The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1878-03-21
The Democratic Constitution, and
Primary Elections.

tho Constitution adopted by the
State Executive Committee, togeth-
er with the additions made by the
Executive Committee Of Fairfield
county. It will be submitted to the
County Club, which meets on the
fifth Saturday in March, for adop~
ton or amendment. AS the greater
portion of it has been provided by
the State Committee there is but
little room for change, besides
which, in our opinion, there is little
need for it. The provisions are
comprehensive and at the same
time enter into detail, SO that no
contingency may arise that cannot
be settled constitutionally.
The new and distinctive feature
of the instrument is the provision
for primary elections, a feature
recommended by the State Exccu-
tive Committee, only the details
having been left to the care OF tho
County Committee.
We have advertod to the matter
on several occasions before, but in
order that the scheme may be
thoroughly comprchendcd we will
again explain it. The fundamental
idea porvading it is that the people
shall directly nominate tho candi-
dates, that every voter shall exercise
this right for himself without
delegating the task to others. Be
fore Reconstruction, when party
lines were unknown in South Caro-
lima, every candidate submitted
himself directly to the people, and
the one receiving the highest num-
Der of votes secured the office. In
those days no consideration pre-
vented the scattering of the strength
of the whites among any number of
candidates. But among tho evils
of Reconstruction, came the neces-
sity for parties, and the necessity
also of each party concentrating it's
strength upon one candidate. Par
ty nominations were then in order,
and will so continue as long as
parties exist Then, first, the sys-
tenn of nominating conventions came
into vogue. But tho people had
nevor been accustomed to suffer
others to choose their candidates
for them, and hence arose com>
plants about a convention debating
nominations, and about caucussing
and wire-pulling. TO meet these
complaints, whether just or unjust,
the primary election has been pro-
vided. BY it, every Democrat goes
to the polls and votes for his can
didate. Every Democrats vote is
worth as much rs any others, and
every candidate stands upon his
own merits. And as the Republf-
can party is almost solidly COM
posed of persons who never voted
before the war, while the Demo
cratic party comprises all those
who did, it follows that tho Domo-
cratic primary is almost precisely
analogous to the regular election
under the old regime. The only
difference is that now a second
election is necessary to put tho
party candidate into Office. Lot
he Democrats bo so}idly united,
under candidates chosen, not by q
convention, nor by a club, nor by q
committee, but by a majority of all
the voters-and tho State election
in November will be a mere matter
of moonshine.
The only objection wo have heard
made to it, is that it is more trou-
blesome to tho votcr than the
present system. This, on second
thought, will be found to be on
error. In order to elect delegates
to q convention it is necessary to
have club meeting and is il not