The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-09-11

N"S Nl'>'i 'ii'Oi', ana IL SHOIl tlIHe al =
ter that l noticed some rather promi-
nent officials We're dropped from the
roll. l do not know that this was the
direct result. After remaining in the
state a short time the boys health
became so bad that / sent him to a
hospital, where he has remained ever
since, his life being despaired Of at
different times. l would like to ask
Senator Tillman, or the public, if any
one could have done more than did.
Would gentleman have done less {?
Senator Tillman seems to think be-
cause he gave the boy this appoint
ment to Annapolis that / am under
obligations not to oppose him for Of
flee. When did the Senatorship come
TO belong exclusively to him? Neither
did / know before that he is confer
ring appointments to official position us
to keep from being opposed. wa
OF the opinion that the position &C.
lorged to the United States, and that
tl'ey were distributed through ou.
Senators and Congressman.
Senator Tillman states thai he ask
ed the clerk of the Senate to notify me
rbout my expense account. THIS is
the first have ever heard Of that. 1
received letter from the clerk dated
August 21, in which he did not men
ton the Senator's name. Besides this,
in an interview from Senator Tillman
dated Washington, August 22. he
stated that / had mo status" in the
race. This was published in the South
Carolina newspapers and l received
inquiries from the various sections Of
the State and it was reported general
ly that l was disqualified. Certainly
Senator Tillman's interview was the
cause Of this report being circulated.
If he had wished to correct it, he had
ample opportunity to do so.
1t seems to outrage the Senator's
feelings very much for me to even
aspire to Office at all. l was notified
during the campaign that Senator
Tlllman would attack my sons con-
duct either before the first primary
or in the second one, in case was
in the race. His lackies and hench-
men were spreading this report in
different sections Of the State. OF
course. you know what my reply was.
Senator Tillman is following his old
tricks by trying to attract attention
from his own record to that Of a help
less, tubercular patient on his back.
5000 miles from home. What an
swer has he to make to the questions
Governor Blease asked him the other
day? What response does lie make to
the charges Col Talbert made against
iim from one end Of South Carolina
to the other? Why did he vote for
Lorimer? What explanation has he
to make of the charges Of his neigh
bors in having Government employ
ees supervise and work on his own
plantation? Probably the people
would like to hear the reasons he had
for investing his money out Of his be-
loyed State-in Georgia, North Caro-
lima, Oregon and perhaps other
States.
If Tillman, or anyone else, knows
anything dishOnorable, in my life or
character. they are at liberty to pub
lish 1t in every newspaper in the
State, every day in the year.
At the beginning of the campaign.
stated that l would have nothing
whatever to do with the Guberna-
torial race. and l steadfastly maintain
Ell this position, and what 1 am GO
ing to say now is without reference
whatever to either one Of said cam
didates. but mention the matter in
so far as it relates to the Senatorial
race. Owing to the very great excite
nent in our State just before the pri-
mary, Senator Tillman, feeling that
his own election was in great danger.
authorized the publication Of the
Ferguson letter. Hence, a large num-
her of his heretofore opponents vot-
ed for him. The Senator knew just
as much about the Gubernatorial can
didates six months, one month, or
two weeks before the election as he
did when he wrote the Ferguson let
ter, all the time pIoclaiminC that he
was hands off, in the race. Not only
that, any one reading the Ferguson
letter can readily see that it was
written for publication. Moreover,
the next week, after he had written
1t. in an interview from Washington
he stated that he was still "bopdS OFF,