The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-10-30
cHARLEsToN's POLITICAL MUDpLE.

but for the Democratic party of South
Carolina. That our readers may fully
understand the situation, we will sum-
MARIO it briefly before making any COM
ments. The present Mayor, w. w. Sale,
who was elected by the Democratic
party, has rallied around him party
which seeks his reelection at all hazards,
and, in order to accomplish this end, his
friends secured division in the execu-
tive committee appointed in the last can
vass on the question of convention or no
convention. This committee unfortu-
nately sought to perpetuate its control
and decide the questions coming up In
this canvass. Mr.. Sale refuses to promise
to abide by the action of Democratic
convention or even q primary election,
in which none but Democrats are to vote,
claiming that ;if it..is fairly managed he
will be reelected, and, if it is not, that
he will not be bound. by it.
Capt. w. A. Courtenay is another con-
didate for the nomination, and has re-
peatedly pledged himself to abide by the
action of convention or of aprimary
election at which none but Democrats are
to vote. He is entirely competent, and is
gentleman of high character and scru-
pulous honor.
Mr.. w. J. Gsyer is an independent can
didate, who expects to run in between the
two factions of the Democratic party.
The situation is very nearly, if not
quite, as much muddlcd in the city of
Charleston as it is in the State of New
York, and the outlook we fear is about as
gloomy for the Democraticiparty proper.
There is no doubt that the Democrats
could elect their Mayor, if they could be
united; but from present appearances it
will be impossible to unite them. Mr..
Sale is determined to be re- elected at all
hazards, and, therefore, while he has
some eminently respectable citizens sup
porting him,..he is backed up in large
measure by Republicans and those who
care very little for anr fixed political
principles. The Charleston Democracy
is evidently very poorly organized, for if
it had any strength of organization, such
conduct Us Mr.. Sale has been guilty of,
would not for an instant be permitted.
Unless he pledges himself to. be bound
by the action of the Democratic party un-
conditionally, he is unworthy of the con-
fdence of that political party, and shows
that he is purely selfish. We roget to
see this split in the Democracy of Charles
ton caused in the interest Of man
whose course is tending to break down
party lines and introduce the enemy in
most dangerous disguise into our ranks
We fear that the regular nominee, who
ever he may be, cannot be elected, and
that either the Independent candidate or,
what is worse, the boiling candidate will
win. We say it is worse for the boiling
candidate, or the candidate who will not
be governed by the party action, to sue
ceed than for the independent candidate,
because the independent has no opportu-
nifty OF ofinjuring the party, unless voters
deliberately prefer to leave the organiza-
ton, while the candidate who runs as
Democrat, but refuses to submit to the
party action, processes what he has not,
in order to compass what would be out
of his reach, if his real principles were
understood. This is very serious ques-
ton to the State, and both wings of the
Democratic party Of the city of Charleston
ought to call in the aid of impartial
Democrats from different sections Of the
State to make fair and unbiased rules to
regulate the nomination of the candidate
and then compel all parties to submit to
the result Something should be done to
save the city of Charleston, for defeat of
the Democracy there may lead to the
election of an independent State ticket
next year. Both parties should make
concessions in order.to avoid such ca
tastrophe.