The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-06-26
Mr.. Tiilman's Charge Against the So Called
Aristocracy.

To the Editor OF The Herald and News:
Mr.. Tillman urges with peculiar energy
the charge that the people OF the State
have not hitherto had the government OF
the State. but that that government has
been in the hands OF an aristocracy. He
has not, so far as I have heard him or
read the reports of his speeches, under
taken to define the term as applicable to
our affairs, but has contented himself with
saying in general words, that it is gov
ernment of the many by the few, and
with referring to two or three matters
which, he insists, show the application
here.
In his speech at Newberry, on the 18th
instant, he dwelt earnestly upon the old
Parish System, as it is generally called,
by which certain subdivisions Of coun-
ties (or districts as they were then called)
in the low-country, were allowed such a
representation as gave each one OF those
districts a greater namber of senators
than was allowed up-country districts.
And he instanced the District of Charles
ton as having ten Senators, and Beaufort
District four senators. while Newberry
and Edgefeld, and all the upper districts
had each but one senator. That was quite
true until soon after the close of the war
But ever since 1868 there has been al
lowed but one senator to each county OF
the State except Charleston County,
which has two senators.
I do not assert that Mr.. Tillman in
tended his audience to believe that
Charleston has had more than two sena-
tors, or Beaufort more than one senator,
within the last twenty years, but he
should, in fairness, have gone on to say
that that old system had been abolished
more than twenty years ago. and should
have stated, as have just done, what is
the representation in the Senate now.
Now whether Charleston ought to retain
two senators is point about which much
may be said. do not think it is any great
matter: but I, for one, freely admit that
| think that county ought to be brought
down to one senator, like the rest of the
counties. And think 60 beyond Mr..
Tillman in this; for I have not under
stood that he wishes to cut down Charles
ton to one senator.
But he goes on to discourse about sc
many officers being elected by the Legis-
lature, or nominated by conventions. The
only officers elected by the Legislature,
or that have been elected by the Legisla-
ture for the last twenty years, outside CT
its own officers, are the Judges of the
State, United States Senators, Trustees
Of the University, six OF the thirteen
Trustees of Clemson College, two mem
bers of the Board of Agriculture, the
Penitentiary Board of Directors, and per-
haps some officers whose duties are con-
fined to the coast-country. Of all these
officers there are but two sets. whose hon
ors or salaries (some Of them get no pay
at alb would at all warrant a candidacy
before the whole people Of the State;
which two are the Judges and the United
States Senators. Now, does Mr.. Tillman
wish these two kinds of officers to be
elected directly by the people? If he
does, why does he not say SO? And if
their election in this manner is important,
why did he not put the matter into the
platform which he wrote and carried in
his pocket to Columbia in March?
But this is not what Mr.. Tillman de-
mands: and it is very doubtful whether
he desires the people to have any sub
stantiai enlargement OF their powers or
franchises. In his platform in March he
demanded primary election of delegates
to the State Nominating Convention. In
his earlier campaign speeches he made
this demand, but now it is univer-
sally understood that he seeks to be
made Governor by convention not
itself elected by the people, but
elected by delegates from clubs. His
platform demands the nomination Of
Railroad Commissioners by convention
elected by primaries but as he has
dropped all demand for that sort of con-
vention, this pretense of love for the peo-
ple's rights falls to the ground. His plat
form demands primary elections for all
others than State officers. Wig not for
State officers too? One would imagine
that this man who rants and raves be-
cause, as he says, the people are not al
lowed to elect their officers, would consent
for the people to hold primaries for the
nomination of State officers. Mr.. Till
man is, therefore, no democrat, accord
ing to his own definition, for he says
democracy implies the government of the
peOU1e Ds tue pGGple, duu Tue u1l1uS VI
all offices by the vote of the people. lNr.
TiLiman is not acitling to trust the people
acih the filing Of all the Offices. He is
therefore, by his definition, in favor of
aristocratic government, at least to GER
tain extent.
But it suits that gentleman to preach
generalities; and he has found that it in
flames the people to tell them that they
have not had their proper share in the
government: he therefore deals out an
cient history literally, and rants about
the rights of the people, without telling
them wherein he proposes to improve
their condition. He especially dwells
upon the charge that the people Of the
low-country have for a great length Of
time appropriated public offices, to the
exclusion Of up-countrymen. Now he is
either very ignorant of the history of his
own State, or very Indifferent about the
truth. He ought to know that for more
than fifty years-if not longer y up
countrymen have held more State and
Federal offices than low-countrymen
have. During that period but three low
countrymen have been in the United
States Senate, unless he calls Darlington
low. country, and then there would be but
four of them. Calhoun, McDutfie, Pres
ton, Judge Butler, Chestnut, Hammond,