The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-22
TROUBLE AHEAD FOR TILLMAN.
CAROLINAs sENATORsHIP FIGHT
no BE A LIVELY ONE.

me PttchtOrk senator 90 Try TO
Have CongeniaI Colleague Elect
ed-GOv. ElIcrbee Likely 10 Oppose
Senator TilIman's Desires and May
Have an Ambition 10 Don the sen
atOriRI TOga HimseIf-The Cover
nor May Appoint an Al Interim
Senator who Win step Aside Ia
His Interest Before the Legisla-
ture.
Washington. May 2l.-South Carolina
politicians are already speculating upon
the probable successor of the late Senator
Earle The legislature does not meet at
Columbia until next January, hence Gov.
Ellerbee has the power 20 appoint tenn
porary successor to the dead senator. The
question asked by South Caroinians is,
VIII Senator Ben Tillman dictate the Sc
lection made by the governor to FIJI the
pending vacancy?
Senator Earle only died last night, and
the congressional committee appointed by
the Senate and House TO go to Greenville
to attend the funeral did not leave Wash
ington until late tonight. nevertheless the
Palmetto politicians have been watching
the returns from Senator Earle sick room
for several weeks, and they felt that he
could not recover. In the mean time, they
have been looking over the field to see
who the governor will choose for senate
rial honors. 1t is said Gov. Ellerbee wants
to come TO the Senate himself. and 1t is
suggested that he will probably appoint
some personal friend, who will be willing
to step aside and make place for the
governor when the legislature meets next
January. The name OF Attorney General
Barber is mentioned in this connection
by some of those who profess to be close
to the governor and familiar with his in
tentions.
Senator Tillman Is anxious to regain the
power he once held in South Carolina by
selecting his colleague. He was bowled
over in the last senatorial contest, when
his personal friend and political lieuten-
ant, ex-Gov. John Gary Evans was de-
feated for the Senate by Judge Earle.
Although Senator Tillman declined to
discuss the subject Of Judge Earle's sue
cessor to-day, prior to leaving for Green
willie to attend the funeral, il is understood
appoint John Gary Evans to the vacancy.
1t would be regarded as a Tillman VIC
tory, and At would In a measure rehabil-
tate Senator Tillman in the estimation OF
the South Carolina democracy which is
said to show signs Of weakness az his po-
litical domination. The unpopularity and
the scandals surrounding the dlspensary
law, and the recent disclosures, have all
been to the disadvantage OF Senator Till
man, and he feels that he has a big fight
on his hands to regain political supre.
macy in the state His term In the Sem
ate expires three years hence, and theirs
is already a movement on foot to relieve
the Senate of his picturesque presence
and his novel methods Of debat-
ing national questions. lie likes
senatorial life, and he Is rapidly
becoming accustomed to the limits to
which senatorial courtesy and social re-
quirements extend lie is slowly, but
surely mastering the bicyc.e, but he has
not been induced to discard his long black
Prince Albert coat and broad brm woolen
hat when mounted on his wire steed. Those
are but triiing details which he will soon
overcome, and he may be expected to APP
pear al an early day clad In knickerbock-
ers, golf stockings and a dlnky cap.
Thus It will be seen that senator Till
man is justified in being deeply interested
In the selection Of Judge Earle's success
HOT. II uOt5 not betIn pfODdDie ildN 1ONs
E.lerbee will appoint John Gary Evans.
The relations between the governor and
Senator Tillman are supposed TO be some
what strained in consequence of recent cor
respondence on the subject of the dispen-
sary. John Gary Evans has a brother, who
has given the governor much annoy
ance recently, growing out OF wager OF
a blooded mare, which the governor is
supposed TO have lost, but declined to de-
liver In accordance with the terms Of the
bet Mai. Evans friends have poked con-
siderable fun and ridicule al the gover-
nor for protesting the bet on the ground
that it was not made In earnest, conse-
quently Senator Tillman's desire 20 have
John Gary Evans as his colleague In the
Senate may not be gratlhed.
Representative McLaurin, who Ia a MEM
Der Of the committee on ways and means,
has loomed up as a senatorial possibility,
ever since he came out for protection on
southern products. as against free raw
materials. His friends state that he has
no intention OF antagonizing Senator Till
man, but he naturally longs TO occupy a
seat in the United States Senate. It was
said that Mr. McLaurin might come TO
the front as the leader Of the South Caro-
lima democracy before Senator Earle was
taken ill, and some OF Senator Tillman's
former supporters, fearing that Tillman-
ism is on the wane, are volunteering to
fight under an anti Tillman banner.
Political conditions In South Carolina
are greatly confused at present, and a Bit
ter fight is anticipated over the vacant
senatorship. Tillmanism has been Derma-
nent IN the state for several years past
and the election OF the late Senator Earle
was the first break In the Tillman column
during that period. While Gov. Ellerbee
is regarded as Tillmanite, he is more
conservative and less dictatorlal than the
"Pltchfork" senator. The governor and
the senator nave broken several anceB
before, and an Intensely interesting con-
tosti about 10 take place Ia South Caro-
lima.