The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-04-08
CAN'T Pumps IrI,ys
Piedmont HeodEiGht.

haurens county is now looked upon as
the seat of political war in u State. So
last Saturday the Headlight editor decid-
ed that he would visit that section and
let our readers know the true situation
Senator Irby met us at the depot with
his fine South Carolina raised team. The
Senator ID looking better than we have
ever seen him, and was in fine spirits.
BE said he had been busy since his re-
turn home planting a big corn crop, and
had not devoted any time or attention to
politics. He rested his cause in the hands
of the people, and II they did not want
him to serve them in the Senate he would
or work anywhere they put him.
We asked Senator lrby his views about
the proposed bolt at Chicago.
"Did you aver know o bolter to accom-
plish anything?" was his answer. "Bolt-
ers can tear down, but they build
up, They weaken or destroy the party
from which they secede, but II you will
examine the political history of the world
you will not find o single instance in
which boilers have ever been successful.
And another thing you will sect boilers
eventually return to the party from which
they seeded. Take the kansas popu-
lists, for instance. They slushed off from
the Republican party, but afterthe spasm
had passed returned to their allegiance;
and were Populist PETER to run for the
Senate to-day he would ~not:receive half
a dozen votes. I am as strongsa free sill
YER advocate" continued Senator Irby,
las any man in South Carolina But we
must bear ia mind that thef1Fee silver
plank is not all that constitutes the Dem
ocratio party. The Democratic party Is
the friend Of the South, and when we de-
stroy it, to fuse with western Repubii-
cans, we are simply parslizing our W
prosperity. Why, even under the Cleve-
land administration, the South has been
favored. Tho force bill was repealed.
and other laws passed that were benefi
cial to our section. But let the Republi
can party elect the President and control
both Houses Of Congress-, and you will
see the prosperity of the South strangleo,
and the most obnoxious laws passed. /
believe that the free silver men will con-
troll the Chicago Convention. It Is adj
mitted in Washington that the so-called
Sound money advocates cannot secure
enough delegates to nominate a ticket or
prevent the adoption of a platform en-
dursiug bimetallism. I believe there will
be a split when the Convention meets,
for the gold standard delegates will bolt
should they fail to accomplish their ends.
Then they will be the boilers and not our
side. This is just what we want.
"Senator, what do you thing will he
| the action Of our State Democratic Com
| mittee? 2"
II do not know, but feel assured that
| the members will not countenance any
| thing that looks like q bolt. I have sim
ply published my views, and have made
no attempt to influence any one. When
the Committee meets, J. shall state my
| position, and of course the other men,
bers will act IS their Judgment and pa.
| trlotlsm dictates. South Carolina Is
prospecting above all other Southern
| States, and I attribute 1t largely to the
| fact that we have remained in tho Demo.
| cratic party. Our white people rule their
| State. and the Negro is eliminated from
politics. We eve 1t to the poor white vo.
| ters of South Carolina to protect them
| from the political power of the Negroes;
and this can only be done by remaining
in the Democratic party. We must re.
member that the colored vote largely out
numbers the white vote in South Carroll
ma, and when u people split mp and di-
| vide, you will Bee q scramble made for
| the colored vote, and Negroes will be en-
franchised by the thousand. Then where
| will poor and uneducated white men be?
I have advised my people wrongly
and never will. 7 have fought for the
rights of the poor man, and snail never
counsel anything that threatens his polit-
ical sovereignty"
"Of course you hre in the race for Sena-
tori"
st am. I See that an effort is being
made to do away with our white primary.
The people will not countenance this. IL
would be q step back ward I am ready
and willing to risk my chances with the
| Anglo-Saxoa voters of this State and will
obediently bow to their decree. The
people have given the right to name
United States Senators at the ballot box
aud this right shall never be taken from
| chem If I can help it. A man who IL
afraid to face his people. And it has been
| reported" continued the Senator, s'that I
cannot carry my OWN county Of Lsurens.
| After dinner I will have my horses hitch
ed up and take you to ride over a portion
of Laurens, going In eny direction You
| desire, and I will let you see for yourself
how I stand at home. I have my ene-
mics like every other public man, who
takes a strong position In politics; but the
| great masses of the voters of Laurens are
/ with me. I have not entered into q po-
litical coalition with any man, and nei-
| Their will 7 do 30. I am q candidate CD
my own account. 7 am fighting no one.
| But I am not q straddler, and the people
will always know just where to place
| me-"
Senator 1rby then branched out and
discussed straddlers and fence-riders.
He said he freely conceded thu right of
any n to oppose him, but hs did not
want any two-faced business. "a .trad.
dIer," he explained, lis a weak man, who
has not talent enough to defend his
cause, and therefore resorts to double
dealing and hypocrisy. a. man of brains
has other weapons, and you will always
find him taking q decided and firm STAND
on all public matters.
after dinner, sitting behind the Sena-
tors fine team, we started out on 81 ride
through the western portion of Lau-
rens county, taking the old Greenville
road.
During our ride, We travelled forty
miles, going n road, and returning by
another. Ifthat section is an index TO The
political sentiment OF Laurens county, 1t
is a waste Of time to try to defeat Senator
1rby at home. We stopped at G. number
OF houses, talked with the people, and
they all report the country as q unit for
IrbY, The people have named their ba-
btes for him, and every man or lady b.
passed on the read would halt him and
had some kind word to say. We never
ssw such unanimity and enthusiasm for
q candidate. And parties tell us that the
l other sections of Laurens are Just as
strong for Irby as this. So those who are
| predicting that Senator Irby will be turn
ed down by his own people know not
what they are talking about. Nthey will
go into the country and talk with the
farmers they will find that ] L. M. Irby
is firmly anchored In their hearts.
Congressman Wilson Is strong OVER In
LaurenH, and the manner in which be
handled Boutelle had made him many
| new friends. He will have no opposi-
ton for te-election. 1t was reported that
Mr.. Patton, of Columbia, would oppose
MIR. Wilson, but 1t would be folly for MI.
Patton to make the race. We heard in
Spartanburg that there was i'll feeling be-
tween Senator Irby and Congressman
| Wilson, and we asked the Senator ifthere
was any grounds for such a report. He
| replied that there was not, 30 far az be
knew; that Just before he left Washing
ton Mr.. Wilson had a talk and parted on
kind terms. he also said that there was
nc truth in tho story that Tillman and
himself did not speak as they passed
"Why," he remarked, "Senator Tillman
frequently comes TO my seat and we talk
together. OF course our relations are not
30 close as they once were, but we always