Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-05-29
The Tlllman Pledge.

After all, are the Tillmcn men
bound to submit to the behcsts OF
the Democratic party like all other
Democrats? See: The arst plank
in their platform reads:
"lst. We recognize the imperative
necessity of Anglo-Saxon unity in
our State, and pledge ourselves to
abide IL the arbitramcnt of the
Democratic party, relying upon the
sense of justice and enlightened
self-interest of majority of our
white fellow citizens to secure all
needed reforms. We will make our
issue inside the party lines, and diff
fering as brethren who must make a
common cause against common
enemy, we will bow in submission
to the bchcst of the party fairly
expressed through its regular chan.
ncl."
Now, the qualification ":/uirly ca.
prcsSett' covers the whole pledge
beyond any shadow of n doubt
Who is to determine this matter as
to the fairness or unfairncss of tho
action of the party expressed through
its regular channel? If it's finaI
action is not conclusive as to the
fairness Of the same, where arc we
But it seems that this pledge OF
submission to the bchcst Of the
Democratic party goes no further
than that which is Il .ti,ir oppression,
of the will of the party, and those
making this pledge are entitled to
consult their own pregnant qualili-
cation rs to the fairness of the action,
not in the opinion of the Democratic
party rs a unit, but in their separate
and distinctive opinion, they having
so made and SO qualified their pledge
hot for others but for themselves
1t is but simple justice to the Till
man faction that in their promise to
abide by the bchcst Of the Demo
cratic Convention they should not
be held to 60 further than they have
gone.
1t cannot be denied, in all fairness,
that the Tillman Democrats have
put us OH fair notice as to what they
will esteem fair expression of the
will of the Democratic party in one
or more important particulars.
In the third plank of their plat
form they say:
eve demand the rc-apportion-
mcnt Of representation in the Dcmc-
cratic Convention upon the basis of
the census of 1890; otd MW II 90
into eject his gear. We demand
that the Delegates to the State nomi-
mating Convention shall be chosen
by primary election, OH the same day
that the other officers are nominated,
and that all the counties shall hold
their primaries on the same day, to
wit: the last Tuesday in August.'
II then the September Democratic
State Convention is not organized
on the basis Of the rc-apportionmcnt
demanded rs just and fair, or the
delegates to the convention are not
elected by primary and on the same
day in all the counties, to wit: the
last Tuesday in August, what then ?
Will it be accepted as fair express
sion OF the will OF the party? Mani
fcstly the 'rillman Convention de-
mandcd these things rs just and
lair, and their pledge does not ncccs-
sarily bind them outside of com
pliancc with these demands. IL is
true, there is no authorized way of
fulfilling these demands until the
September Convention meets. But
that convention, when met, will have
met on another basis than that de-
manlcd rs fair.
II is therefore plain 20 see that
these men have so framed their plat
form that they are bound or not, as
1T may please them to say when the
time comes.
If they can seize the convention
and have it all their own way, it will
be all right; if not, will it be the
fairly expressed will OF the party ?
To/'nmbia Register.
keh ne