The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-07-01
The Political Situation from a Demo
cratic and Republican '',.,'
., Standpoint. g..


A correspondent of the Neu
! York; Tines has recently interview
cd some Of the most prominent
political leaders in the State, of
both parties, and presents their
views at length upon the present
condition of affairs, the causes which
haveiled toit, and the results which
are to grow out Of it:
Among the gentlemen interview
cd is Ex-Governor Magrath, who
presents the Democratic view, and
utters very much the same sentl-
mcnts which were given in a recent
address before a Charleston audi
ence. In reply to the charge o.
the Republicans that the existing
evils which we suffer are in a great
measure owing to the refusal of the
whites to cooperate In the work OF
reconstruction, Gov. Magrath states
very truly that if this had been
attempted, the distrust on the part
of the blacks would have rendered
it entirely Intellectual. Emancipa-
ton had been forced upon the
whites, and of this the blacks were
fully aware, and entertained a con-
slant dread, (of which they are not
yet free of being forced again into
slavery. These fears were foment-
for political purposes by the alven-
turers who came into the State, so
that anything like cooperation be-
tween the races was entirely out Of
the question. Gov. Magrath shows
how groundless these fears are, and
that the sole desire of the whites is
to secure honestgovernment, which
shall guarantee equal protection to
both races. AS to the mode Of
efecting a reform, he concurs with
other prominent men Of the party
in thinking that it can only be
brought about by the Federal Gov
eminent. The blacks are now the
controlling power in, the State, and
have implicit confidence in the aut
thorities at Washington. Let then
good men be appointed to Federal
Office in the State, who shall con-
vince the blacks of the fact that the
General Government disapproHes
of the present naladministration of
State affairs, and disabuse their
minds of the insane notion that
there is any danger of their being
again forced into. slavery, and CO.
operation between the races will be
secured in the work of building up
honest government. 1t can only
be done by cooperation, and CO.
operation is thus only attainable.
Treasurer Cardozo, a prominent
Republican leader, is also inter-
viewed, and presents views of the
situation which may be regarded as
representative. Whilst admitting
that evils exist, he holds, with
others of his party, that reform is
only practicable in the Republican
ranks, and that to admit Democrats
to a participation of political power
wodld endanger the rights of the
colored man. This is not very ap-
parent, when the colored men hold
a controlling majority in the State,
and when the whites have not the
power, eEcnif they had The desire,
to do anything which could CON-
promise ,fhe rights of the coIored
race. Treasurer Cardoza thinks
thatsa bitter contest between the
two parties is now pending, and
charges the Democrats with oppo-
sing. reform in the Republican
ranks, as the best means of over
throwing that party. He urges that,
though the Republican party had
failed in redeeming fully s!thea,
pledges of reform, that they had
made great progress intthe work of
'improvement-that the expenses Of
the State had been reduced ,froRl
an annual expenditure of $780,
900 to $1,000, ,0o0-that if the tax
alton since 1872 was higher thanl