The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-09-06
WHAT TILLMAN SAYS
Aboustho Charges Mads Against
Him.
WARM 8 THE Mill PEOPLE.
.Defands Himself from the Change
Of Having Abandoned the
Democratic Party and DIS.
cusas Oihar M alters.

ted his inability to speak at Spartan
burg, booauso there were several i'm
poltant points upon which ho desired
to dofino his position onoo and for all.
| Among these was tho talk there has
boon Of coercion in tic cotton mills.
Before leaving tho city no gavo out q
statement for publication covering
these questions. It is 90 follows:
There has boon more OK less strenuous
effort mado in various quarters to cast
imputations on my Democracy aud to
charge that have been disioyal to the
organization in tho past.
Senator MoLaurin's supporter sock to
dofcnd his own troRohory to tho party
by making these charges, while on the
other hand some Of my old political op.
ponents, who have neyor beon able to
give mo any credit for anything that
was worthy or good, have Joined in this
accusation, and therefore feel that it
is nothing but right that / should let
the younger generation of voters, who
know nothing Of the facts; hear the
PLAZA truth, so thoy may know how
much .credenco to give to theso clargos.
NOV AGITATION BEGAN.
! made my entrtranoo in tho political
arena at Bennetteville in '85 purely by
l3aooident. The agitation began there.
This. followed up in the News and
Oourior in o sories of letters and ad-
dresses in advocacy of farmers col
logo, took q political turn in '86. In
the Democratic State Convention OF
that year I had largo follow ig. but
wo were beaten by those in posi- ssio 1
of tho machine, (the ring I called tLom)
and l was among the first to movo that
the nomination for Governor be l,ade
isunanimous and to pledge my support to
tho successful candidate. Oonsinuing
the agitation, which broadened into. a
f;demand for general reformation Of the
lsStato q Overnmont end the abolition Of
tsyalioAe sbuses--we were again beaten
| IN SS8 by avery narrow maIgin, booause
attorney Genoral Earle, our candidate,
Issefused to allow the uso Of his namo
! Af tAsf9 TER the ball loting began, and $I again
llSs1,,9yedS 0sa1a 10 Il he N ominationB unsni-
psfsS ssstS shs
In 1890 was put forward as the
nominee of &
THE MARCH CONVENTION
to run as a candidate for tho nomina-
tion for Governor in the regular Demo
orstic Convention and the system Of
Joint discussions was inauguratod. I
was overwhelmingly elected in tho
Democrtic primary, and although thore
was q bolt and effort to eleot an indo.
! pondent osndidate, I was chosen Gov
ernor in November following by Largo
| majority. Tho Ailisnce had been
organized in 80 snd was very potent
factor in tho SUCCESS Of the Reform
movements but thore waB very poWor.
full political current flowing before tho
Alliance was born. In 81 discovered
that Ben Terroll, tho lecturer Of tho
National Alliance, was systematically
going from county to county, sowing
the seed Of Third-partyism aud praaoh-
ing tho doctrine Of voting for Betsy
and the baby" rathor than the Domo.
cratic party or any other party. This
led to my challenging Mr.. Terrell to q
joint discussion on tho subject Of tho
sub treasury and other issues, upon
which no vas baBing his propaganda,
and tho debate was held before
THE STATE ALLIANCES
in this CITY. pointed out in the de-.
bate tho danger Of tho white people of
South Carolina riskiag any division as
long as wo had suoh an overwhelming
negro majority, and insisted that moth
ing should be dono Of political
character outside Of the Democratic
ranks until wo had held O Cons nstitutional
Convention and taken stops to safe.
guard white supremacy. I demanded
and obtained plodgo in that moeting
to make tho fight against Olovolandism
and tho other undem ocratio policies
thet were being urged by tho New York
wing of tho party inside Of tho Demo
cratic ranks, and there arc hundreds
OF witnoHses to the faos. The result was
in '92, Notwithstanding tho Alliance
was in absolute control Of the political
affairs Of tho State, and thore was an
overwhelming sentiment in opposition
to the Democratic party tonets as they
were thon
PROMULGATED BY CLEVELAND
and his crowd, there was no effort made
to organize Populist party except in
two counties, even after Cleveland had
roceivod tho nomination at 9 Chiosgo. Our
State Convention had denounced him
as "a prostitute of Wall atroot" and do
clarod that ho was not q Democrat, but
when no received tho nomination re-.
turned from Chicago and oounselled
acquioscenoe in tho result, and make
bold tosssert that but for my inAuonce
and tho influence Of tho men allied
with mo the State would havo gone to
the Populists that year by an oyor-
whelming vote. AS it was, South Caro-.
lima was the only Southern State
| whose Populism did not mako a bittor
fight rgainst tho regular Democracy. /
spoke very bitterly of 0leveland's policy
and proclaimed my deAire for union
between tho Southern and Weste. a
farmers; and doolared I was ready to
load a revolt against tho Democratic
party as then lod, and leave it i. mood
be, Whenever | saw anywhere to 80, and
made allusion to
"a LIGHT IN THE wEsT'
as . sigaal, In the meantime sot
myself aealously to work to obtain a
constitutional Convention 80 as to take
stops to diaffanchiso as many Of the
oolored people as. we could under the
l4th and dI6amendmonts. During the
period from 1892 to 1896 there wne hit-