The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-09-16
About That "New Deal.".

anu us lnQulrlnS sell Wnat were tnclr
reasons for demanding a ''new dcal' in
South Carolina next year. We said dis
tinctly that the NcWs and Courier had
no objection to q change. rs "the officers
whom the people want 'are the officers
whom VIZ want" We suggested, how
ever, that it would be interesting to
know whether the new deal, or change.
is desired for the sake Of change, OF be-
cnuse there is good reason for it. We re-
quested u contemporaries to point out
the rotten places in Democratic political
methods, and to designate the State and
county officers who had proved to be
incapable, unfaithful. or dishonest. Our
objective point was this: If South
Carolina is controlled by q political Ring,
the composition Of the Ring must be
known, and the Ring itself must be
known by its works. We are happy to
shy that there has been a free response
to the courteous inquiries Of the Ne,cs
and Courier, but we regret to be con-
strained to add that some OF u con-
temporaries fancy that VIC are making a
Joke Of the new deal business. This is
far from the fact. We approach it
always with most solemn seriousness,
and have no other purpose than to aid
i'll giving to the people the information
which is necessary to enable them to
form d just conclusion when the con-
yention shall assemble and the primary
elections be held.
1t is gratifying to see that there is no
suggestion in any Of the articles before
US that any Of the State officers has
been incapable, unfaithful or dishonest.
Several Of our contemporaries are very
emphatic on this point. The Spartan
burg Spartan, for instance, declares
that "there is no corruption or dishoncs-
ty on the part Of the State or county off,
GERS that make a change necessary"
The G%reenville Ne,os says: "Nobody
claims that the State is afflicted with a
corrupt or organized Ring" The Barn
we'll People thinks that the Democratic
party in the State is content with the
present status and will not engage in
Wholesale prescription" There are
also other Indications that there Is not a
general desire for what is commonly
termed "a clean sweep"
We regret to say that very little def
mite information is furnished concerning
the political Ring, which is supposed to
control the State. The Abbcville Ne
dunn considers that the State. House
has been made the "centre of capacity"
but fails'to indicate the mode in Which
1t has become such a centre Of power as
TO be able to. govern the whole Com
monwealth. The G%reenville News
says: "Ihere is no Ring. but there is
every element Of a Ring, and time and
suffering will develop one unless the
process Of petrifaction and evolution is
interrupted" The Columbia Registey
says: Talking Of a Ring, il there be
q Ring in the State it is the Executive
Committee of the State, and that Ring
ss on Dawson's little finger" This is
what may be termed a splendid effort,
on the part of the hungry ofice-sceker
who compounds statistics, Islander and
Stops for our Columbia contemporary.
The State Executive Committee is elect.
ed by the State Convention, upon the
domination Of the delegates from the
several Congressional districts, and its
composition is as follows:
list. James F. Izlar. Oranseburp :
Geo. D. Bryan, Charleston w. r..
Broker, Lexington.
End. Geo. w. Croft, Aiken. Al
Norris, EdgeteId; ", J. Cooling,
Hampton.
3rd: j.. f. Allen. Anderson ; George
S.Aower, Newberry; d. F. Bradley,
.Pickens.
4th. WIN. Munro. Union; r. p.
Todd L%aprens; Willie Jones, Rich
land.
9th. I. +. Clarke, Kershaw; G. f..
spencer, York; +. G. Mcclure, Chess
ter.
9Th. John w, Williamson, Darling
ton J.F, Rhamc, Clarendon JIM.
johnson, Marion.
7th. B. u. Lee. Sumter; Josiah
poar, Georgetown; S. II. Rodgers.
Beaufort. y
F. w. DAwaon. c~x-oaaeio, Charles
ton;
a majority Of the members were cleo
.sse "fresh from the people" in 1884, but,
'fssh or not, their na.pes tell every one
who knows their character that these
committeeman can DO sbossed" by no
man, n that they cannot be controlled
4by any other consideration than their
understanding Of tho wants and wishes
Of the party. The object Of the Column