The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-03-25
THE DEMOCRATIC STATE coNvEN-
TON.


TON.
The action of the State Executive
Committee in calling the Democratic
Convention for the first of June to nomi-
nate State officers is q matter of very
grave Importance, and should be thor
oughly discussed both by the press and
by the people of the State, for the length
of the coming canvass in this State will
depend upon the action of that Conyen-
tion. In our opinion the Executive
Committee acted wisely in calling the
Convention with the fullest powers, for
this course throws the responsibility of a
long or short canvass directly upon q
Convention fresh from the people, which
will intelligently represent the whole
State, snd shape its action to meet the
wants and necessities of the people. 1t
seems to us upon the merits of the ques-
ton that it would be very bad policy to
nominate State officers in June. It
would be unsafe and unusual to make q
State platform and nomination in ad-
vance of the national platform and NOM
ination. There should be the uttermost
harmony and accord between the party
in the United States and in the State, SO
that we may succeed in both. This can
only be assured by the State waiting
about its nomination until after the na-
tional ticket has been put in the field
and until the national policy has been
defined. Not only this, but it is very
doubtful whether or not the Democracy
will be fully in possession of the issues
ne will have to meet in the State at the
time of the meeting Of the June Conven-
ton. The Republicans will have given
no indication of their intentions, and we
will be irrevocably committing ourselves.
The National Republican Convention
will not even have made its nomination,
and we can form no idea of the line Of
fight which will be opposed to us. These
considerations are enough to make it un-
wise and impolitic, but the strongest OBJ
lection to it is the strain which long
canvass will impose upon our people.
Whenever the State canvass is begun,
either actively or constructiyely, just so
soon will the county campaigns begin.
Our people are busy in the effort to i'm
prove and build up their financial stand
ing, and it is the worst possible policy to
allow politics to interfere with it to a
greater extent than is necessary. We
want short, sharp and decisive canvass.
We should shun long, tedious and
lethargic one, which an early nomination
ensures. The campaign ought not to be
begun until the crops are laid by, and
then it should be kept red hot to its close.
The people will agree to make the sacri-.
ces necessary to carry the State if those
sacrifices are only asked in the early part
of the gathering season at the close of
the canvass, but if they are called upon
to sacrifice time both from the work sea-
SON and the gathering time, it is very
doubtful whether they give either. We
fear:an early nomination will disgust in
stead of enthuse our people, and there
fore, where the private interests of the
country conform so well to the policy of
the campaign, it would be worse than
blunder to ignore them all by making an
early nomination. In addition to the
foregoing reasons, there is also another,
which is well worthy of consideration.
An early nomination gives long time
for the opposition to ticket to form and
arrange for contest. If there is divis-
ion in the party over a nomination, the
allowance of long period with slug
gish campaign gives encouragement and
opportunity for an Independent move
ment, and the combinations and manipu-
lations necessary for making success of
it. We do not apprehend any difficulty
of this kind, but it is just as we'll to
guard against the possibility, where it
can be done without injury to other i'm
portant considerations. We have pos
session of the State, and, therefore, there
is no necessity for long canvass. Six
weeks is ample time for the State cam
paign, for the success of that campaign
will depend upon the enthusiasm with
which the nominations are received and
the eclat with which the canvass is main
tanned. We can have another '76, if it is
necessary, for six weeks or two months
this summer and fall, but we cannot have
it for FIVE months. We hope the several
county conventions, in sending delegates
to the June Convention, will put their
condemnation strongly upon a long State
canvass.