The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1880-12-08
Good Government. u Free Bal
lot and q Fair Count.

OerS OF the USuSfaI 6SSeWOIy IA0
following question ''In your opin-
ion, what policy should be pursued
by the Democratic party in South
Carolina to retain good and honest
government, and at the same time
secure a free ballot and fair
count?" The answers to this ques-
ton are various, and most Of them
show a marked lack of thought on
the part of the members. Instead
of answering the question many
take the occasion to vent their opin-
ions on purely side issues. Several
s'policies" are advanced however :
among them, O a registration law,
(2) Constitution Convention, (3)
electing officers every four years
instead OF every two, az requiring
the payment of the poll tax as a
prerequisite to the right of suffrage,
~ an educational qualification for
voters, (6) dividing the Offices with
the colored people.
The question is very serious
one, and must be met and answered
positively by the Democratic party
before another election. Men are
too apt to answer it according to
their prejudices and preferences ;
but that is not the way. It is not
in what way would one prefer that
these things should be done; but
how can they be done2 Taking up
the, sspolicies" above specified, let us
see what is in them.
What would registration accom-
plish further than to show, what
the census has already shown,sthat
the negroes have q voting majority
in the State of about 10000?
Would that tend to aid the party
in retaining control of the State, or
would it help the party in securing
free ballot and a fair count? A
registration law may be al right
and proper, and is certainly re-
quired by the Constitution; but
What practical benefit the Demo
cratic party, as political organiza-
ton, could derive from such a law
we are unable to conjecture.
4 Constitutional Convention is
altogether unnecessary and would
be perfectly useless for the ends
indicated in the question. It would
undoubtedly be more agreeable to
our people to live under Consti-
tuition of our own framing. This,
however, is not the age of senti-
ment, and State pride alone would
not justify the big expense OF snch
a Con7ention unless some real,
practical good is to result. If any
changes are needed they can be
made by way of amendments they
are certainly not too numerous for
this inexpensive plan.
Whether the elections should be
held every four years Or every two
years is matter that does not
concern this subject.
Requiring the payment of poll
tax before voting, We believe to be
right; but this cannot be effected
except by amending the Constitu
,tion, and it is hardly probable that
such an amendment can be made,
or that a Constitution containing
such provision could be adopted,
while the colored majority is as
large as it is.
The same difficulty would be in
the way of an educational qualifca-
ton, supposing such law were
desirable, which we do not believe.
But whether desirable or not it is
not attainable in this State at this
time.
Mr.. Andrew Crawford, of Rich
land, makes the true and only an
sWer to the question, when he says:
ave Will have to make concessions
to the colored people, and open up
to them certain avenues Of public
life This policy is distasteful,
We know; but it does appear to US
that it will be utterly impossible
for the Democratic party to retain
control OF the State, and at the
same time to secure u free ballot and
q fair count, on any other basis.
And who does not want all these?
The purity of the ballot-bo is the
only safety to Republican form of
government, and must be maintain
ed, or popular elections will become
a farce. The whites in South Caro-
lima never can get the negroes to
go with them in any considerable
numbers until they give them a !