The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-03-17
POLITICAL NEWS AND GOSSIP.

Some of fho Probable Features Of tho Next
Csmpalon-Ths Candidate for Senator and
Governor.
The Columbia State furnishes the
following news and gossip rs 10 tho
pending campaign in this State:
The first struggle will be early In
May, whom the delegates to tho May
convention a"e selected. Senator Till
man and the State administration ring
result of that election. There seems
to be little doubt that in the early
summer Senator Tillman is going to
make his long expected break and will
%endeavor to take with him to tho west
or any other section Offering the. big
gest inducements, the solid Rsform
| vote o fSouth Carolina. Tho first move
to the successful accomplishment Of
this end will be the capture of the
May convention and tho State execu-
tive committee. This done, the con-
vcntion will refuse to send delegates
to the national Democratic convention
to meet in Chicago /; and tho State
executive committee, alleged to be
Democratic, will rule that in national
affairs the Silver or Popuiist or the
Silver-Populist, as it may then be, 10
the Democratic party. There will
possibly be little restrictions in a State
primary.
But some leading and active Reform
crs and enthusiastic silver mon arc
opposed to DESERVING tho old party.
They maintain that the money question
is a policy and hat the free silver
can be obtained as we'll in tho Demo
cratic party as out OF it.. So that on
this line tho third party people are
going to find strong opposition in r.
form ranks.
Unless, however, the ring combina.
ton do underground work, it is not
expected that they can capture tho
can carry over 1900, perhaps oniV
10000, Reformera iato another party,
whatever the OF that party
may be-. III this draft is made on tho
ranks OF tho Reformers, the desertcrs
VIII consist principally Of those rabid
anc DRnd followers OF the modern
Moses, and their absence will make
tne Reform faction-from t~he'Straight-
Out st%andpolnt-a very much more
respectable organization. 1t is there
fore advisable from every Wow that
those white men opposed to ring
rulo and in favor OF q respectable,
honest government, should remain in
the Democratic party. The time when
their votes will count may be at hand
aud TO go astray now il to scatter their
strength.
Next in Importance will bs tho cam.
paign for John l.. M. Irby's successor.
On the stump will appear tho incum.
bent aud Governor John Gary Evans,
and perhaps a third Reformet. This
is going to DO one of the most interest
ing political spectacles in recent
years. The third Reforiner will bo q
representative Of tho conservative
element OF that factioa. Enough fur is
expected to fly ip these joint debates
to make-tO be Irish-a feather mat
tress. The two known candidates will
each be supplied with a car load OF
ammunition and they will not bs
particular as to how they shoot 1t off.
The possibilities--it might be said
probabilities-in the ace for the GU
bernatorisl nomination are John II.
Harrison, K. Is. Watson, w. TIC. Bates
and w. Fl. Ellerbe. None of these
have announced themselves but neither
would decline il the honor was thrust
upon him. AS soon as. they haye felt
their way and ascertained the probable
chances Of succees their minds will be
made up. But the beeS are in their
bonnets,
If there is anything certain in poll.
Gov. w. III. Zimmerman will
be the next State treasurer. DIR. Bates
will not be q candidate for reelection.
DIR. Zimmerman will be o oandidate
for the oflco and 1t is extremely un,
likely that no will have any opposi-
tion. Ii there was opposition, his
honesty and worth is 30 welll recop,
niztd by all who know him, that 1t
would amount to nothing.
In the usual course OF events, Col. |
John Il. Sloan will DO q candidate for
governor. There arc no
announcements for other officers, but
It Is presumed the ineumbents will be
n the ring. However. there seems
% sbe an updercurrent OF sentiment
.mong some influential Reformers to
nave on tho next State ticket two or
individuals who AFFILIATED with
he Conservatives when that faction
vas In good standing. Whether this
,lan Is carried out or not, the next
officers will not be extreme men,
md in the campaign Reformers will
'our some pretty hot shot into the
administration.