Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-08-21
gutal gulitifs.
THE COUNTY CANVASS.
AN INTERESTING MEETING AT CLOVER.

AN INTERESTING MEETING AT CLOVER.
Last Thursday was the day appointed by
the County Executive Committee for pub
lie meeting at Clover, at which the candi-
dates in the primary election would address
their fellow-citizens. At an early hour in
the forenoon the clean and pretty streets of
our thriving sister town were alive with
people from the country, and at 1890 P. M,
arrangements for the speaking to begin, a
crowd, estimated at from 800 to 400, had as
sembled. Arrangements were made for the
speaking by erecting neat stand and pro-
viding seats in the grove, in convenient
part Of the town, and Zest was given to the
occasion by excellent music furnished by the
Glover Cornet Band, of which Mr.. l.. X.
Armstrong is leader. On account of the en-
gagements of Mr.. J. r. Barron, Precinct
Chairman, Che being member of the band
that gentleman requested Capt. w. Beatty
Smith to preside. He called the meeting to
order promptly at 1890, and the proceedings
were opened with prayer by Rev. R. A.
Webb, pastor of Bethel Church. After
prayer, the chairman stated the object Of
the meeting, when he introduced as the first
speaker
DIR. JOHN G. BLACK,
candidate for the Senate. DR.. Black went
over the same ground as in his speech at
Rock Hill, reported last week. He reitera-
ted his views on the Citadel Academy, the
South Carolina College and the Columbia
Canal appropriations, being unalterably op-
posed to all of them. While friend of ed
ucation, and disposed to aid in educational
objects, he favored appropriations for the
common schools first, and in a few years
from now, we might be more able to bear
taxation for the support of the Citadel and
the State University. He thought the pres
ent time inopportune for taxing the people
to support these institutions. He reviewed
1SSO-S1, and upon that he was willing to 60
before the people. He then voted against
appropriations for the purposes above named
and would do so again.
MAI. JAS. +. HART
was the next speaker introduced. After
complimentary illusions to the town of
Clover, and recalling the reminiscence Of one
of the most stirring meetings of the memo
rable campaign of 1876, held at that place,
he referred in a general way to his past du-
ties in the Senate. He made the point that
an inexperienced member cannot be as SER
viceable to his people as one of experience,
and cited the fact that Charleston has con-
tinued some Of its Representatives ever
since 1876, and consequently that county
almost rules both branches of the General
Assembly. An inexperienced member can
not be heard. The interests of the low coun-
try and the upper part of the State are di-
verse; the low country always favOrs high
taxation when it is beneficial to that section.
With us of the up country we have no such
objects in view. 1t was maxim with him
to legislate for low taxation. For the main
tainance of the Democratic party in South
Carolina, the Government must be so pure
and popular in the public mind that no fac
tion may arise in our own or any other party
to break the ranks of the Democratic party.
For this reason he was opposed to enact
ments of local concern inimicable to the
people of a particular section, as for exam
pie forcing upon the people of the low coun-
try the fence law when they did not desire
it. He was opposed to making appropria-
tions for the Citadel and State University.
He favored an improved system of working
the public highways, but did not propose to
evolve plan at present. He only threw
out the suggestion, to call the attention of
the people to the subject. He opposed the
| law eXempting manufactures from taxa
| tion, and favored the introduction of sys-
tenn whereby there would be more general
diffusion of the laws of the State, for the
public information. The State expects ev-
cry man to know the law, but does not pro-
vide the means for the people generally to
know the enactments of it's legislative bod
les. He made touching allusion to dis
abled Confederate soldier, citizen of Clover,
and alluding to the fact that a small State
said he thought this, as well as similar
appropriations-from which, however, he
derived no beneft-should be kept up, so
long as there is an empty sleeve in the
State, and especially to those who were de-
prived Of their eyesight by casualties of the
war, it is nothing but gratitude that we
should make this public recognition of their
services. On the question of the lawyer as
against the farmer, although lawyer by
profession, he was as much interested in
the farming interests of the country as the
farmers themselves. He was raised far
mer boy, and knew and respected the needs
of the farming interest of the State.
c. E. SPENCER, ESQ.,,
followed Major Hart. He alluded TO the
fact that this was the second occasion of his
attending political meeting at Clover.
His first visit there was in 1876, when he
had the pleasure of participating in one Of
the most glorious meetings of that cam
paign. He cOntrasted the growth and ac-
tivity of the town now, with what it then
was, as having kept steady pace with
the progress of the county since it has
been freed from Radical rule. He dis
cussed the question of his age, as an OBJ
lection urged against him by some of his
competitors, maintaining the same position
as has been previously reported Abiding
to the disabled soldier so touchingly spoken
of by Major Hart, he, too, re-echoed the SEN
timents of the Major, and said if elected, it
would be as much his pleasure as that of
any man, to try to secure for the blind SOL
diers of the State an annual allowance. He
claimed to be as much of a farmer as one of
his competitors who urged his Identified
tion with the farming interests as one reason
why he should be supported by the farmers.
If merely owning land, a horse and ploW
constituted farmer, he was as much
farmer as shisagricultural competitor. More:
he raised a small crop of Wheat-thrteen
bushels-this year, which cost him three
dollars bushel; but he did not propose to
adopt wheat raising as profession. This
is peculiarly an agricultural community,
and though there may be men in other pro-
fessions, the interests of all are identical.
We all depend upon agriculture, and there
fore the lawyer in the Legislature could not
afford to legislate against the farmer. He
was not pledged to any issue. He would
not say that he will or will not advocate
State appropriations to the Citadel Academy
and the South Carolina College. He was an
advocate of common schools, and was proud
that there are also institutions in the State
which give aid in higher education to wor-
thy struggling young men. The annual ap-
preparation for this last object is small as
compared with the $500, 900 derived by the
two-mill tax for the common schools. The
door is open for competitive examination,
and though the number of students from
each county is limited, all have an equal
chance to enter the Citadel.