Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-07-28
a few Thoughts on the Political
Outl ook.

m ESSRS IiDlIORS mere seems TO DC
some speculation as to tho future workings
OF the Democratic party in South Carolina,
going the rounds of the Press, und whilo
this is the case see no real foundation for
npprchending a split in 1882. There arc
several important issues before tho people,
that may somewhat divide them tcnporari.
ly, but do not think that any of them will
cause split The most important of these
issues arc, tho temperance question, our
Public School system, which is admitted
by many to be inadequate or rather ulmcs..
an entire failure; and tic question Of rc-es
tablishink thcc State University. Then
heecs::>ies :hc above, there is the Grccnback
movement which seems to be interesting
some of our people. Again there is no
doubt but that there will be strong effort
made to upscat Col. u. W. Aiken in this
the third Congressional District.
Tho temperance men most assurodly will
make most strenuous effort in behalf of
prohibition and prohibition men The cause
of prohibition is good one, but whether it
is wise or not to have recourse to legislative
cnactmcnts to enforce sobricty among the
masses is question that many will differ
on. While this is the case, sec no reason
why such question should destroy in any
way tho harmony Of tho Democratic party
or break the ranks, for it is question that
not only democrats md radicals arc inter
estcd IN, but all classes and conditions Of
men The temperance boom has somewhat
subsided, but it will again loom up before
the election of 1882 The issue that is at
present Of most vital importance to the peo.
pln pf furn - mn ohocl
system, which is sometimes called system
of free schools In cities and large towns
it is eontendod, that some good mny DO
derived from it, but under its workings
education generally, is going backward. 1t
is not necessary for me to show the good or
OWL of our public school system, from tho
simple fact, that its workings arc pretty
we'll understood and it would require quite
a lengthy article to do the subject anything
like justice. There is steady cry among
great number, who appear to have tho
educational interests of tho State at heart,
for change, so that it may be made more
effectual In case they cannot accomplish
this, their next object viii! bo to bring about
It's discontiuuance altogether. There is still
another faction that contends, that we
alrendy pay enough taxes for educational
purposes aud that the people ought not be
compelled to be burdened with any more
taxes for this purpose, and then you can
also tind men who will contend that the
present eystcm is working well enough, md
that VIC had better work it up by degrees
to efficiency, without placing heavy tax
upon the people. " seems that the gencr~
q! determination is that something must bo
done and no doubt something will be done,
and we should give tho matter full consid-
Grafton. As in tho case of temperance,
do not sec why this should couse any split
in the democratic ranks, and why it should
endanger its harmony.
1t seems to be understood that there will
DO an effort made to re open the State
University, but here again fail to see how
the attempt to resopen this institution voud
have any material effect upon tho politics of
the State. While s0me seem to think that
it would be grand thing to have State
University, others arc ofasthe opinion that
it would be rest to begin ut tho bottom
round Of the ladder and climb upward, by
first putting the common school system 10
a healthy condition, and others think that
tho State is not ablo to keep up such an
institution; from this very reason our State
Agricultural College is looked upon with
jealous eyes.
There is a move on foot, though what
Dimensions it hos assumed am unubo to
state, to establish greenback party in
South Carolina. Some claim that it will be
Tho purity 10 1882. Circulars arc boing
sent through tho country soliciting names
aDd urging the formation of grconback clubs.
nm totally Ignorant as to who the fountain
bpads Of this move are, brt | have heard
IL bIDtcd that man holding high posi-