The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-07-20

members of the Legislature huyep.5eLos
| iiado since 1876 by tho primary plan,
only the best results have boon obtained
and the unity Of the party most success
fully preserved. No other plan has sue
crcdcd SO well. No other plan could
have SO firmly welded the people togcth-
or, nnd il, in tho selection OF candidates
TO fill the county offices the primary plan
lins worked so admirably, there is no
good reason why it should not also opor-
ate with equal accoptability upon a larger
scale and in cases where more Important
interests nro involved. To bo suro the
political canvass would bo made moro
lively and ihc candidates for Congress-
iunnl hOnors would have TO give better
evidence of their fitness for office, hut
just III this very way would tho interests
OF the country bc better Subscrved and
the strength Of tho party more firmly es-
tubl;shed.
II the candidates for Congress should
bo required to go before tho people on
tho stump, declare their positions on the
various important issues which will como
before them ut Washington, and learn by
practical observation tho real necessities
of tho country and 50 be instructed III to
the best way i'll which 10 meet their high
responsibilities, there would be better
understanding between tho people and
their representatives and moro Just and
wise settlement of great public questions
would iie,'essaTiiy III, ;iis result. AS il
now stands the congressman are known
tu comparatively few Of their constitu-
en.s, anu more than half OF tho blundcrs
that they 'L've committed may be traced
to their Ignorance uI tho necessities OF
tho people.
do not SEQ how it is possible to adopt
tho primary plan OF nominating Con.
gressmen for tho next election. No plan
has yet been agreed upon, and 1t would
take Il great deal of time and cause some
delay to arrange all tho details necessary
for the proper conduct of the elections
under this plan. 1t would be woll how
ever. Tor the State Convention in August
To take this whole matter under consider
ation and adopt such actions ~ may bo
deemed best toI :he party and the State.
NEW BASIS OF REPRESENTATION.
There Is another matter which Is wor.
thy of some attention. According TO the
constitution OF tho Democratic party zach
county Is entitled to representation in tho
State Convention In proportion to ils rep
resent'.tion III both branches OF tho Cen
eral Assembly. There Is feeling In fa.
vor of changing this rule and making
the Democratic vote In the different coun-
ties tho basfs OF representation in the
State Convention. According to tho
present rule counties which have the
s!na!!eat Democratic strength ere entitled
to equal representation in tho nomina-
ting convention with counties which have
Icy County, for instance, with total
Democratic strength OF less thun three
hundred voters, has IL right to send two
more delegates to the State Convention
thnn Anderson County, whero the rcg-
istered strength of tho Democracy Is
greatly in excess Of the Republican vote.
The same statement of facts will apply
to many other counties in the State,
which are represented In tho conventions
Of tho party not in proportion to the
number Of Democratic voters but accor-
ding to their total population. 1t is
reasonable that III shaping tho policy and
In choosing the candidates of the party
the counties which do most to secure
Democratic victory should DO entitled to
the largest representation. Tho voting
strength of tho party, and not tho total
population In the different counties,
should be the basis of representation In
tho conventions of the party. Theirs arc
a number of excelleut Democrats III
Berkeley and Beaufort Counties, but
there are not enough of them.
The Constitution Of the party should
be changed in this important particular.
I have favored such policy for years,
and tho exceeding fairness OF tho propo-
sition must strike every ono with great
force. There can be no change in the
composition Of tho August Convention,
but that body should devise somo plan
by which there can be some more equi-
table basis Of representation than that
which at present exists.--J. Q. II. IN ScWs
and Courier.