The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-07-10
TILLMAN INTERVIEWED
BY A WEll-KNOWN COLOREO BAP
TlST PREACHER.

TlST PREACHER.
AS Usual He Says What He Has to Say in :.
Plain, UneqaivocaI Manner--What He
Thinks About the Negro in Politics.
GREENvlLLE, S. c., July THE
following contribution which was
published in the News few days ago,
is from we'll known colored Baptist
preacher who once lived in Greenvllle
and had charge of a large congrega,
ton here:
I Istopped over at Trenton last Tues.
day about two hours waiting for a
train to take me to Edgeield court
house. Knowing that Ex-Governor
Tillman lived within the corporate
limits of the town. l decided to go up
and walk around his place, and If |
could muster up enough courage to
60 to his residence and have 4 talk.
The Senator lives in q large mansion
in fine oak grove about i've minutes
walk from the depot. The stately
mansion is surrounded by five or SiS
servant houses Quilt before the war,
two laage vegetable gardens contain
ing every variety OF vegetables, and a
beautiful flower garden III front. |
approached the place with fear and
trembling thinking he might drive me
away unless I was hunting wor k. He
was sitting in the front porch reading
a newspaper-Columbia Register, l
think.
''Good evening, Governor.
''Good evening, sir. Come IN. >
As opened the gate he'said: Hold
on; who are you, and where do you
come from.
II am travelling colored man, and
simply want to take a look at your
place and have talk with you if you
do not mind talking to me.
well, if you are not after chickens
you can look around; niggers love
chickens. What do you want to talk
about-religion, politics, education,
farming or what?"
s'I Will take all in, sir :"
BY this time I had reached the front
steps. was not invited to come any
further, and there I stood up for one
hour. He was in good humor and
seemed to be pleased.
what paper isthat you got In your
hand?"
1.-The News and Courier. have The
State in my pocket also"
did the News and Courier publish
my speech?"
Eyes, sir; it is in this paper. Why,
don't you take the News and Cou-
Eyes, but my mail has not come in
yet"
'sDo you take The State?"
mo. I used to read it when l was
In Columbia. What does it say about
me today?"
Nothing, sir. They are giving it to
Governor Evans this time"
''How do you like The State, Cover
nor2"
81 have always given Gonzales
credit for being honest and straight
forward and a man with backbone
and principle, though he is my enc
my" j.,
Here Mrs. Tillman came out and
endorsed what the Governor said
about The State.
How about the News and Cou-
riera''
1.-The News and Courier has funked
and lodged so much that I have no
confidence in it and rely on nothing
it says"
'sBut it supports you, and l thought
you would like it.
II don't want its support"
Here Mrs. Tillman spoke again:
ssNo Carroll; the News and Courier
hates my husband. You are mistaken
if you think it is friendly. It hates
Governor Evans worse, because of his
uncle, General Mart Gary"
''Well, Governor, want to talk
other things. I am a negro and am
interested in that race. I am not in
politics and never was, but favored
your move inIS9O. did not vote for
you, but I wanted you elected. You
have done us some good You divided
the white people and put them to
fighting each other and we were let
alone. In 1890 the majority of the
negroes either voted for you and your
ticket or did not vote at all. l am sor-
ry you are elected Senator, and wish
you was Governor
"Why?" said he.
Because you could keep up strife
and we would be at peace.
'sHow do you niggers like Governor
Evans2''
eve are afraid of him, and look for
the worst under his administration"
''Well, you are mistaken. He has
no more against the negroes than ]
have, and | have no malice for them,
but think the majority of them are
ignorant and not fit to vote. They
can be bought and sold like cattle, and
will do whatever their bosses tell
them when it comes 10 voting. have
good feeling for them, and believe the
Constitutional convention will be the
best for them and us. l want peace
among the white people, and we nev-
er can have it with such a majority Of
negro votes that dissatisfied white
men can buy up and use at will. There
are too many negroes here anyhow.
Why don't some of you niger preach
ers take some of them awayl"
well, they are moving out Of the
State every year. They are going
North. Do you want all OF them to
go?"
''No, not all, but some of them,
"Well, Governor, you have more
influence than any white man in
South Carolina among the white peo,
pie. You can do great deal OF good
for the negro. VIII you be delegate
to the convention
Il don't know, but suppose will.
Ny friends all over the State want me
to be.
What do you niggers want US to
IL or,-,-ov23