Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-09-12
SENATOR TILLMAN's STRENGTH.
A South Carollnian Discusses Palmetto State
Politics.

Washington, D. c., Times, August 81.
j. Altheus Johnson, Of South Carolina,
and man who apparently understands
the political situation in the Palmetto
State, was at the Metropolitan Hotel
yesterday. In speaking of tho reported
unpopularity of Senator Tillman, Mr..
Johnson said:
"The report that 10000 voters have
scratched his namo from tho ticket ia
spoken of as an evidence that Senator
Tillman is falling from grace with tho
people of South Carolina. If you con-
sidor that thoro arc over $4,000 Domo-
cratic voters in South Carolina, all of
whom are eligible to vote in tho primary
election, and that only 10000 record their
personal objection by scratching his
name, you will sec that if the vote had
been direct one with Tillman as tho
issue, he would have prevailed by 3 to /.
AN evidence Of his strength with tho
voters of South Carolina is the fact that
no one in tho State was willing to enter
tho lists against him in tho race for the
Senate. Tho primary in South Carolina
80 =" 'tSo-ioi-ti w blOoC WIN COuIOrn
themselves to the regulations of tho
Democratic party governing candidacy
for Office within the party. Tho primary
is tho canvass in which tho Democrats
fight among themselves and in which
each individual Democrat has voice in
saying who shall represent the party.
What is spoken of as an unexpectedly
large vote for Col. Hoyt, who is running
as Prohibitionist, doesn't mean that
tho dispcnsary is in danger. Tho vote is
largely a personal tribute to Col Hoyt.
Ho was known to tho people of the State
whom his competitors in the present race
wero only school boys. IIo was a gallant
Confederate soldier and bears the ,uarks
of battle on his person to-day. uo was
trusted leader, too, in tho days of 1876,
when the State was wrcstcd from the
regime of carpctbaggcrs.
MANY good friends Of the dispensary
told mo they expected to vote for Col.
lioyt for Governor because they believed
him to bo the best man in tho race and
because they knew he could not damage
the dispcnsary law without tho help of
tho Legislature, and nobody entertained
the thought for moment that the Leg
islatnrc would be anti-dispensary. Col.
Hoyts chai .ctcr is guaranty that what
ever laws arc on the statute book, the
dispensary law included, he will use tho
utmost ability of his office, if Governor,
to enforce.
Col. IIoyt, like a great many other
good Democrats in the State, believes
that prohibitory laws are the best treat
mcnt of tho liquor question and he de-
velopcd early in the campaign such
strength as to dcmoralzo the ones run
ming against him as advocates of the dis
pensary, and the latter in their fright
called upon Senator Tillman to cancel
his engagements outside tho State and
come to the rescue of tho dispensary,
which they declared was impcrilcd.
Senator 1illman is a special champion
OF the dispcnsary and the representations
made to him on that subject caused him
to take hand III the primary and add to
the livciness of the campaign Among
the candidates for Governor, however,
ho never expressed personal prof "encc,
simply advising the people to vote for
whom they regarded tho best man.
ut seems that Joseph II. johnson, of
Spartanbnrg, is selected for Congress in
the Fourth District lie barely failed of
the nomination in 1898. lie first ran for
Congress in the primary of 1902 and has
run in every race since, his vote growing
larger at each election. lie would never
make deals or give pledges to enhance
his vote, nor would he pay men to work
Tor him, or spend money in any of tho
other ways so often regarded as legiti-
mate in politics. IIo always said that if
elected it must be in clean, straight
forward way, and his canvass was always
conducted to that end. IIo mover abused
his competitors or engaged in PERSONAL
ties. IIc is capable lawyer and hard
student. IIo and were classmates in
Erskinc College. Trained in that insti-
tuition and reared as he was, among tho
'Scccdcrs,' he is man from whom a
good account may be expected in public
life. No, we are not kin, though we
bear tho same surname"