Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-07-13
The State Convention,

VI the Democratic party will moet in
Columbia on the LIST of August for tho pur.
pose of nominating candidates for State
Offices. The State Executive Comm ittee OF
the party, having doubled the number Of
delegates, our county will be entitled to six
and tho whole body will consist of $40
delegates. The press Of the State generally
ihvors this change, but wo can SOC but little
benefit likely to flow from it. 1t is not tho
number of delegates 80 muc, as tho fitncss
of the men sont, which will determine the
character and qualifications of tho nominees.
The action of the committee is nomiually to
got nearer at the public sentiment of the
State, by having larger body to make tho
selections of candidates and also to prevent
log rolling.
Will it accomplish lhis7 We think not
IL tho majority Of 1853 delegates can be
packed for "cut and dried ticket" why
cannot tho same be done with 3l6. especially
when the increase is mcre doubling the
representation from oil the oou.tics7 Rep
roscniative Tilman advoca,cd tho doubling
the members 70 Congress to prevent corrupt
Legislation and also to get nearer tho people.
Wo cannot see the good Of such measures.
Largo bodies arc too unwieldy; too many
want to speak, while but few can hear, and
they arc more liable to confusion. Delegates
generally vote for men whom they think mill
be acceptable to their counties, and counties,
rs consequence, gero rally vote together, 80
that the increased number does not change
tho result. What wo want in nominating
convention is men of Grmness, independence,
individuality and integrity. With such
delegates it matters little whether tho con-
Vention be composed of 1853 r3lG members.
The real reform which the composition of
the State convention needs, and which is
just and fair, is that the delegates, whatever
bo their number, should DO proportioncd
among The counties according to their Demo-
cratic voting strength. 1t does not appear
to be fair that countics having five hundred
to ono thousand Democratic voters and
several thousand Republican voters should
have double the representation in tho con.
vcntion of counties whose Dcmocraic voters
number several thousand against small
Republican vote. 1t is true national conven,
tions are organized on Il similar basis to our
State Convention. but wo think tho State
Convcntion should be based on the Demo-
cratic strength Of the counties.
Our county convention has appointed its
delegates and have instructed them to luy
before the State Convention some proposition
looking to this end. The delegates are good
and firm men and through them or through
delegates of some other county similarly in
s,ructcd, we think this measure will be
brought before the August Convention and
thoroughly discussed. A good deal can bc
snd on both sides Of the question and its
discussion may lcud to n settlement satisfac-
tory to holders Of bol, views.
Our delegates 60 uninstruccd on other
matters. ibis is right, for in the multitude
OF men in our State competent 10 fill the
various Offices, what VIC want is tho men who
by personal popularity or reputation or
ability as speakers or all, can best unity the
pcorlc and lead US to victory. If Judge
Wallace could be induced to run he would bc
the man, but if not, then let our delegates,
after comforting with delegates from other
counties, unite upon soro one who will most
likely carry the State. 1t is success We want
to win and defeat to avoid, and will, tho
present division and excitement about FAST
legislation men should bc selected 10 whom
no personal or political objections can bc
urged. AS to oursclf. wo will support tho
ticket nominated, for defeat ut this timo
would injurc our every interest.