The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-03-06
PROGRESS OF PAcIFlCATIoN.
What the State House Officials Say About
Irby's Letter,

COLUMBIA, S. c., Feb. 2S:-The sim
ultaneous publication of the address
to the Conservatives and the astonish-
ing interview of Senator Irby were the
talk of the town lately. The address
was perfectly ineligible, but the in
terview was something more than
could be generally understood. Some
placed one construction on the matter
and others had an entirely different
view of the letter. AS to the effect OF
the break by Senator Irby there is a
very great diversity of opinion, but &C
most it is regarded that Senator lrby
can only accomplish very limited
amount of mischief, if any at all. 1t IS
now the general impression that TINS
last interview is the straw that Will
break the camel's back in the political
truce between Irby, Tlllman ana
Evans. After this the copartnershllp
will have to be more limited, as the
universal impression is that Governor
Evans and Senator Tillman will stand
by their compact. Irby to the coun-
trary Notwithstanding, and that they
will do everything they legitimately
can to carry out the agreement that
had been voluntarily made and which
has been unanimously approved by
the conference of Conservatives that
met here Monday night.
Talking about the matter one morn
ing State House official said: The
agreement is so manifestly fair and
honest and the purposes are so good
that the people will endorses it no mat
ter what certain of the bosses might
want done The time has come when
the hot heads and the fighters of both
sides will be pushed aside and the con.
servative men of both factions will
unite in carrying out the agreement
that has been made and accepted IN
the best interests of the entire people,
and the voters are not going to sacrl-
flee themselves to bolster up any 'bos-
ses' in their personal disputes. The
people will, after all that has been said
and done. realize that any fight over
this matter will be for purely selfish
purposes.
About year ago Senator Irby wrote
letter charging this correspondent
with manufacturing sentiment against
him and all such things. 1t was then
as it is fact, which he or any one else
can find out, that there are precious
| few of those around Columbia, who
are in politics, who have any sym.
pathy with him in his effort to spoil
the agreement which has been going
along so very nicely and which the
reports from all parts of the State indi:
cate is meeting with such general
| favor.
Said one of them: ''The interview
can do no material harm. About the
only thing will be that Senator. Till.
man and the others will have to show
their hands and convince the people
that they are on the right line, as l
kno they can do"
Another said that he was not sur
prised at the attack Senator Irby had
made; that there was nothing else for
him to do, and that it was hisvery ex-
istence to keep up the fighting. To
stop the fight would mean the politi.
cal annihilation of Senator Irby. And
so it went. Every one around Colum-
bia is very much interested in the
agreement that has been made and eX-
pect it to be carried out to the fullest
extent. There is, of course, some rea-
son to count the influence of Senator
Irby in Laurans and Spartanburg,
through the Piedmont Headlight, but
outside of that it is not feared that
there will be much trouble in Senator
Tillman and Governor Evans infuenc.
ing their faction, and as for the Con-
servatives they are generally expected
to fall into line after the address has
shown the position of the conference.
The only intimation of trouble to
the consummation of the programme
for an equal division of the delegates
comes from the Piedmont section, and
it will be very difficult task for any
leader to involve to people in another
fight, when it can be so easily and SEN
sibly avoided, is the general opinion
among those who talk on the matter.
There is one thing brought out by
the interview and the consequent talk,
it is that collateral with the Constitu-
tional Convention contest, if one be
made, will be the preliminary shirmish
among those who are after Senator
Irby's seat in the Senate, and perhaps
that is what Mr.. Irby is afrlied of
more than anything else.
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