The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-03-13
4 TALK WITH TILLlIAN.
PlLiN REPLY TO SENATOR iRSY
AND CONGRESSMAN WILSON.

Senator ril::::an sa; the Good "r,i:e State
is !.bore any Mans Personal ambition
y. xiii Take the StuInp II Necessary.
To carr out the Compromise.
AUGUSTA, Ga, March 6.-Senator
Tillman was interviewed at his home
at Trenton on last Thursday. The
following is the interview.
Have YOU seen Senator lrbVs let.
ter. and what do you think Of it:'
was asked
The Ex-Governor replied: Yes. l
have seen it. l read it in Washington
Yesterday and was considerably sur
prised. as when we parted with him
on Sunday he gave no intimatlon OF
any purpose to antagonize the efforts
for an adjustment There are in it
some errors of fact, which it is not
necessary to particularize, and some
uncharitable and unreasonable asser-
tons and deductions. 1t seems to me
unfortunate that the chairman of the
Democratic State executive committee
did not see proper to join in that effort.
If understand the situation in South
Carolina we must have mutual conces-
sicns and make due allowance for pre-
| iudices and feelings that have been so
deeply aroused in trying to adjust our
political matters so as to prevent a
struggle between the majority of the
| white people on one side and a minor
itv in alliance with the negro on the
other, and any man who cannot rise
above his personal feelings at this
iuncture Will be unsafe .o How.
In this connection I notice in this
mornings paper an interview with
Congressman Wilson, which, boiled
| down. means that we must have
fight, and that it can't be prevented. l
have great respect for Mr.. Wilson S
Judgment, but it seems to me he has
ignored the only factor of any prime
Importance in the case-that IS the
negro. The people of Sparranburg
can, with all safety, have fight, for
the whites outnumber the negroes two
to one in that county. They have
never understood the necessity and
importance of Constitutional Con-
vention, with its overmastering pur-
pose of getting rid of the negro IN
politics, because they have never suf-
fered from negro domination as the
middle and lower counties die during
the Reconstruction period. If Mr.:
Wilson had taken broader view and
considered the entire State. he could
not dismiss so flippantly this vital is
sue. If the conditions were through
out the State as he pictures them,
there would be no need for Conven-
ton at all. I realize, as he does, that
the people will settle all these matters
either at the primary Or at the gener-
al election. What | had hoped to do,
and what l still hope to see done, is to
have the white people unite in the
primary, and have all abide it. Then
the whites will present united front
tothe negroes in the general election.
If Mr.. Wilson's idea prevails that
a fight is inevite BILE and best-which l
deny-then large number OF whites
will not go into tie primary at all.
and if their anger and passions shall
prompt them to lead the negroes to the
polls. which we can easily imagine
when we remember what occurred at
| the last State election. the State will
present spectacle alike disgraceful to
both factions, and no matter which
wins there Will be wounds to the body
polite that will not heal for a half
century. To prevent this lam willing
to sink all personal feelings, all person
al ambitions, all considerations of vim
dictiveIess Or revenge, and make such
concessions as are just and proper.
If Senator Irby and Mr.. Wilson
shall succeed in forcing fight. and
still hope that their cooler judgment
will SHOW that it is neither patriotic
nor wise to do so, have faith in the
patriotism and good sense of the mass
es who ere interested in no mans poll
tical fortunes sufficiently to take suci
dreadful risks. This is not an ordina
ry State election and cannot affec
either NJ. Wilson or Senrtor Irby. 1
the Reform Government cannot live
without perpetuation of strife ant
| bitterness then it ought to die I dc
not believe any such stuff myself.
haze always relied on its principle:
and the wisdom of the policy which
has been pursued. Our people have
been educated in politics to know wha
their rights are and they will alway'
sustain the right when properly pre-
sented O them.
Senator Irby charges that he ha:
been betrayed. l for one deny hav
ing taken him into consideration whe1
arriving at an agreement with thu
Barnwell committee, and the Reform
Movement is stronger to-day than i
has ever been"
| When told that the opposition OF thu
ultra conservatives to the scheme wa!
that they did not wish to subscribe t(
the conditions proposed IN the Hemp
hill conference Senator Tillman said
That's not at all surprising, because
no one expected them to be reason
able Their programme all along ha
been rule or ruin, and l would Jon
Irby and Wilson in battle to th'
death for the control of the Conven
ton by the Rcformers alone if tha
idea prevailed generally among tn!
| Ants. We will never have Constl
tutional Convention with my consen
which will disfranchise the poor ant
| ignorant white man along with thu
negro. AS have already said once
before, the practical, sensible, patriot
ic men on both sides must get togethe:
and hold down the extremists. "
In conclusion Senator Tillman said
There's one other point in Mr.. vii
son interview which I think worthy
Of rotice-that is that the plan outlined
BY me has failed already because thu
Spartanburg Herald, the Greenvill'
News and the Columbia State have re
, fused to endorse it. I think he vii
find that Just the reverse will be fount
to be true. l did not expect unanl