Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-02-23
Wild Work in Prospect.

What with tho Grconbackero and the
Party of tho People and the Independc cnts
generally there is likely to be considerable
stir in South Carolina politics this year. 1t
will do good. There is more hurt in stagnation
than in activity. Opposition and criticism
will force the Democracy to scrutinizo tho
record of the party. They will find some
thing to condemn but infinitely moro to
praise. The weak points aud tho strong
points will both be brought out After that
whatever shortcomings are detected can be
supplied by the party, ald within the party.
The great trouble with the Democratic
party in South Carolina il oycrwcening con.
fdence in tho loyalty and gratitude of the
people. In 1876 when there was n square
fight between the democrats and fko Rcpub~
licans, the whole body OF the Democrats
could be depended on to vote for the purity
candidates whether they liked them or
not. There was no other road to take, The
Democratic nomination was, in tho political
sling of the day, equivalent to an election"
wherever the Democracy had power to elect.
Candidates, therefore are inclined to attach
more Importance to securing the nomination
than to deserving election. The machine
can nominate and the people, they think, must
elect
During the long struggle between Dcmoc,
racy and Rcpublicnnism the natural and
proper habit vas to vote for any Democrat
in preference to any Republican. The effect
of this was TO lrnke conventions careless and
short sighted. They appeared to consider
that, when they had put the Democratic
label on the foroheads Of the candidates, tho
whole wo:k was done. This has been the
course more particularly in the local conven.'
tons where county officers and members of
the Legislature are nominated.
The Democratic masses were probably more
to blame than anyone else for the failure OF
conventions to give them the candidates they
wanted. Bot the discussion and agitation in
the State will change the political conditions.
The leaders of tho Democracy must before
the people provo, as they easily can. that
Democratic rule ia advantageous, necessary
and desirable, and the candidates must find
out what their opini, ms arc before the cleo.
ton day. We speak particularly of cnndi.
dates for the Legislature and Congress. They
have been chosen for years in this State
without any special knowledge Of their con :
victions or intentions and when they vote
tho wrong way. or franc laws that the
people dislike, tho Democratic party is
abused for it. The Democratic voters them
selves are responsible. Candidates will form
opinions quickly enough if they can't be
nominated without declaring them. Upon
every question of public Importance the
views of every candidate should bo fully
known in advance Of tho nominations. The
what to expect. They will got the candi-
dates they want, and dexterity in straddline
the fence will no longer insure success in
public life in South Carolina.
This is reasonable and sensible. 1t is not
safe to rely on the Democracy going to the
polls uncomplainingly to vote for any and
overy candidate vino can SECURE the party
nomination In ordinary times manifesto
tions of disposition to stay at homo, or &C
pick and choose among the nominees, might
be disregarded. They will not be disregarded
now. unloss the political leaders are blind
and deaf. OF tho election Of tho Democratic
candidates for State officers in November
there is no doubt but there will bo wild work
in some Of tho counties unless the Democratic
candidates are in every way bettor mon than
those who will oppose them.--Mc,cs ano
| Courier.
| . -
The Chester Bulletin reports serious damage
to the wheat crop Of TINT county from tho Hes.
sian fly. Some farmers have plowcd up portions
| of thcir cronq