The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-31
THE ">JGGE>TION" DECLINES TO
SUGGEST.
III" Ctmr;.~ Met but Did Not Put Out a
Ticket What Was Done

Ticket hat Was Done.
In HE report published in The
Herald and News of the County Con-
vcntiOu held OF the llth inst, it will
ne remembered that we gave some in.
formation Of a caucus held that day by
tie Tillman men, in which it was de-
tcrInined to hOli what might be called
:, preliminary primary election in the
various Iilln!an clubs in the county on
III" 23id inst, II get the sense of the
clubs aS 70 the choice Of q Senator and
three Representatives. and that con-
vruti"i would he held at Nrwberry on
the 18th inst, composed OF one delegate
t"r every ten votes cast, to tabulate the
Vtcand announce the result. The idea
W::S III this way to select Il candidate
fior the Senate and three for the House,
who should be given the support of the
TiilHuan men in the county.
The thing, however, seems not to
have worked well. The elections were
held, but the voters did not turn out
well. For instance, the Factory club
in NrWherry, had out only about %
members out of 1l6 The Warehouse
Club at Prosperity only had about 40
votes cast. At st. Luke's there were
only about IS votes cast. In No. none
OF the clubs voted, and it was the same
in No. ).
Any way the Convention was held
here last Friday to tabulate the vote
and declare the result.
The caucus was held in the law office
Of Blease e Blease.
The Herald and News man made in
Guiry OF several delegates rs to whether
newspaper men would he admitted,
and being assured by Il delegate that
the meeting was to be open, he went
up stairs to the office in question where
the delegates were assembled, but being
by nature a modest man, he insisted
on the delegate bv whose invitation he
had gone thus far. to make further in
Qui:y rs to whether he would be a vel
come visitor. While this delegate had
gone inside to get the desired infOrma-
ton, the newspaper man received a
very significant hint that he was not
expected, by delegate who was inside
closing the door nearest to where The
Herald and News man stood. The man
who sought the information returned
directly and informed the scribe, how
ever, that none but delegates were to
be admitted. That ended it, and the
scribe beat hasty retreat. 1t might
be stated, however, that another news
paper man, who was not a delegate,
WAS invited in, and remained during
the session. But circumstances alter
cases." you know, and we do not COM
plain. We did not climb tree or put
a telephone on the key hole to get in
formation, hut it is very difficult to
keep meeting Of that kind entirely
secret.
Mr.. John 3. Fellers, Of the Ware
house Club, acted as president of the
caucus, while Mr.. Harry H. Blease, of
the Factory Club, acted as secretary.
There We're some sixty or seventy
five delegates present and they did not
all agree.
The total number of votes cast when
they were first counted showed only
$50, but one or two other small boxes
came in afterwards. That we presume
will not be taken as the strength Of the
Tiilman men in the county.
Upon motion being made by some
delegate it was determined not to tab
ulate the vote, but it was read so that
each delegate could hear how many
votes each candidate received at the
different polling places. Some of the
delegates thought this action was not
proper, and as they had come together
to tabulate the vote, that it should be
done, and upon motion this action was
reconsidered and the vote was tabulated
after considerable discussion.
1t showed that some eight or ten per-
SONS had been voted for for members of
the House Of Representatives, and
some four or five for Senator. The
highest number Of votes any candidate
received for the House was 449; the
next man got 4l22;; the third man got
233; and the others were somewhat
scattering.
Whether the result of the ballot was
not altogether satisfactory to the dele
gates or not, or whether from some
other cause, we are not informed; but
at any rate, the delegates declined to
suggest a ticket, and concluded to leave
the matter free for every man to vote
as he pleaseS for a Senator and mem
bers of the House of Representatives.
If we would be permitted, we would
like to say by way Of parenthesis that
this was a very sensible conclusion, for
any free white man would be very
foolish to allow himself to be bound to
vote for any man that 4 caucus might
c.n1nnt N ,nr II OF \ ~,
or not. The very object of our Demo-
cratic primaries is to give every man
the privilege 10 exercise his right to
vote as he pleases. But this is off the
subject.
Some delegate made motion, and it
was carried too, that the caucus pro-
ceed to nominate ticket for Senator
and three Representatives itself, re-
gardless of the vote cast by the clubs.
Some other delegate suggested that
this had better be reconsidered as it
was assuming too much power and 60
ing beyond the powers given the dele
gates for the caucus to nominate or
suggest ticket regardless of the pri-
mary Vote by the clubs, and it was re-
considered.
Several speeches were made, and at
times the caucus was not altogether
harmonious and of one mind, but we
have not space for an abstract of the
speeches.
BY the time the caucus adjourned
everybody was satisfied, and every
body left in apparently good humor.
Some Of the candidates who did not get
as many votes as they expected,
possibly are not pleased with the re-
suits, but as the caucus declined to
suggest q ticket fighting chance is
left and every man can make his fight
before the people, and will not he con-
sidercd the caucus candidate. Several
persons received votes who are not vet
announced as candidates. They should
not longer delay but come forward and
let their friends have chance to give
them office.
But the trouble seems to he that there
are going to he more candidates on the
Tilman platform than there are offices.
How this is to be remedied we are not
prepared to say. We have no remedy
to suggest.
There was some talk Of holding an
other caucus but we hardly think it