The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-26
SENATOR IRBY wRoTH.
Tillman and Evans Charged with
Political Trickcry.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.-It appears that
there is wide split among the leaders of
the reform or dominant faction of the South
Carolina Democratic party. 1t appears also
that an arrangement was recently made by
Senator-elect Tillman and Governor Evans
with committee representing the conserv-
atiye Or minority faction of the Democratic
party, by which those two members of the
triumvirate leading the reform faction
agreed to give the conservatives half Of the
membership in the constitutional convention
to meet next summer, provided that they
agreed to certain lines of policy for the
making of the Constitution. Tonight Sen
ator 1rby has given out letter in which
he denounces the deal. In his letter MIR.
Irby recalls his services in leading the re-
form faction to success at time when
TIllman openly retired from politics because
he thought the strife with the conservatives
too unequal He claims that but for work
in shelving the other reform candidates for
Governor last summer Evans would never
have gotten that office. He denounces
combine compromise with the conserva-
tives a surrender of all the reformers
have fought for and fayors straight fight
between the two factions, even if the con-
servative faction combines with the ne
groes, who are willing to vote for them,
franchisement which is the object reform
ers had in view when they secured the call
ing of the constitutional convention. The
letter continues:
Il humbly suggest that Tilman, the agi-
tator. the pacificator, has been COM
pletely dethroned, and Evans, if he is sim
cere, has been bamboozled. AS for myself,
] think any sane man will see that 1 have
been betrayed. but honorable defeat is
much better and preferable to me in the
selection of delegates to this convention
than dishonorable compromise. 1t is well
enough for the forty-three leaders of the
conservatives and pacificators TO ring up
and get ready to fight, for am satisfied
that the true who are in this movement
from its inception from principle will not
submit to any such agreement. The COM
bination will not do. combination be-
tween ''possum and coon can't win, as
every reforrner knows they cannot sleep in
the same log long.
Il am very busy here, but after the 4th
of March will return home and take
hand in this fight. Sink swim, live or
die, politically, l am ready to stand by the
principle of the first March convention as
against all comers and all of its enemies.
L weep for them for monkeying with such
a crew. Cal Hemphill and BarnweT were
original members OF the forty. When the
primary scene was promulgated by the
Democratic committee they were whipped,
and couldn't destroy the reform movement.
Then they proposed to muzzla me as chair
man of the party, and the whole Demo-
cratic organization, by going into an agree
ment with Tillman and Evans which l
spectfuliy submit will not only ruin the
Democratic party, but the reform move
AS Irby is chairman of the State Demo
cratic executive committee his threat may
mean lively times. His letter is filled with
sensational insinuations of bad faith. Among
other things he charges that when. as State
chairman, he was making a hot fight for
calling of the constitutional convention
found by telegram or letter until the fight
had been decided.