The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-11-29
TWO Polling Places,

a correspondent of the .Rc9iirr,
signing himself "Edgeticld," has writ
ten very strong ariclc in favor Of a
repeal Of the law requiring separate
polling places for State officials and fr,
congressman and Presidential electors.
1t alludcs to the two boxes as used in
other States. But in South Carolina
the practice is different. Two boxes,
rs used in Georgia, means simply two
separate boxes in tho ennlo polliun
place, but i'll South Carolina the law
requires tho polling places themselves
to be separate, and under the control
OF managers entirely distinct from
each other. Every one knows that
the purpose of cnacting tho law was
to prevent Federal officials from
tlrusiing themselves into State clcc-
tions. When the act was passed we
favored il, but "Edgclicld' gives
arguments that should be carefully
weighed by the Legislature. We
shall summarize the points. The first
is that the Federal government will
Interfere as readily in a State election
us in Congressional election if it
suits its purpose to do so, and no
point will be gained by having scpa-
rate polling places. Second, while
gaining nothing for her State and
county candidates the State may lose
two or three Congressman and her
electors. "Edgcficld' argues that
voters arc more interested in local
affairs and In the dozen or more local
candidates than in one Congressman
and the electors; and they will con.
slider their duty done when they have
1ostled and pushed their way to the
State polling place, without under
going another siege of several hours
to reach the other box. Many pcr.
sons, too, hold the mistaken idea that
tho National election is of no impori.
ahcc, and will be satisfied to vote only
for tic State officers even if the othc,
polls DC easy of access. In this woy
the Congressional vote will show q
heavy falling of, and this discrcpancy
Will DC tortured by Radical leaders
into air evidence Of fraud and illegal
voting.
Again, the easiest way of boiling q
nomination is by staying away from,
tho polls. "Edgcfcld" says that
several newspapers have threatened
to bolt the Presidential and Congress.
sion electors in certain contingencies
and he thinks this boiling can be mucl
more easily accomplished if the tive
polling places he retained, than il
every voter is called upon to march
10 the same place. We would sup.
gest in this connection that scratched
tlcKot IN tho case of single polling
place Is just as effective as abstcntio,
1rom voting. and moro secret. W.
call especial attention to tho con
,'clnding portion of "Edgcflcld's" areu.
ment:
such dclnsion would not onlv bf
f0liy but madness. The Federal anf
4 state governments must stand or fal
t0Scthcr as free, coordinate republics
Either they will both remain soyer
eign, each within tho sphere of its
allotted powers, San indissolubl,
Union Of ihdcstluctiblc States" or th(
Federal government will become solf
I sovereign, treating the States as mcrt
z counties. oA
Let South Carolina abandon he,
Federal elections and thereby pcrmii
the Republican party again to domi.
nate Congress, as 1t now docs tho
executive and Judicial departments,
ana the Federal government will sooii
c&ambjt no more respect to the Gov.
{ crnor or supreme Court Of. tho Sfatc
thall to the Town Council Of Aiken,
Twas by permitting the consolidn.
Il tlon party. oftlIis country to get nos.
session aof tho Federal government