The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-06-15
COOPERATION IN POLITICS.

the last six years one or the other of
these e1pedients has been practiced in
every election. These terms are en-
ployed to express the union which has
existed between the white people as
Democrats and small number of Re-
publican politicians. The Democrats
have comprised the main voting element
in every campaign, and disafected Re-
publicahs were the candidates for posi-
tions of trust and honor. The failure
which has marked every effort to secure
honest, correct and enlightened govern
ment through coalition and fusion has
produced an almost universal conviction
among the Democrats that such efforts
cannot prove successful in South Caro-
lima. Hence, there is general desire to
find relief in other expedients, and
new term has come into vogue among
those who wish to produce similar results
so far as the voting process is concerned.
We are assured that cooperation in
politics" is the only panacea for the dis
eased body polite, and the treatment
now prescribed by the political doctors,
who are urging this unfailing remedy, is
made to appear simple, effective and
powerful in results. Let us examine the
prescription briefly in the light of our
present condition .as an over-taxed and
suffering people.
The prime requisite for cooperation is
thorough and compact organization of
The Democracy. As the, Democrats in
the past have been allowed the privilege
of voting for Republicans, who were
dissatisfied with the action of their po-
litical associates, so must this exalted
boon be granted in the future; yet, the
method must be changed to suit the pres
ent circumstances. Carpenter, Tomlin-
son and Green did not represent genuine
and unadulterated Republicanism at the
time of their nomination, and neither
was the Democracy organized, drilled
and disciplined into their support. The
policy of Cooperation" will not admit |
of doubtful expedients, however, and
cannot be left to undisciplined forces.
We must have organization from the
mountains to the seabord; every voter |
who is considered Democrat must be |
enrolled in the ranks; every means must
be employed to impress these voters with
the prime necessity of the people for |
''good government" as if their tax re-
ceipts and pocket-books did not sufi-
GENTLY acquaint them with the oppres-
sive character of the situation.
All this preparation for a campaign |
and augmentation of political forces is
intended to be used for Cooperation"
The term signifies a joint operation to
accomplish the same ends, and it becomes |
necessary to ascertain the other party to
the compact. The advocates of 'co-
operation in politics" explain this to
mean the reelection of Governor Cham
berlain, who is in substance declared |
necessary to give South Carolina de- |
cent and satisfactory government. The
plan proposed is to refrain from making |
any opposition to Gov. Chamberlain, if !
he is the regular Republican candidate.
We will take it for granted that MIR.
Chamberlain is bound to receive the NOM
ination of his own party, for if he is
necessity to the State, then is lie the
more necessary for the salvation and
preservation of the Republican organiza-
ton. We have seen no indication-not |
even the slightest intimation-that Mr..
Chamberlain is willing to head the Re-
form Republicans in opposition to the
regular nominee of his own party. On
the contrary, his explicit and frequent
declarations point unerringly to the con-
clusion that he will sustain the choice of
his own party, and that he has no idea
of forsaking that which he holds so dear,
even to crafty his Democratic admirers.
In order to secure the nomination of his |
own party, it will be necessary for him to
make terms with the Elliotts, Whippers,
Leslies and Whittemores who control
the machinery of that organization, and
who can place impediments in his way
at every step, for it must be remembered
that Mr.. Chamberlain is shorn of much
strength when he gets inside his own
party, and has not the assistance of Dem
ocrats and Conservatives, which availed
80 much in his conflicts with the corrupt |
element in the Legislature.
As the regular nominee of the Repub-
icans, Mr.. Chamberlain is certain to be |
associated with dishonest and unscrupu-
lous politicians, whose records for profit
gacy, fraud and peculation no Democrat
will attempt to palliate for moment.
We believe this certainty, because Mr..
Chamberlain has never exhibited such |
influence in his own party as to warrant
the conclusion that he can dictate State |
ticket, which would omit the disreputa-
BILE leaders and ignore the individuals |
who have hitherto controlled that party. |
Then, if he cannot secure the nomina-
ton of decent and honorable men on his |
own ticket, he is forced to accept the |
position assigned him in company with |
characters at once inimical to every hope |
of genuine reform within the State. He |
cannot avoid the necessity for sustaining |
his entire ticket, and his record as par
tisan will not permit the belief that he |