The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-06-19
TILLMAN AND EVANS.
What They Say Of the Political Com
ditieu Of the State.

What They Say OF the Political Com
diiiou Of the State.
The State.
Senator TilIman and Gov. Evans yesterday
afternoon returned from Memphis, where
they have ben attending the silver conren-
lion. Both were in very communicative
hnmor. Last nisht Senator Illlman mace
public the following interview which Will he
read with the keencSt interest by ~ VINO nave
been watching The course OF political events
in the State. and the progress of the Tillmah'
Hemphill Barnwell Evans compromise
scheme:
TILLMAS'S DECLARATIONS
What effect will the reversal of Judge
COTS decree have on State politics.
"It sim pliteS matters very muck, said I'LL
man in reply land relieves us TO what was
daily becoming "A more threatening Situat ion.
TO illustrate: Those Conservatives who seem.
ed To have the greatest following. instead OF
pleading ~ heretofore, for an equal division
of The delegates, were using Il hectorlng and
and threatening tone, while nearly all OF the
Conservative papers were urging their fac
tluns not to 90 into the Democratic primary .
Generals Hampton and Butler had advised
the same thing, and while the News and Cour-
Ter did not counsel this course, the recent de.
mouslralion in Charleston ever General
Hampton left little doubt aS TO whose leader
ship they would follow unless the Reformers
the ntrOl of the convention 10
them All this is now changed. anu III any
event, 10 amount OF persuasion from any
source can now induce the ReiormerS 10 trust
the Conservatives with One-nalf tile delegates
You Will remember that in the Interview
uDliShrd Just after our conference Win MT
Barnwell aud others, | said that II would de-
pend upon the attitude of the Conservative
papers and - general agreement ON both sides
to cease their bitterness, whether the scheme
rOu I'd he successfully carried out. when Judge
(iOtl was imported here, with his ScandaiouS
i'm
ed tors and leaders acted as patriotic CarOlln-
ians, denounced his unwarranted lnterler-.
encr, and offered TO join hands with the Ne
formers in maintaining whlie supremacy, IL
would have AT once obliteraled all lhcLioual
lines aud good feeling and confidence would
have been restored. fhe ReiormerS cannot
now forget. nor will they SoOm forgive those
VINO so plainly showed their purpose TO over.
throw the white majority by negro votes !;
least of all can they trust them, nor can al
wise our people 20 trust them.
IL went into the agreement with MeSSrS
BarnweIl and the other gentlemen IN perfect
good faith and had that agreement been gen.
orally accepted by the Conservatives ana Ell
dorsed by tneir newspapers. u would lnevl-
tably have been carried out by almost every
county. A golden opportunity was lost ana
the Conservatives have ''agaln to use the
words OF the Newberry Herald and News
done the wrong thing at the right Time lor
the good vi The Reiortners.
"Do l understand that you now repudIate
the ugreement?' was asked.
by no means, although by every rule OF
morals, could claim TO be abSolVed from IL.
[ would still like to nee Il u on partisan cOnren-
Liou com posed Of our best men from Dotn lac
tions, anu take TINS opportunity To urge our
people, and by that | mean those who nave
su pported me, TO tie generous and not treas
ure up IN their hearts with too much bitter
ness the recent l:tuntS and threats made by
The "Autis." We have got To live mere toSeth-
err; our interests are Identical; the luture
of the State depends largely On
r. fail | (.4
much good that Will follow II Inc Relorners
voluntarily select men OF the best brains ana
character among the Conservatives 10 come To
the convention. ! would only give lne eau
lion that no man be allowed to come who dur
ing the dark days of Gof's tyrannical usur-
patton, showed Any qualification or made any
threats; such men cannot be trusled and had
Better be left al home.
"Tuere is one other point that feel should
ne mphaslZed and that Is this: There must
be some hidden or secret purpose III the al.
most insane desire, which has shown ltSel1
among the ANTS" To control the ConStitu
Liunul convention. Having voted almost SOL
idly against 1t, have never Understood why
hey have been so anxious to have equal
representation in IL, when by All ruies
)i fairness and all the principles of DemOcra-
.y they would uuL be entitled TO any repre-
Sentation at all. except in the counties where
"Wheu the Barnwell con ference met, there
appeared 10 be no prospect of an agreement
Deing reached BECAUSE OF tAis demand for
la and 1t was only accepted by the Reform
.rs present alter imposing conditions, which
are Iumi liar To the public. These conditions
are still vital. and no Conservative should be
voted for at the primary who does not discuss
hese questions before the people and satisfy
hem as to his attitude on them.
There Is one other vital feature which our
people must not overlook. II is the constitu-
.iUnaI pro, i>iuns for The control of corpora
ions and the question OF taxation. Cor
ooration attorneys, those known 10 be In the
Employ of corporations, had better be leit at
nome, whether Reformers or Conservatives,
un less from their characters and general
course of men IL Is believed they can be trust
3D.
II must believe that the strenuous efforts to
obtain nAlf the delegates were inspired oy the
ieSire TO put into the new constitution some.
hing that would have either hamptred the
Legislature or tied It's hands in some way"
What about the action in Edgefied"' was
asked.
" saw by the papers that that action was
credited 10 my influence. l had nothing 10
10 with 1t, and only happened TO be at the
court house that day on business
do you think the plan OF 'ne Edgeheld
committee will be carried out?"
Il doubt il very much. Onr people have al |
Ways been strong advocates for the primary |
ind this return TO the convention system
,r nominations is not likely To give satlsiac- |
Ion. l think the county will send some Con- |
provided they satisfy the people on
,he stump" =!
IL seems tnat "hlle claiuilHB w SIhnu oJ
he agreement you are advising against IT
being carried out?" was suggested.
81 am only standing by It's spirit, not its let |
er. The Conservatives have stood by neither
Us spirit nor letter. 1t would be suicidal now
for the ReformerS 10 give one.half representa-
lion 10 their opponents. We called the Con-
stitutional convention. and we are RESPONSE
ole for 1t. We must control 1t, and am very
sure that We cannot make Constitution
which will in any way do injury TO the
rights either OF person or property OF the
other side, which will not equally bear on
ourselves. The GUf incident has raised the
veil and shown too much of hatred and fell
purpose 10 rule or ruin, for me to ask the
RefDrmers to do more than l have indicated,
and if / were 10 ask II, and stumped the State
county by county, the people would go their
own way"