The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-06-29
is COOPERATION ADVISABLE.

The propriety of uniting the Demo-
cratic party in support of a portion or all
of the Republican nominees for State
officers is again being seriously discussed
by few of the papers of the State under
the lead of the Ne,cs and Courier. The
coalition policy was completely demol-
ished, and we suppose these papers think
by changing the name of the policy to
cooperation they can induce the people to
believe some new issue is presented. But
be this as it may, these papers have for
their object combination of Democrats
and Republicans to perpetuate the domi-
nance of Governor Chamberlain over the
people of this State for at least two years
longer, which will also result in the cleo
ton of Treasurer, Comptroller and At
torney General, Secretary of State, Super
intendant of Education, and Adjutant
and Inspector General for the next four
years from the Republican party of South
Carolina The people need not be de-
ceived. The Republican party means to
nominate q full ticket from Governor
down, and any attempt of the Democrats
to take their candidate for Governor and
run another set of subordinate officers
will result in failure, for the Democratic
masses cannot be rallied at the polls to
vote for a Republican Governor. Hence,
this course means Internationally to
turn the State over once more to the Re-
publicans without serious effort to pre-
vent it. But this is not the only objec-
tionable feature of the policy. 1t inevi-
tably surrendcrs many of the counties of
the State which are about evenly divided,
for there will be hundreds and thousands
of the people in the State who will not
vote at all in the coming election if there
is any cooperation to assist in the cleo
ton of Republican Governor. We
will admit that it should not affect coun-
ty elections, but that is matter of very
little consequence, for every one con-
versant with South Carolina politics
knows that the State ticket does affect
county elections. But if it was practica-
BILE to succeed it would be demoralizing.
to our people to induce them to support
a ticket which would be humiliating to
every man of honor. We have long
enough bowed at the shrine of the expe-
dent in this State, and the craven policy
has only added to our disorganization
and trouble. Republicanism is no more
honest, no more respectable to-day than
it was in 1868, when certain prominent
cooperation lights of the present time
would not consent to any afiiliation with
Republicans. We do not see any mate
rial reformations accomplished since that
time in this State. If Governor Cham
berlain is any better to-day than in 1874
we fail to perceive it, and yet the Ne~s
and Courier, his strongest opponent then,
is to-day his strongest advocate. Until
some substantial reason for adopting him
is presented, the people of this State
should not consent to humiliate them
selves and their State by supporting him.
But if he is such patriot and upright
man as his Democratic admirers think
him, we have nothing to lose from run
ming separate ticket, for by tive in
sure the election of Democrat if we
succeed, and if we are beaten the other
party will elect Chamberlain. Hence, if
the co-operationists are correct in their
estimates of him, there Is nothing to be
gained by sacrificing our principles to
support a Republican. In the coming
canvass many colored men can be in
duced to vote the straight-out Democratic
ticket, and by determined and per-
sistent effort we may achieve complete
revolution in South Carolina politics-at
least let US enjoy the luxury of one effort
to establish a pure Democratic govern
ment for the State.