Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-04-24
Ths Coming Campaign.
INTERVIEW WIN CisAIKMAN hofr,
OF TIE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
From tho GYoenvillo Nows.l

SihCC Vio o'JoVhhhSho Va Wv
March Convention there has been
much speculation as to what course
would be pursued by the State Demo
cratic Executive Committee in view
of the action of that convention.
Numbers Of suggestions have been
made as to what the committee
ought to do in the present unusual
condition Of affairs in State politics,
but SO far there has been no intima-
ton of the views of any prominent
member of the body. With view
to securing an authoritive expression
Of opinion on those questions arising
out Of the action of the March Con-
rention which come within the pro-
vince of the Executive Committee,
a reporter for the Daily Nc,cs inter
viewed Colonel James a. Hoyt,
Chairman Of the Committee, and
the questions asked and the answers
given by Colonel Iloyt are given be-
low:
"Undcr the third section of the
platform adopted by the March Con-
vention there are certain demands,
but it is not clearly indicated rs to
whom these demands are to apply.
Has your Executive Committee re-
ccivcd any communication in regard
to them?
"No, it has not" Colonel lIoyt am
swcrcd. ga few days after the
adjournment Of the March Convcn-
ton | received respectful and
courteous communication from Cap
tain G. w. Shell, Chairman of the
Campaign Committee, requesting
that the Democratic State Convcn-
tion should not be convened until
late in August; to which | replied
that his letter would be placed be-
fore the Executive Committee at its
first meeting, and at the same time
reminded him that the State Con-
vcntion was generally called about
the middle or last of August for the
purpose of nominating candidates
for Governor, observation-disclosures,
&c, but that the last Convention
was held on the 9th of September.
W have been surprised ut the
demands to which you refer, how
ever, and am curious to know upon
whom they will be made. The
avowcd author of tho platform is
Captain Tillman, and it is IL singular
fact that these demands of its third
section arc utterly impracticablc and
unattainablc. The first clause reads
as follows: we demand the reap.
portionment of representation in tho
Democratic Convention upon thl
basis of the census of 1882 ar,n tha
itgo into effect !,c! this year year No othc
author'.',yj l lo.,j than the State Exccutiv
I Ttommttcc can issue call for tn
Democratic Convention, and it mus
be guided solely by the Constitution
of the party, which directs as fol
lows: 'Thc State Convention shaI
be composed of delegates from cac
county, in the numerical proportio
to which that county is entitled il
both branches of the General Assem-
bly, The committee has no discrc
ton whatever as to the basis OF rep
rescntation, and it is surprising tha
a gentleman aspiring to the hig|
office of Governor should dclibcr
atcly make such a demand, which
slight investigation shows can not b
complied with. am in full syn,
pathy with the idea of rc-apportiou
ment when it can be done lawful,
but the Legislature refused to chang
the basis and we arc bound to obscrv
the law as it is laid down in the Con
stitution of the party. Any othc
course is dcmoralizing and suicidal
"Thc other demand of the thir,
section is as follows: we dcman,
that the delegates to the State Nomi
mating Convention shall be chose
by primary election on the same da
that the other officers are nominated
and that all the counties shall hol
these primaries on the same day, t
wit, the last Tuesday in August O
each election year 1t is not clca
whether the author of the platform
meant that this portion shall go int
effect at once, but ] presume it WA
so intended. This demand is equal
unfortunate with the preceding clause
There is no power to regulate tn
election of delegates to the Stat
Convention and dictate the mode o
their selection. Certainly the Stat
Executive Committee has no author
ity in the premises, and it has ncvc
attempted to exercise any control O
this matter. Each county is cntircl
free to provide its own mode Q
choosing delegates to the State Con
ycntion, and this has been the cas-
all the while. No power can pre-
vent any county from clccting it
delegates by primary, and it
equally true that no power can com
pei any county to adopt the primar
} for this purpose. The proposi,io
to hold primary elections for dele
gates on tho same day in all tn
counties is altogether out of tn
, question, unless the counties agrc
thereto. 1t would take considcrahl
, | .. a., 4,