The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-08-27
BleaSe's Reply.


containing Senator Tillman's latest
command to the people-that they
defeat me for governor.
Tillman himself condemned Gen.
Hampton very severely for interfer-
ing in the governors race in 1890, and
took that as his reason for defeating
Gen. Hampton for the United States
Senate. Jones, in his speech second
ing Irby's nomination for the United
States senate, said that Hampton was
trying to drag the fair escutcheon of
South Carolina in the dust by sup
porting independentism and asked
who it was who saved the State. Now
Tillman does more than ever Hamp-
ton did in attempting to not only take
part in family quarrel" but at
tempts to dictate to the people Of
South Carolina for whom they shall
cast their ballot for the office Of gov
ernor.
1 have always been Senator Till
mans friend; supported him in 1890,
and have voted for him in the prima-
ries and elsewhere ever since.
have been a close friend of his family,
and much of the abuse that is being
heaped upon me today is On account
of my stand~for Tillman and the Till.
mans.
While in, Washington, since being
governor, Senator Tillman invited me
to come to his rooms in the hotel
where his wife and daughters were,
saying he wished to have a conference
with me. 1 called. The senator asked
me about the rumor then current that
1 was going to oppose him for the
senate. l told him that as long as he
wished to remain in the senate, I
would not oppose him; that 1 had
been and was his friend, and that l
did not. believe he would have any OPP
position. He and Mrs Tillman seem
ed to be very pleased and both
thanked me for my assurances and
the position that took in the matter.
Mutual Agreement.
We met together later at Four
Hole Swamp, in Orangeburg county,
where he made a short talk and
where 1 spoke. There was a mutual
understanding that 1 would not op-
pose him for the senate and he held
himself out to me and to my friends
as being my friend. He has paid sew
eral visits to the governors office to
see me and has called at the mansion,
and in all conversations he has always
assured me that he would be neutral
in the gubernatorial race and his at
titude has always been friendly when
ever and wherever we met, and he
has made suggestions to me
in regard to the campaign,
particularly at the meeting in Orange
burg countyswhere he himself asked
me couple Of questions in regard to
matters, and suggested that 1 have
friends of mine ask me to explain mat
ters about which there was controver-
sy. He has assured me by letter, and
by letters to others which have been
given me, that he was not going to
take any part in the fight for cleo
ton of governor. Naturally, l was
surprised at the Sims letter. Then, 1
received another letter and sent him
copy and asked him of its genuine
ness. He wired back that without
seeing the letter he could not declare
! it genuine, but in the letter dated Au-,
gust 16, 1912, which l read at the
campaign meeting, he says:
No Affair of His.
81 am trying the best / can to be
neutral. have been tempted several
times, in fact, l have been opportuned
by some of the best friends have got
to come out openly and boldly for
Jones and give my reasons; but have
refrained from doing so simply be-
cause l did not think it is any affair
of mine, and I sincerely believe that
the people of the State of South Caro-
lima can take care of themselves; as
they have always done, without being
dictated to by any one. 1 do not be-
!lieve that Hampton had any right to
NEEDLE in the campaign as he did,
nor do 1 think 1 ought to try to die
tate to the people as to who they
Ishould vote for l have done my best