The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-10-04

and Losing Many of His FTiends--
miiliken's Trial Postponed.
Special to the News and Observer.
WASHINGTON, D. O., Oct 3
Mr.. John A Haskell, a prominent law
yer of Columbia, was in Washington to-
day and discussed the situation II tbe
State with consjdel able feeling ard vigor,
with a Baltimore san correspondent.
"While it is generally believed" said
Mr.. Haskell, "fhat the so called reform
party is endeavoring to do away vi tae
negro vote, and thus guard against ali
danger of negro domination, the truth is,
they are merely endeayoring TO secure
such a measure as viii give tbs m abso
Lutte control of the State and the power
to disfranchisa all those who oppose
them They do not care a5ont the ne
groes, and, if they could control them,
would prefer that taey should exercise
the right to vote What They do want TO
effect is such legislation as will II kc the
registration officers the sole judges #
who shall be permitted TO register and
who shall be denied the right. SO far,
they have been unable to hit upon sat
isfactory plan, and / believe the whole
attempt will prove failure The con-
7ertion, since it asse nbled, has been
strugg ing along stupIdly, knowing what
its leaders want, but not knowing how TO
accomplish it, Th9 chief purpose OF Till
man and the others who stand with him
is to perfect ballot Law absolutely satlG-
factory to themselves; and in order that
they may not outrage the sense OF de.
cency of the white people of the State,
they suggest a scheme something similar
to that of Mississippi, but intended to
have very different effect. They pre-
tend that it is aimed against the negro,
but this is only pretense.
1.-The negroes in South Carolina have
never b. en- a source of danger. They
take but little interest in politics, and
except in presidential elections oaly a
few Of them have been accustomed to
vote. But their number gives TilInan
the excuse he wants aud be lis using il
for all it is worth. The negroes them
selves are satisfied the law Will be aimed
directly at them and, wnen the prol o5i-
ton to hold a cor stitutioral convention
was submitted to the people, voted sold
ly against IL. AS ana evidence or how
little the Tillman party regard these
votes they make no pretense tadt th8
present convention was authorize by
popular vote. Instead they declared a
majority Of the with voters had voted
for the convention, and there was there
fore moral majority in it's favor. As
fact the proposition was beaten by
majority of 80 per cent OF tie votes
cast The election of the present Gov
eraor was determined i'll this Way. He
was really defeated, but Tillman vas ia
control and cecided that as his candidate
had probably been defeated 81 negro
votes, such votes should not be counted
az making a majority Ii is for the
purpose of giving the color ct Law to
such election methods that the present
convention is now struggling 20 frame
an election law. But the Law is 10 be
directed against the negroes only when
they are in opposition to the reform
party If they are willing TO support
Tillman they will be allowed 10 vote
and the law will be used TO disfranch Sc
whites. This is the whole scheme.
s'Having discovered the necessity OF
what be termed moral maj ority, Till
man wishes that the system shall become
a part of the State constitution. The
difficulty he is experiencing in carrying
his plan into effect is due to the fact that
there are in the convention q great many
good men who will not follow MIN blind
ly. These man went into the reform
party believing that its success would be
the best thing for the State. Now that
they perceive the party is used for the
benefit of Tillmau, they are inclined to
oppose him. have only watched the
proceedings of the party as an outsider,
but there seems to be little doubt that Till
man has weakened himself By his course
in the convention. He has quarreled
with some of his most influential follow
ers, and has disgusted Others by forcing
into prominence creatures of his own.
The present Governor (EvanS) was So
leeted by Tillman, and is not such man
AZ the people of the STATE would natu-
rally choose for that office or any other.
He has been only tool of Tillman since
be was brought into prominence
Benjamin Milliken did not appear IN
court as was expected An arrange
ment has been made by the attorneys
whereby Miliken will be allowed TO re
main away from Washington until day
is set for trial, and upon that day he
will be present. in court. Upon this
promise the District Attorney decided
not 10 have a bench warrant Issued. The
trial will possibly be set down for about
the latter part of the mouth
Mdikens friends gave it out shortly
after the puDlica ion that he vas drunk
upon the occasion named, otherwise he
would not have gone TO the house. There
has always been mystery as TO the
manner ia which he entered the house
but it was supposed he walked upstairs
before the house had been closed for tbs
NIGHT which conld have easily beeI