep such 6. thing
Quiet, the participants in the various
conferences have kept their own coun,
sci remarkably well, and there has
been really no authentic or well
grounded statement of the real pur-
poses of Monday nights meeting OF
what came of it,
Senator Tillman came here ostensi-
bly. to attend meeting of the trustees
of the Winthrop College, and it was
not until after he had gotten through
with an important executive commit
tee meeting that I managed to get a
chance at him fer an interview. Ihe
interview was started in Columbia.
but as it grew in import it was founo
necessary to accompany Senator Till
man to Charlotte in order to complete
the interview, as he had made all ar
.angements to 60 on to Washington
When asked the direct question ss tc
Se truth of the various reports which
we're in circulation and with which
ne was associated Senator Illimar
said:
ssI do not know why my presence
here should put so many tongues tc
waeging. Ordinarily my rule has
been to pay no heed to such chatter
but to leave people to ind out fol
themselves about such things. y
When asked about the conference
with the Conservative leaders he SAID
81 have no objection to letting it be
known. why I agreed to neet these
gentlemen. 1 did so simply fer the
purpose of showing that l, as an lndl
1idual citizen and asa man occupying
responsible public position, am ready
and anxious to do anything within
resson that I can to bring about a bet
ter state of feeling. There is hack
neved phrase continually appearing IL
the bitter anti papers-'The l1lInian
Irby-Evans Ring'-and the stock II
trade of the recalcitrants who nave
fought me personally and the Reform
party from the very beginning IS t
charge all the animoslty which exists
to the Vaccinations and influence OF
this 'sRing." Some of the !oudest
mouthed and most blatant talk alons
this line has come from men wht
would certainly never have been heare
of in the politics of the State but to-
the Reform movement. Now. fortu
nately I occupy a position which II
the minds of all fair persons, shoult
lift me above any charge OF sinister O.
selfish motive in what am trying tt
DO T realize with painful certainty
the seriousness of the crisis, which L
upon us in State affairs. The Constl
tntional convention has been called II
spite of the intense opposition OF al
most the entire Anti faction. There
have been charges of fraud IN regasre
to the vote on this question, but tina
is neither here nor there. Fraud o.
no fraud, and no one has produced
nv proofs of fraud, the convention L
:, be elected and will meet next Sep
.euber; and the question now agltat
ing the mind of every thinking mar
in the Statei is asto how it will be con
situted and what Will it do when
assemblies. The distrust and susplclo1
which has been industriously foment
ed in the minds of the factions, toward
each other have brought US to this De
plorable condition: that we must eth
er shortly enter upon struggle TO
the mastery Of the convention, Wh!cf
will leave wounds to rankie tor lie
time, or we must come together: Th'
present unnatural and strained rela
tons must cease, or we will commenc'
a fight which viii leave one faction O
the other complete masters, with al
intensified desire for revenge burnlnEE
in the hearts of the victors. | wish t.
avert such struggle if possile, am
when I consented to meet those wh.
have persecuted and opposed me WITT
all the vigor and malignity of which
they were capable, in an effort to de
wise ways and means for restoring
harmony. I gave an earnest o
NV honesty of purpose that ought t
save me from the charge of sel6shnes
or fear, though am satisfied it WI!
not do so. Those breeders of strif
who live by tanning the flames, am
those aspiring self-seekers, who, pnde
euise of patriotic motives, would be
tray the Reform movement, will try t.
make the contrary appear. 1t doe