The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-05-15
Senator IrbY OH the Political Situation.

Senator Irby, State chairman Of the Dem
ocratic party, does not seem to be alarmed
at the present political outlook. He was
interviewed last Monday night. and this is
what he said when he was asked what be
had you to say about the pacifcation con-
ference plan and thc plan of the forty?
"Well, as far rs that Is concerned, /
think that the Reiormers Of South Carolina
have arrived ut Il verdict and it has already
beea published. We have all had our say,
and have nothing further on that subject.
As far as the State executive committee
adopting It is concerned, that is tue merest
nonsense. We are non-partisan. l am
chairman of the whole party We want the
followers of the forty and Hemphill to be-
have themselves and lock bands and hearts
in the general fight against the niger.
II they want /. convention to aaont GER
tain line of policy let them advocate it be-
fore the people in o general primary and
abide by the result. 1t is well enough 10
understand the issue at once. 1t is white
man against 'nigger'--white supremacy
and honest government against negro rule
and corruption. lie time has come when
every white man should show L.s co.ors
he that is not with Us is for the '.liSger.
What abont Ju oe COTS decision anl
its etfects?'
Il am not a,arme,lby Gotf s decision. In
1876 the negroes had the machinery of g'v-
ernmeut, and were thoroughly organized
and backed by the military. We persuaded
them by argument that is known to some,
and is uot necessary TO be known to 9th ers.
that this was white mans government
and that we Intended to ru.e. Hampton
believes that enough voted for him to elect
him. AS to that question Will not argne
it. I am thoroughly satisfied that he be-
lieves it now How nauy others in the
State belieye it do not know. Now the
Democratic party has the election machin-
cry. and it is organized to man. The
negroes are thoroughly disorganiz.d, ex-
cept what iu1uencc few renegade white
men-some Reformers and some Coo.erva-
tives, with COOL spIinkling Of birel mig
ger preachers, can exert, and with an
absolutely fair election, with the parsua-
sion the negroes will get from the truly
loyal Democrats I feel sute in predicting
that our majorities will not only be in-
creased, but largely increased. The sit
uation is just this there is no use for me
to disguise it: This intelligent minority
Gains il divine right to rule the masses.
They tr!e,l in 1890, 1892 and 1894 to rule
our primaries and twice by independent
tickets The luboring clement o: the ot.tc
repudiated them. and it is no use for any
man in South Carolina to think that this
crowd or any other crowd Of white men IN
this State ctn go TO the negroes and destroy
the votes Of the white people and thus con-
troll the State. That may happen, bat Ii is
Il long, long, long time oft. For Instance,
the farmers are almost bankrupt, the towns
and cities are prosperous. The OILY labor
that the farmers have is that Of the negro
and their own. Up to the time of the
fed and contented and making reasonably
good laborers on the farm. but with all this
the farmers were losing money eyrly year.
II the negro Is taken from his chosen re-
tirement and put into a political scramble
it is not very lard to tell what kind OF q
luborer he will make or bow long lie will
carry out one of HI; contracts he IunkeS
with his landlord We would have o nice
state of affairs with the negro farm hand
running off every two or three days ald
going to some negro trial justice appointed
by some Governor of this classic ludict
4 white man on some foolish grievance.
Tie white landlord. on the other hand,
would be in Il very pleasant state of mind
seeking redress before niger trial JUS
tlce and niger jury for violation of q
contract to labor on Il farm. Oh, WELL it is
no use to discuss this thing 1t is too pre-
posterouS for white men to bother them
selves about l don't know whether the
law is Unconstitutional or not am farm
ing now, but am satisfied that there will
be enough negroes persuaded to so with
the Democrat and keep our majority above
the average