The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-10-31
" ednesday, October 81, 1883.
The Printing OF Election Tickets.

Wednesday, October 81, 1888.
The Printing OF Election Tickets.
AS some of the brethren of the press have
had something to say on this subject, and as
we think the country press have been unjust
ly treated by the Democratic party In thi.
State, we will make q remark or two on the
subject Of levying assessments for campaign
purposes" and the printing Of election tickets.
We believe the Executive Committee have
consistently ignored the country press, except
on such occasions, when their services were
needed in doing free advertising or In the free
whooping-up of any particular idea which
they may have wished to impress upon the
public,
On the other hand, we feel quite sure that
q single newspaper has received nearly all OF
the profitable work of the party. II any
newspaper, save single exception, has made
q dollar by work for the party, let II speak
out.
We presume the Executive Committee care
very little whether or not we may think tnal
we are treated In fair way. With the relgns
tightly held over US, and with the constant
threat Of return to Radical rule. II we no not
believe like good children, they need not care
TO enquire either into SO small matter as the
judicious expenditure of the campaign fund.
or whether the country press have been just
" dealt with. The press Of South Carolina
we believe, without exception, have labored
earnestly and persistently to advance the In
terests Of Democracy, and we believe, as
rule, the newspapers have supported and sus-
tanned the Executive Committee in whatever
they have done. They did It generously and
freely, even though the County Democracy
and the State Executive Committee have reg
ularly csrted off all or nearly all of their
printing to the Neaos and Courier.
The country press have no right to COM
plain OF any citizen who may choose to send
his own job printing to city Office, where
he may pay double price, but when
4 public officer sends the peoples money of
70 q oity and pays more for official or party
work than 1t can be had for at home, he COM
mits an act which Is proper subject for re-
mark. AS q rule, campaign funds should be
spent among the people who contribute 1t, II
"a good service can be had at home and at as
cheap rates, but when 1t costs from so to 100
per cent. more to patronize member Of the
Executive Committee than 1t does to have the
same work done at home, then those who con-
tribute may complain. To say the least Of 1t,
It would seem impolitic for the Executive
Committee to choose one of their own num-
ber 10 do all Of the party printing at an exor-
bitant price. To show that the Executive
Committee undertook to force the different
counties to give one OF their own number all
OF the State printing at his own price, we
think 1t would be only necessary to show
their recent action toward Abbeville county.
Heretofore Abbeville county has paid, we
believe, rs cents Thousand for all of the tick
ets, but our County Chairman this year con-
cluded not TO give rs cents to the Charleston
firm, when they could be printed at home for
about half that price.
Just as the forms were ready to 60 to press
the County Chairman received the following
telegram:
COLUMBIA, Oct. 25
"To E. B. GARY: State Committee will fur
nish your county free Electoral, State, Con-
gressional and Solicitor tickets Write DaW-
"w1LIE JONES, Secretary"
Doesn't 1t look like job-or is it bossism
When our County Chairman refused to order
the Electoral, State, Congressional and Solici-
tor tickets, they propose to print them any
how and we presume viii, depend upon as
sessing the people or the officers 10 pay "Daw-
son" rs cents for tickets, which our County
Chairman had contracted for at home at
about half Of the price which was to be paid
TO the Executive Committee printer.
Another reason for the continuance Of boss
ism and the holding on to the printing by the
Executive Committee may be found in the
manner Of printing ballots for the Constitu-
tionsl amendments. Will anybody assert
that the ayes" and the mo- tickets have
been evenly divided? Will anybody assert
that an equal number Of Eyes" and "No"
tickets haye been sent to the different coun-
ties? II they have not, can anybody give
reason, outside Of bossism, for denying equal
advantages to both sides Of any question in
the Democratic party?
tual cost of printing the tickets at Abbeville,
and for which Abbeville county has generally
paid 345 to q member OF the Executive Com
mittee ever since Democratic reconstruction :
S1H quires paper 80
Setting type and making ready for press ! 90
Cutting aper....."."....... 50
Rubber .......................-......... 20
Press work, 5000 mpressons................ 3 90
Total......" w
The same number Of tickets, $1,000 at rs
cents, would cost $3.50, besides express
freight.
The same day on which the telegram in ref