The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-08-14
True Democracy VS.. Bossism.

Me. EDITOR: Recent events Of a politi-
cal nature, in this County, are somewhat
surprising. The primary purposes. of
the Tillman Movement, as enunciated by
, Mr.. Tillman himself, was to effect self gov-
crnment by the people, through the medium
of the primary system of nominating
public officers 'from Governor" down. The
Convention system, as seen and denounced
by Mr.. Tillman, was the method Of the
'aristocracy," and it was against this al
legged wrong done to the masses he
proposed to train his guns of REFORM"
and keep them there until he had succeed
hideous form. Such purpose would
have been commendabe if the facts had
sustained the position. Indeed, it was on
ly by such promises from him and his sa.
tellites that he succeeded in working up
such feeling in the country, and thus in
duced SO many good men to follow in his
wake.
But what do we see these very men now
doing? The men who stand, or pretend
to stand, upon the platform announced by
the March Convention. What say, is
now their position. The County Conven-
ton, of August 4th, among other things,
mary system for the nomination of State
officers. Do they not, by that act, put
themselves without the pale of the princi-
pies laid down by the platform, which was
written by Mr.. Tillmans ''left hand ?''
Consistency, thou art jewel?" But
what reason can now be urged against the
primary system !? We have been fighting
for the principles therein involved for a
number of years. Has the principle
changed2 Has what we proclaimed the
true principles of Democracy two or four
nsS, 41xo 4, of$L,N
political affairsf lit was right then, if it
will be right two years from now, as
'suggested" by Mr.. w. A. Neal, why is it
not right to-day? We can see how, as
matter of crpediency, the friends of Mr..
Tillman should refuse to carry the ques.
tion to the people this year, but on prin-
ciple we fail to see any consistency in
their theories and their action. The sim
pie question is is it better to repudiate the
principles for which we have SO long con.
tended, or, in order to elect Tillman and
set of "ringsters" to Office, to resort to the
very means he and his creatures have been
denouncing? In other words, is the
m an, of more importance to South Caro-
lima than the principles of the Democra-
cy? Would it not have been better to
have stood by the demands of the party,
than to have gone back on what we believe
to be the first principles of Democratic
government? Was it not incum bent upon
the members of the Farmers Association,
above all others, to have stood by the de-
mands Of the "Shell Manifesto so for as
the primary was concerned?" Princi-
Piles do not change, and only wishy-washy
men change with the expediency OF the
hour.
But more than this. We have heard
great deal OF ring rule, and this has been
the slogan of the demagogue for these
years. 1t seems to an outsider that We are
of rule more than at any time in our po-
itical history. When in the history of
our party has convention Of the Demo-
cratic party passed resolution endorsing
any one candidate for Office as was done
by our last Convention? Is that Demoo-
racy? Is it not direct effort on the part
of an organization, the members of which
all claim to be Democrats, to defeat one of
two candidates, both Of whom are &C.
knowledged to be equally true Democrats,
whatever may be the difference in their
mental abilities2 Is it not an effort to
forestall public sentiment, and thus throt.
ties the popular voice2 Such, it seems to
me, will be the opinion of every man who
considers this act with an unprejudiced
| mind.
And, Mr.. Editor, would ask when in
the history Of our party has the Demo.
cratic Convention, or any part OF it, ap.
pointed committee of one member from
each Club to 'caucus" and decide who
this organization would support for the
Legislature ? What right has any set of
men to say that the Convention will cup
port Mr.. Earle, Mr.. Bowden, Mr.. Breazeale
and Mr.. Cox to the exclusion of Mr.
Ashley, MIR. Pearman Col. Robinson, Mr..
Leverett Mr.. FAINT, or any one else who
may desire to run Is this Democracy
Is this the voice of the people? Is it not
rather "ring rule'' Of more vicious type
than any ever charged to the much-ma-
| ligned "aristocracy." Perhaps it is
thought the parties chosen by this select
committee are men in whose veins only
the purest of pure Democratic blood cour-
ses. That this blood pas0es through hearts
that never cherished the Greenback prin-
ciples as taught by W. ". Russell, to be
purified by lungs that never breathed forth
the stencil of Greenback doctrines. Is not
received the highest vote in this committee
once the Secretary of a Greenback Cl9b,
which was presided oyer by the present
postmaster at Anderson, G, f., who recent.
fy boasted at Washington that "We will
elect Tillman Governor" Who consti-
tutes that "We?" 1t would be interesting
just now to know. Perhaps some of his
relatives "who are hand and gloves with
| him." and also "assun,e" to lead the DEM
ocratio party in this County constitute
that "We." Let US have light on this sub
ject. Let us know for whom we are to
vote and after whom we are now following.
This is all we ask.