The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-06-16
s.Omces."
From the Columbia Register.

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Our respected contemporary, the Keo.
aree Courier, writes in extension of the
views of correspondent the following
well tempered article, and in manifest
good part, with reference to the distribu-
tion of the offices of the State. 1t will
be seen our contemporary puts the case
very forcibly and very squarely, and in a
frank, manly way, which nobody can
fail to recognize as IN expression that
should be needed. Now, whilst we sim
cerely deprecate the almost universal
lust for Office as very harmful to socie-
ty, it is plain the Piedmont belt of the
State want to feel a little of that harm
as we'll as other parts Of the State.
They very evidently do not want
their fellow citizens from other parts of
the State to take more than their share
of the harmful influence of holding Of
fee. Our Piedmont brethren are mani
festly willing to take little of the
risk Of being hurt, and they want to
see, doubtless, how it does feel to hold
all the Offices, or to try q portion of
them any how. We can but admire
the selfabnegation involved in this de-
sire.
Some of the hints of our conlempo.
rary hit officials who are much to our
liking, and men who, we think, are
very acceptable to the people at large;
yet fair play is q jewel, and We must
say right here, and mean to say it as
plain as language can express it: That
the Piedmont belt, out of which polit.
ical redemption came, has received
no sort Of political consideration
commensurate with its splendid po.
litical record in the second '76, and
its splendid conduct in every political
emergency that has arisen in the State.
Look on our State administration from
beginning to end, and see what positions
such Counties as Greenville, Spartan.
burg, Anderson, Pickens, Oconee and
York occupy. Here is the very back.
bone of the State in our day. The truth
is we want new deal and re want a
square one, in which SO important, in-
telligent, progressive, and in every way
worthy portion of the State shall not be
"kept out in the cold" We recognize it
right here as a conclusive political fact
that the State will have to face, and We
face it now and mean to stick by it.
Here follows the plain talk Of our con-,
temporary to which we give heed:
owe agree to some extent with the
views of w. P. c. on the distribution of
Offices in this State. Our County and
some other Counties have not heretofore
been counted as entitled to any consider
alton. We are never overlooked when
voting is to be done or taxes paid, but
when the honors and emoluments of the
government are disposed of we are small
potatoes We admit that Offices are not
created for the benefit of any individual
or section, but they are necessities to the
good of the whole people in the proper
administration of government. Fitness
and competency are requisites above
individual or local claims, but when
these are admitted to exist in all parts of
the country, then why should not sec.
tions be favored in order? Why should
Laurens have the Lieutenant Governor
two terms, Chief Justice and in it's Cir.
cult Solicitor, and Abbeville hold all
the State, Congressional and Judicial
positions in this Circuit? The Columbia
Register has shown they DO not pay more
taxes on their property than other Coun-
ties, and the election returns will show
that they do not poll heavier Demo
cratic majority than many other Coun-
ties. We do not, however, hold that any
section is entitled to Office because it
votes heavy Democratic vote. To poll
a full Democratic vote is duty, which
brings its own reward in the election of
honest officers and in just administra.
tion of the law. We have in the past
and hope in the future to throw our
whole strength in favor of whatever
promises best for the public good in the
matter of government as public duty,
but we think in the distribution of Off.
ces, when proper persons can be found
to fill them, there should be some
regard paid to the claims Of different sec
tions. The large mass of the people
have an indirect interest in this matter,
for to ignore section because of its
remoteness or isolation tends to cripple
its future development In the march of
progress the upper Counties should be
encouraged, and we feel sure an occa-
sional promotion of some of our citizens
to positions of trust and responsibility
would return good percentage to the
Ct,to ~