The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-09-05
STATEMENT FROM
SENATOR TILLMAN.

He Denies That He Was Eve1
Disloya1 to the Majority of Dem
ocrats.
Senator Tilman was prevented from
speaking at Spartanburg on account Of
the accident TO his eye, and he furnish.
cd the following statement to the
newspapers which he had intended to
incorporate in his speech:
There has been more or less siren
uous effort made in various quarters 10
cast imputations on my Democracy
and to charge that l have been dis
loyal to the organization in the past.
Senator McLaurin's supporters seek to
defend his own treachcry to the party
by making these charges, while on the
other hand some Of my old political op-
ponents who have never been able to
give me any credit for anything that
was worthy or good, have joined in
this accusation, and l therefore feel
that it is nothing but right that should
let the younger generation of voters
who know nothing of the facts, hear
the plain truth so they may know how
much crcdcncc to give TO these
charges.
| made my entrance into the poIiti-
cal arena at Bcnnettsville in 'S5, purely
by accident. The agitation begun there
and followed up IN the News and
Courier in a series of letters and ad-
dresses in advocacy of farmers col
lege took a political turn in 'SG. In
the Democratic State convention OF
that year l had large following, but
we were beaten by those in possession
OF the machine, Ohe ring, l called
them), and | was among the first to
move that the nomination for Cover
nor be made unanimous, and to pledge
my support TO the successful candidate.
Continuing the agitation which broad
cncd into a demand for general refor-
nation of the State government and
the abolition Of various abuscs-we
were again beaten in 'SS by very
narrow margin because Attorney Gen.
eral Earle, our candidate, refused to
allow the use of his name after the
balloting begun, and 1 again moved to
make the nominations unanimous, thus
showing my loyalty to the party in
State affairs.
In 1890 l was put forward as the
nominee of the Malch convention to
run rs a candidate for the nomination
for Governor in the regular Democratic
convention, and the system of Joint
discussion was inaugurated. l was
overwhelmingly elected in the Demo-
cratic primary, and although there was
bolt and effort to elect an indepen-
nn ND 10 ! oh
in November following by large ma
jority. The Alliance had been Or
ganlzcd in 'S9, and was very potent
factor in the success of The Reform
movement, but there was very power
full political current flowing before the
Alliance was born. In '91 1 discover
cd that Ben Terrell, the lecturer of the
National Alliance, was systematically
gong from county to county sowing
the seed Of third partyism and preach
ing the doctrine of 's 'svoting for Betsy
and the baby'' rather than the Demo-
cratic party Or any other party. This
led to my challenging Mr.. Terrell to
JOINT discussion on the sub-treasury
and other issues upon which he was
basing his propaganda, and the debate
was held before the State Alliance in
this city. ! pointed out in the debate
tho danger Of the white people Of South
Carolina risking any division as long
as we had such an overwhelming ne
gro majority, and insisted that nothing
should be done of political character
outside of the Democratic ranks until
we had held a constitutional conven-
ton and taken steps TO safeguard white
supremacy.
I demanded and secured pledge in
that meeting to make the fight against
Clevelandism and the other undcmo-
cratic policies that were being urged by
the New York wing of the party inside
OF the Democratic ranks, and there are
hundreds Of Witnesses to the fact. The
result was in '92, Notwithstanding the
Alliance was III absolute control Of the
politica. affairs Of the State and there
was an overwhelming sentiment in op-
position to The Democratic party tenets
as they were then promulgated by
Cleveland and his crowd, there was no
effort made to organize populist
patty except in Two counties even after
Cleveland had received the nomination
at Chicago. Our State convention had
denounced him as "a prostitute of
Wall street" " and declared that he was
not q Democrat, but when he received
the nomination 1 returned from Chlca-
go and counscled acquicscencc in the
result, and make bold to assert that
but for my influence and the influence
OF the men allied with me the State
would have gone to the Populsts that
year by an overwhelming vote. AS it
was, South Carolina was the only
Southern State where Populism did not
make bitter fight against the regular
Democracy. 1 spoke very bitterly OF
Clcveland's policy and proclaimed my
desire for union between the South
ern and Western farmers and declared
l was ready to lead a revolt against
the Democratic party as then led and
leave it if need be whenever saw any
where to go, and made all Aston to "s
light in the West " as II signal.
In the meantime l set myself zeal