Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-04-03
A Dangerous Precedent.

Convention in Columbia, last Thursday,
8 has set q precedent fraught with great
danger, both to the cause of true reform
and to the Democratic party of South
Carolina. This would have been so on
principle, regardless of whoever might
have been nominated, but the nomination
is doubly unfortunate in that Mr. Tillman
tho weakest and most vulnerable man
who could have been found-is put at
5 tho head of the ticket. AS tho leader of
the reform wing of the party, he is
especially vulnerable because of tho use
less abuse he has been accustomed to
heap upon others, tho conditions of his
own political lifc, and the methods
adopted by him and his friends by which
his ''suggestion" for Governor has been
secured,
But why Is tho precedent dangerous on
principle ? Simply because it Is violent
departure from all we'll recognized and
established Democratic methods, and
gives head and front to an organization
which is thereby made political party
within the Democratic party. And the
organization is made perfect, complete
and independent, by tho appointment of
campaign committee in every county
of tho State for the avowcd purpose of
electing Mr.. Tillman, Governor.
On the othcr hand, the Democratic
party has it's regularly constituted ma
chinery for determining tho choice of
the Democratic sta da rd bearers. Hero,
then, it is plain ti.I yherc arc two o,gani-
zations for tho sclf-samo political pur-
poses, one being a distinct pGrtv within
tho other; and however much the ono
may pledge itself ''to abide by tho arbi-
tramcnt of tho Democratic party" vet,
the inevitable tendency of tho existence
of such an inside organization is the
disruption of the Democratic party. 1t
Is analogous to the formation of church
within q chm,ch, which in the course of
time becomes a separate ecclesiastical
organization 1t is well for all Demo
Gratis ever to remember that "untcd we
stand, divided we fall"
But again: the nomination of Mr.. Till
man is fraught with great danger to the
cause Of true reform in our State gov
ernment. In the first place, it, must be
admitted that all needed, reform and
economy in our governmental affairs
can be effected by the people acting
through tho agency of the Democratic
party, which stands pledged to give us n
government of the people, for the people
and by the people. And this is acknowl-
edged by tho Convention whcnit pledged
itself "to abide by tho arbitramcnt of
the Democratic party"
But it is known that n large and intlu-
ential portion Of the party is opposed to
the substantial reforms demanded in tho
platform of the Farmers Convention,
lnl for which there have been found
,u.ny earnest and conservative advocates
among the leaders of the Democracy in
various portions of the State. The mis-
take made by the Convention is the nam
ing of Mr.. Tillman as the champion of
these reforms, thereby putting power
full lever into the hands of the opposi-
ton, which will be used only too effect
ivcly to stay the speedy accomplishment
of tho much needed reforms. 1t will
doubtless be attempted to overthrow the
cause of reform, together with the over
throw of Mr.. Tillman as candidate for
Governor. Hence, the delicate task is
imposed upon all conservative advocates
of true reform to disscvcr, and forever
to hold separate and distinct, the re-
forms themselves and Mr.. Tillman's
candidacy. Care should be taken that
tho reforms arc not permitted to become
cntanglcd with Mr. Tillman, so that his
defeat would be their defeat temporarily,
for they are of much more consequence
than any mans political fortune. The
fight must be for measures and not for
men, and that fight should be made
fairly and squarcly within the Demo
cratic fold.
We believe that the farmers can and
will right all wrongs within the ranks of
tho Democracy, and that the thinking,
conservative and patriotic Democrats of
the State will put the seal Of their ctcr-
nal condemnation on tho methods MI
Tillman has adopted to get himself
"suggcstcd' for Governor. His actions
show that he forced himself on the Con-
vention, although he was virtually beaten
at his own game with all the cards in his
hand
Again: Mr. Tillman asserts that five
years ago, at Bcnncttsvillc, he inaug,l-
rated the fight for these reforms singly
and alone. But by no means is this true.
The rank and file of Democracy in upper
South Carolina and other parts has been
laboring for reform and economy in our
government ever since the redemption of
the State from Radical rule in '7G. Be-
side, some of the matters specified in
tins platform Mr.. Tillman never men
toned five years ago and other allega-
tions and severe accusations were made
by him not found herein.
The fight for reform and economy was
waged in these columns and those of
many OF our contemporaries long before
Mr.. Tillman ever s,ylcd himself tho
"MOses' who was to give us deiivcrancc
from the land Of political bondage. We
are still earnest advocates of true and
conservative reform, and can say that we
agree in the main with the platform
adopted by this Convention. There are
one or two planks, however, which we
think should he modified, and of these
we shall speak hereafter