The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-07-03
IRBY'S VIGOROUS TALK.
He Calls Upon RefOrmers to Figh
Independents and Niggers.

He Calls Upon RefOrmers TO Fight
Independents and Niggers.
Through the courtesy of the editor
of the Piedmont Headlight, The
Register is enabled to publish in ad-
vance of its appearance in that paper
the following interview lis editor had
with Senator Irby, Chairman of the
State Democratic Executive Commit
tee. Speaking of the political situa-
ton, Colonel Irby said:
1.-The mask is off and / thank God
for it. Reformers have been wasting
time with such men as Williams,
Gonzales, Hemphill and other anti
leaders, thinking these Conservatives
were honest in their efforts to bring
about peace and unity. Their object
was to get control of the convention in
the interest of corporations by decep-
ton and treachery. Tillman said this
and eft them. This tore the mask
from their faces. Thereupon they
meet in Columbia and voluntarily de-
sert the Democratic party and resolve
to organize one of their own, and Mr..
Carson, their chairman, of what was
hoped a defunct organization, pro-
ceeds formally to carry out their in
structions. This is barefaced Inde-
pendentism with all that word means.
[ can't see in face of this how honest,
loyal, Reform Democrats can aff1llate
with them. In truth, the action OF
this committe releases every Reformer
| in Counties where an agreement nae
been made.
"If these agreements are carried out
and this Independent Executive Com
mittee succeeds in many counties as
thew purpose, then with the help they
expect to get on the plea of peace and
unity from counties in which they
have agreed, they will certainly con-
troll that convention. For Instance,
they are going to make clean cut
open flight in many counties. Ihey
may pretend TO agree in Rlchland ana
Charleston and other counties, and
these agreements will be repudlated
on election day as sure as the sun
shines and anti Democrats elected. l
can name, but perhaps it would be
better not to do it at this time, enough
counties that they think they will
surely carry to aggregate seventy-two
votes by the use of the negro. Then
if they can pick up nine from Edge.
field, Aiken, Marion, Lexington and
Abbeville, they will have majority OF
the convention. This has been their
game all along, and corporations have
been at the bottom of the whole busi-
ness
LAS long as they pretended land
knew it was mere pretense) to stay in
party lines 1 could not attack them.
Now led by Gonzales, with such
lieutenants as Williams and CARING
ton, in open battle with the organized
Democracy, it is my duty to fight them
and defeat Them as such. If our peo-
ple divide with them they can make
up their minds for these political
beneficiaries to vote with the Inde-
pendents and the niggers as soon as
the convention is organized. They
cannot be trusted. Office and control
of the State is what they want and
nothing less will satisfy them. They
want control of the convention to
undo and destroy everything that has
been done since 1890 and disfranchise
enough poor and illiterate Democrats
TO give the rich man control OF
Carolina for all time to come. This is
plain talk, but | mean every word
| say.
1.-The very idea of the poor men Of
Lourens voting for some peace crying
Independents to keep them from de
serling their people, who will 60 t.
Columbia and join in with the Other
independent Democrats to take away
their political rights forever and place
them upon an equality with the niger
is farcical. Our people are not fool!
and they will prove this when thu
proper time comes. We are for prin
ciple. If they can beat us we will
Weld. II we beat them somebody elst
will have to yield. 1t is no use to dis
guise it any longer. The issue il
simple. The organized Democracy
and the white man, viz /: Independent
tism and the Niger. We are ready
for the fight, and have no fears 0
the result.
"Senator, from what you say, th'
Democrats will assume that you thinl
the Gonzales crowd have deserted tn,
Democratic party.
, "That is just what | mean. If yol
will read this address, which was evi
IDENTIFY written by Editor Williams
you will be convinced that they hav
deliberately surrendered all claims t.
| Democracy. 1t is addressed to tn
"People of South Carolina" and no
to the Democratic party of the State
The "people" include Iot only lie
groes, but Republicans, with whom
I have believed that there has been al
understanding fo- more than a year
The address does not contain the wore
Democrat, and it purposely ignore
the general primary ordered 10y th
Dem cratic Committee, while Mr.
Gonzales i'm their organ The State
urges it's followers in Reform countie
to make terms with the refOrmers
That is the reason why the resolution
to stay out Of the Democratic primar.
\ was not carried. This was done to foe
y Reformers in such counties 'as Abbe
vile and Edgeiield. They are al
tempting to use a double barrelled GU
on us-make an Independent stralgh
: fight in close counties and eXpec
Democrats to compromise with then