The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-05-24

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Prince, Chesterfield; Leroy Springs,
Lancaster. Alternates-B. D. Springs,
Lancaster !; j. d. Means, Fairfield.
Sixth district Delegates, B. w. Ed.
wards, Darlington 81. J.. Buck, Horny.
Alternates E. Bristow, Marlboro j.
j. Jarnighan, Marion.
Seventh district Delegates, William
Elliott, Beaufort; Altamont S. Moses,
Sumter. Alternates-J Josiah Doar, George.
town, James P. Adams, Richland.
The above named delegates were
elected by acclamation.
Ata3 O'Clock the Convention took q
recess until 5 o'clock, at which time Mr..
Buist, from the Committee on Resolutions,
made verbal reports on the several reso-
lutions submitted to them. The commit
tee reported adversely on the resolution
of Mr.. Gray in favor of Estate primary;
also reported .unfayorably on the 1esolu-
ton BY Mr.. Graydon, of Abbeville, and
recommended that the resolution do not
pass.
Mr.. Gray, of Lanrens, moved that the
unfayorable report Of the committee be
rejected, and that the original resolution
providing for the primary plan be adopt
ed.
Upon this question Mr.. Gray opened
the debate:
The reasons for offering the resolution,
he said, had been discussed By the news:
papers from the mountains to the sea:
board, and Rere generally known to the
people of all the counties. The people
represented by himself and colleagues
had asked them to make this request of
this Convention and they would be
recreant TO their trusts if they remained
silent, whatever their personal views
might be. There had been cry and q
howl from the people all over the State
against the injustice which had frequent
.ly been done by the work of the conVen..
ton system. and his people, at least,
were under the impression, whether
Justly or not time would prove, that the
accusation is not without foundation.
They ask now not that they shall place
candidates from their own selection in
nomination, bnt that in order that they
may vote intelligently candidates be
brought before them facs to face in 8
personal canvass in a primary campaign,
that they may ascertain their views and
have explained to them the issues in
which they are interested. Thus many
men and measures might receive their
earnest support which they would not be
satisfied to support when stuffed down
their throats by convention. 1t vas
this unwillingness of the people to give
their support to measures with which they
were not acquainted thoroughly which
gave to the newspapers of the State the
Opportunity of branding them with advo-.
eating third party in South Carolina.
Thus it ,was that many men had been
compelled through fear of being misun-
derstood on the question of prohibition,
for instance, to retract their honest
sentiments. Some Of the best men in
Laurens and Richland counties, within
the past few days, because they had
expressed their honest opinion on liv.
ing question, had been denounced by the
newspapers with being sympathizers with
and instigators of third party moves
.ment in South Carolina. He could say
for those gentlemen that no such idea
had ever entered their minds, and that,
live or die, the Democratic party of Lau.
rens County would ever preserve and
protect the interests Of the Democratic
party of South Carolina. All they asked
was that the candidates for Office,
whether from Charleston, or Beaufort, OF
anywhere else, should come before them
and explain their views, and that they be
given the right to make their selections
through the medium of the primary
balIot-box. This would relieve them
from the conviction that they have been
cheated and deceived through the combi.
nations and schemes of convention,
where men are put forward by means Of
trading and combinations-you vote for
my man and / will vote for yours under
which system even before the convention
meets the chairmen in the several coun-
ties are communicated with and told that
if they will pull for this man somebody
else will pull for them. We trust, MIR.
Chairman, that this unfavorable report of
the committee will be laid aside, and
that this Convention will give us pri-
mary campaign. We will support the
best men, no matter where they come
from, All we ask is that they shall be
true and tried Democrats, and shall be
best fitted for the places they aeek.
Mr.. O'Brien, of Colleton, briefly advo.
Gated the adoption of the unfayorable
report of the committee and the rejection
of the primary plan.
MI. B. r. Tillman at this point
obtained the floor and was received with
some applause by his friends: Mr.. Till
man said: IT shall not tresspass upon
your patience, gentlemen, but very few
moments. This question of primary
election, in my opinion, is the most
important one surrounding the Democ'
racY of South Carolina to-day. We in
this State occupy an abnormal position.
We are in possession of this Government
because We are unit. We are standing
over a volcano, gentlemen, that may any
moment sweep everything before it. !
stand here representing the people OF
South Carolina, who cry out for reform.
You say We don't need any reform. That
is the eternal cry of the demsgogue
politician. If l had time I would show
why we should have different system OF
nominations in the State. We in South
Carolina, in other words the Democracy
of South Carolina, have differences as to
politics, and those politics must have
exponents. This demand for primary
election is a demand from the people to
the politicians to give them their rights.
This Convention represents South Caro-.
lima. I suppose that it may be said that
this is body Of representative Caroli1i-
ans, and yet these men are elected Dy
clubs of ten or q, dozen men who in nine
cases out of ten elect themselves to the
Convention. What We need is practical
discussion before the people by the can
didates. Public discussion is the
great educator of the masses. Our
people for twenty years have been