The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-01-30
A Fight Or a FizzIe.
Will we Play Their Stocked
Cards or Have a Square
Deal.

SrArEBURG, S. c., Jan. II, '95.
To the Editor Of the Columbia State:
1t is hard to see what the Conserv-
atives have to gain by going into an
agreement with the TilImanites by
which they will be allowed to hope
that they may have share of repre-
sentatives on the floor Of the Constitu-
tional convention. Among those re-
presentatives there may be Hampton,
Wallace, Hagood, McCrady, Bratton,
and others like them, who would hon.
or any body of men in the world by
their presence among them, but what
reason have we to hope that they
would be listened to when Ti'lman,
Irby, Larry Can't, Thomas and a
host of. Garys pop their whips and
point out the road, down which lies
their hopes of a continuance in Office?
1t is true we can have the supreme
satisfaction Of telling ourselves we
made the effort for the sake of peace.
By the stand taken by the repre-
sentatives of the two factions in the
Legislature, the lines may be con.
sidered distinctly drawn, each side
identified with their own notions Of
right and wrong. On one side
stand the Conservatives for free
ballot for all who qualify themselves
for that right, and above ali things a
fair count, as all sensible men know
that without it no people can long
preserve their liberties nor be fit for
them; no searching of private houses
to allow the State to make money
out Of the whiskey business, and no
change in the Constitution without
submission to the people On the
other side stand the Tillmanites, Re-
formers y against all this, because
Tillman and his band Of Office hold
ing satellites tell them that with
these principles turks danger to their
liberties from the Bourbons, assisted
by the negro. And that season will
be all sufficient.
If the whole thing is cut and dried
and a certain number of delegates ap-
portioned to each faction the issue
cannot be discussed by such candi-
dates in manner to make the people
realize its fateful Importance. While
if each side stands by what it believes
right their earnestness will present
in full relief the blessings and tile dan
gers of what they advocate There
are many men among the reformers
who honestly desire the good Of the
State, but they seem to have no lead
ers with enough of the courage of his
convictions to enable him to repudi-
ate that reckless gang of demagogues
who would root up or tear down any
/ thing to keep themselves in Office
They would not hesitate tc pull down
the South Carolina College or the
Citadel and set up whiskey palaces IN
their places, for the Offices and money
there would be for them If we pre-
sent solid column in determined,
earnest opposition to them, many
hitherto Reformers would join US.
But if we servilely accept their terms,
a crazy quilt of Constitution, which
Tlllman has doubtless written or is
now in his great silence writing and
Irby punctuated, will be rammed
down our throats and we will find,
when too late. that Peace, for whom
we sacrificed our independence will
still further avert her sweet face.
Have we not made this mistake
often enough already to know that
the preparation for fight is the most
important part about it? And not to
try to fight them after large part Of
our faction has been allowed and
even urged by some Of our leaders
to tie their hands by obligations that
they are not willing to break, no mat
ter how dear the cause. They whip
US in the primary because some Of
our men won't vote. and then again
in the general election, because those
who voted in the primary have their
hands tied This is the most import
ant issue we have ever had with them.
and it depends on the Conservatives
whether we go forward in the march
Of civilization in manner worthy of
South Carolina's past, or remain here
wrangling among ourselves, dis
grace to the whole South, as wei! as
to ourselves. and the truest, quickest
way is to have the question present
ed to the people is by candidates who
know that their election depends on
the intelligence with which they pre-
- ~oor1o croo %o voto &c sI,ox,