The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-01-29
AN ANSWER WHICH DOES NOT An
SWER.

Mr.. Clinkscales, who has persistently
refused to recognize the right OF the IN
TELLIGENCER TO ask for his record on the
prohibition question, when he knows that
the Editor of this paper was one of the
petitioners and also one Of his constitu.
ents, is suddenly awakened by commu.
nication In this paper, and recognizes the
right Of an unknown correspondent to
call for that record. This is healthful
sign. He was willing to hide that record
from the people, if possible, but after the
cards of Messrs. Watson and Scudday
giving their position left no doubt as to
the position of the other members, he
makes pretext for publishing u dodging
article out Of "Prep's" communication.
1t is, however, better late than never. so
let us see what his article contains. He
begins with plea for the independence
Of Representative action, which would
meet q response from our people if the
facts would permit; but in this matter
he has not taken any side, according to
his own statement, but has left, ms far as
he could, an important County matter to
be determined by outsiders. He is mis-.
taken in saying that the petitioners, or
any one of them, has sought TO dictate to
any person. They have only asked that
their Representatives. leave the determi-
nation of q matter of local interest to the
decision Of majority Of tho voters in
that locality. The petitioners have not
asked to rule, but have asked that tho
majority be allowed to rule. This request
Is the one which Mr.. Clinkscales, and
those who act with him, refuse to grant.
They want to rule 1t their way, whether
the people wish it so or not. They are
the men who are acting In an anti demo.
cratic manner, by trying to prevent the
Wishes of the majority from having an
opportunity to be expressed.
Then Mr. Clinkscales expresses the
opinion that prohibition is out of the
question. This 10 where tho trouble
comes in. He undertakes to decide this
matter his way. The people want to
have 1t their way, and as it is their gov
ernment and not -, government of Mr..
Clinkscales and the other Representa-.
tives, it is reasonable and proper that the
people should determine tho question for
themselves. What Mr.. Clinkscacs
means when he says "the idea that Rep.
resentatives can do anything, and con.
cern themselves about everything, is one
that the public mind should disabuso
itself of at the earliest possible moment"
we cannot understand. We think some
Representatives can do some things, and
we are confident they are sent to the
Legislature with the express agreement
that they are to concern themselves
about everything before the Legislature.
If Mr.. Clinkscales has found out that he
can do nothing in the Legislature, and
therefore has ceased to concern himself
about everything that pertains to the
business he was sent there to transact
he deserves credit for his candor in nd.
mitting It; but we would suggest to him
that he cannot get out of his dilemma
or this local question by such confes.
sion, for If o Representative has more
than he can do, it is his duty to his con-
stituents to attend to their immediate
wants, and neglect something else.
It is true, as Mr.. ClinkRca!cs states,
that the petitions were sent to Columbia
late, and the bill was introduced on the
10Th Of December. This Is, however, no
excuse for Indifference towards it by our
Representatives. 1t only required the
greater diligence on their part to press it
forward. With united delegation in
the House and Senate, there ought to
have been no difficulty in passing the
bill even at that late date, but whether
the bill passed or not the members ought
TO have voted sar or against It as their
consciences dictated. They should not
have tried to dodge on it. It is strange
that Mr.. Clinkscales did not have an
opportunity to examine the bill between
tho 10Th and 18th of December. 1t is
arrange .hat the delegation waited three
daye about reporting the bill. Why did
they delay 80 long9
We understand that the delegation
never organized, and to this day has no
chairman. Whose fault il It that import.
ant business is delaped by the failure to
organize az delegation In thia matter,
however, the delegation did act, and
therefore each man 10 responsible for his
action. Mr.. Clinkscales says he did not
have an opportunity to examine the bill,
and had not made up his mind on it.
he eat next to Mr.. scudday and should
havo taken time, Five or ten minutes
would have been sufficient for man of
ordinary understanding to have studied
the bill thoroughly. 1t was the simple
question 90 to whether the people were
TO be permitted to determine this matter
for themselves, and ten minutes was
enough TO make up ones mind upon the
matter. Mr.. Clinkscales, however,
seems not yet to have made up his mind,
or 10 unwilling 10 let the people know
what his determination is. We hope he
will tell US explicitly whether he is 10
favor Of the bill or opposed to 1t. The
people cannot be trifed with by dodging.
Col. EA. K..McCl the able editor Of
the Philadelphia Times, who has been
travelling through the South for a short