The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-02-27
TILLMAN INTERVIEWED.
WAY HE ATTENDED A RECENT CON-
FERENCE IN COLUMBIA.

FERENCE IN COLUMBIA.
What Was Agreed Upon by Those VIII
Were at the Conference--Equal Repre-
sentstion in the Constitutional Conven
vention of Both Factions.
COLUMBIA, S. c., Feb. 22.-Every
one who has any eyes or ears has re
allied that something important is 60
ing on in the political world. A gooc
deal of what has been done has beer
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
wagging to considerable extent and
no end of reports have been in circu
lation. Whenever Senator Tillman
comes to the cicy it is expected thai
there is something in it, and he was
quite naturally central figure tc
those who were doing the specializing,
It was known that he and Governo,
Evans had a conference on Monday
night, lasting for several hours, with
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 addi-
tional force from the fact that it is the
first time, so far as is known, that
"Our Ben," as he is popularity called,
has ever met with leading politicians
on the other side except in battle roy
al on the stump, when. as they used
to say, "the fur few" Everyone has
been on the qui vive to catch on to
what happened at the meeting, but it
must be confessed that although it is
hard matter to keep such a thing
quiet, the participants in the various
conferences have kept their own coun-
sci remarkably well, and there has
been really no authentic or we'll
grounded statement of the real pur-
poses of Monday nights meeting or
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. The
interview was started in Columbia,
but as it grew in import it was found
necessary to accompany Senator Till
man TO Charlotte in order to complete
the interview, as he'had made all ar
rangements to 90 on to Washington.
When asked the direct question as to
the truth of the various reports which
were in circulation and with which
he was associated Senator Tillman
said:
II do not know why my presence
here should put so many tongues to
wagging. Ordinarily my rule has
been to pay no heed to such chatter,
but to leave people to find out for
themselves about such things"
When asked about the conference
with the Conservative leaders he said:
'I'have no objection to letting it be
known why I agreed to meet these
gentlemen. I did so simply for the
purpose of showing that I, as an indi-
vidualscitizen and as a man occupying
responsible public position, am ready
and anxious to do anything within
reason that I can to bring about bet
ter state of feeling. There is hack
neyed phrase continually appearingi in
the bitter anti papers-'The Tillman-
Irby-Evans Ring'-and the stock in
trade of the recalcitrants who have
fought me personally and the Reform
party from the very beginning is to
charge all the animoslty which exists,
to demonstrations and influence of
this "Ring.'a Some of the loudest-
mouthed and most blatant talk along
this line has come from men who
would certainly y never have been heard
of in the politics of the State but for
the: Reform movement. Now fortu-
nately I occupy q position which in
the minds of all fair persons, should
lift me above any charge of sinister or
selfish motive in what | am trying to
do. Irealiza with painful certainty
the seriousness Of the crisis, which is
upon us In State affairs. The Consti-
2tutional convention has been called i9
spite of the intense opposition of al
most the entire. Anti faction. There
have been charges of fraud in regard
to. the vote on tnis question, but that
! is. neither here nor there. Fraud or
no fraud, and no one has produced
any proofs of fraud, the convention is
to- be elected and will meet next Sep
tember ;;1and the question now agitat-
ing the mind Of every thinking man
in. the State is as to how it will be con-
stituted and what will it do when it
assemblies. The distrust and suspicion
which has been, industrious1y foment-
edin the minds of the factions, towards
each:otherh have brought us to this de-.
plorable condition: that we must eth
or shortly enter upon struggle for
the mastery of the convention, which
will leave wounds to rankle for life
time, or we must come together. The
present unnatural and strained rela-
tions must cease. or we will commence
q fight which will leave one faction or
the other complete masters, with an
intensified desire for revenge burning
in the hearts of the victors. I wish to
avert such struggle if possible, and
when I consented to meet those who
have prosecuted and opposed me with
all the vigor and malignity of which
they were capable, in an effort to de-
wise ways and means for restoring
harmony, l gave an earnest of
my honesty of purpose that ought to
save me from the charge of selfshness
erfear,2 though I am satisfied it will