The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-31
SENATOR TILLMAN'S STRENGTH.
South CaroIininn Discusses Pal
mcffn Sfnfe Politics

| Stute
j. Altheus johnson. OF South Carolina
and a man who apparently understands
1 the political situation in the Palmetto
State. was at the Metropolitan Hotel yes
;erday. In speaking of the reported I'M
, popularity of Senator Tillman, Mr. John
son said
THE report that 10000 voters have
scratched his name from the ticket is
spoken of as an evidence that Senator Till
man is falling from grace with the peo-
pie OF South Carolina. IL you consider
that there are over SO, coo Democrats vo-
tiers in South Carolina, all of whom are
eligible to vote in the primary election,
and that only 10000 record their personal
objection by scratching his name, you will
see that if the vote had been a direct one
with Tillman as the issue, he would have
prevailed by 3 to l.
IAN evidence of his strength with the
voters of South Carolina is the fact that
no one in the State was willing to enter
the lists against him in the race for the
Senate. The primary In South Carolina
is free-for all to those who conform
themselves to the regulations Of the DEM
ocratic party governing candidacy for Of
ice within the party. The primary is the
canvass in which the Democrats fight
among themselves and in which each in
dividual Democrat has a voice in saying
who shall represent the party.
What is spoken of as an unexpected
ly large vote for Colonel Hoyt, who is
running as a Prohibiticnist, doesn't mean
that the dispensary is in danger. The
vote is largely a personal tribute to Col
onel Hoyt. He was known to the people
of the State when his competitors in the
only Ha
was gallant Confederate soldier and
bears the marks OF battle on his person
today. He was a trusted leader. too. In
the days of 1875 when the State was
wrested from the regime of csrpetbaggers
MANY good friends of the dispensary
told me they expected to vote for Colonel
Hoyt for Governor because they believed
him to be the best man in the race ald
because they knew he could not damage
the dispensary law without the help OF
the Legislature. and nobody entertained
the thought for a moment that the Leg
islature would be anti-dispensary. Colon
ell Hoyt's character is a guaranty that
laws are on the statute book.
the dispensary law included, he will use
the utmost ability of his office, if Cover
nor to enforce.
Colonel Hoyt. like a great many other
good Democrats in the State. believes that
prohibitory laws are the best treatment
of the liquor question and he developed
early in the campaign such strength as
10 demoralize the ones running against
him as advocates of the dispensary, and
The latter in their fright called upon Sem
stor Tiilman to cancel his engagements
outside the State and come to the rescue
Of the dispensary. which they declared |
was imperiled.
fsEauaf0r TiIIrUan is cDApiaI rhampf0n /
Of the dispensary and the representations |
made to him on that subject caused him |
10 take hand in this primary and add |
20 the liveliness Of the campaign. Among /
he candidates for Governor. however, he
lever expressed a personal preference, |
imply advising the people to vote for |
whom they regarded the best man.
1T seems that Joseph T. Johnson, OF |
;partanburg. is selected for Congress in |
he Fourth district. He barely failed of |
he nomination in 1898. He first ran for |
congress in the primary of 1892 and has |
IN in every race since, his vote grow
ng larger at each election. He would |
lever make deals or give pledges to en-
lance his vote. nor would he pay men 10
work for him. or spend money in any of
he other ways SO often regarded as le-
Ultimate in politics. He always said that
elected ii must be in clean. straight
onward way md his canvass was always
onducted to that end He never abused
is competitors or engaged in personals
les He is capable lawyer and hard
tudent. He ard / were classmates in
,rskine College. Trained in that iIsti-
ution and reared. as he was, among the
seceders.' he is a man from whom good
ccount may be expected in public life.
10. We are not kin, though We bear the
q rnr