The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-06-26
WHOSE FRIENDS INTERCEDED:


there has been q systematic eff
fort made, to make the people
believe, that the governor gave
way under the opportunities OF
friends of Senator McLaurin.
Senator Tillman has been no
small factor in trying to create
such an impression, and Colonel
Willie Jones the chairman of the
Executive committee has remain,
ed quiet while Tillman virtually
charges the governor with per-
mitting McLaurin's friends to
use him.
Now for the facts, Governor
McSweeney was about to start
for Chicamauga when the resig-
nations were placed in his.hands,
but he declined to act on them
until his return: while travelling
he told a confidential friend that
he would on arriving home re-
turn the designations, but if the
Senators insisted on resigning he
would make appointments to fill
the places until the General AS
sembly met. He said nothing
about what action he would take
to another soul. The Governor
arrived in Columbia after mid
night on Thursday, and when he
reached his Office the next morn
ing, among the first to call on him
was Colonel Willie Jones, State
chairman, who told the governor
that he had talked with Tillman
the day before, and it would be
misfortune to have campaign
this year; the whole thing was
done in passion, and he hoped
the designations would be re-
turned. Among the governors
other callers was Lieutenant
Governor James H. Tillman who
is a nephew of Senator. Tillman.
We do not know just what passed
between the governor and ''Uncle
Bennie's" nephew. but we be-
ieve if q phonograph had been
placed in position in that Office
at the time,it would have record
ed words like these 'Mac don't
return those designations, but
you appoint Uncle Bennie, and
resign. then as soon as I am
sworn in, I will appoint you
McLaurin's successor" Then
we imagine that Governor Nc
Sweeney fatty refused. Before
Nephew James had his audience
with his Excellency. the writer
had one with Colonel Jones,
whom he found somewhat wor-
ried over the situation and we
agreed, that if possible Governor
McSweeney ought not, if he
could prevent it, force the people
into primary this year, the
Colonel told US that coming down
from Asheville such was the
general sentiment. He also told
US about having talked to Sena-
tor Tillman. So from this it
would seem that Colonel Jones
who is a warm friend of Senator
Tillman, Notwithstanding the
way he was treated by Tillman
in the convention 1896, after
having had a talk with Tillman
was very anxious to have the
designations returned. and pre-
vent the fight between Tillman
and McLaurin, for the peoples
sake. (:)
We do not assert that Jones
was authorized in his talk with
Tillman to plead with the gov
ernor, but we do think that Col
onel Jones forgiving spirit
prompted him to act as a peace
maker.
The further fact is, that Con-
gressman A. G. Latimer who is
supposed to be Tillman's favor
ite, and is now nesting under
Tillman's copperlined wings,
reached Columbia ahead Of the
Governor and gave out an
interview to the Columbia State,
in which he expressed the
hope that the governor would
return the designations; from
Columbia he went to Charleston
and gave out an interview to
the same effect and stated, that
he too, had seen Tillman. In
the face of these cold facts we
think it adamantine cheek for
McLaurin's opponents to go
around making pretense Of dis
appointment at the governors
action. When Tillman gave it
out that Governor McSweeney
had been Influenced by McLau-
rims friends, Colonel Jones
would have done himself credit
had he made public his solicitude,
and the part as Tillman's friend
be played in the matter. He
should have broken his clam shell
and announced that as the head
Of the Democratic party Of the
State he appealed to the gov
ernor in behalf of the people to
spare them from an uncalled for
campaign. This would have put
Quietus on the misrepresenta-
tons Of both, Senator McLaurin
and Governor McSweeney. Oh,
int The TINES ndit0l, If NAV he