Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1892-03-10
BY THOMPSON, SMITH 8 JAYNEs.

Is no danger OF RepuDllcan suprem-
acy in that State. Political changes
in this country are sometimes sudden,
often insidious, and frequently it is
the unexpected that happens, and !
now utter the warning-we are IN
great danger of the overthrow OF
white supremacy and the rehabilita-
ton of the Republican party, if not
in name, in form and substance, for
political party, Whatever ITS naHae,,
is controlled and its policies deter
m;aed by its constituency. Once
destroy the Democratic party in
South Carolina and you have ano-
ther dominated by the negro vote.
We know what that means.
Would it not be wise and patriotic
in this view of the situation to bury
past differences among ourselves,
and if need be agree to disagree so
that we may get together? 1t is
safe to assume in controversies such
as are now going on in South Caro-
lima that errors and mistakes have
been committed on all sides. If this
is admitted and I am sure no man
having knowledge of the frailties of
our nature and the fallibility of
human judgment will undertake to
deny it, the door will be open for
neutral concessions and forbearance.
During the last canvass Governor
Tillman and his friends assailed with
unusual vigor and pertinacity not
only the political methods and poll
cies Of his predecessors, but attacked
their personal characters and motives
as well, Charges were made which,
/ believe, were afterwards admitted
to be without foundation. All thought
ful, conservative people deprecated
these things at the time and foretold
evil consequences. The evil conse-
quences have come. The scenes
were shifted, and the precedent hav-
ing been established, now that the
present administration is on trial,
similar methods are being pursued
towards it.
The friends of the administration
certainly ought not to complain OF
this, and l do not know that they do.
call attention to 1t to state the stu
alton fairly and frankly, 50 that it
may be looked squarely in the face.
l cali attention to it to emphasize
the remark that the habit of indulg-
ing in personal vituperation, abuse
and misrepresentation is ga custom
better honored in the breath than in
the observance" and to express he
pope that in the future it will be
abandoned do not wish to be
understood as saying that all the
f.a.buse and vilifcation of the last can
vass was confined to Governor Till
man and his friends. His opponents
some of them-played very lively
part in the performance, but this does
not and cannot justify it. OF course,
If man is assailed personally, the
temptation to retorTt in kind is almost
irresistible. plead guilty to the
habit, at times, myself, but this does
not justify or make it right.
And the newspapers-why should
their editors and reporters be
denounced for publishing public facts
and expressing their opinions on
them? Newspapers are the vehicles
through and by which news is com.
municated to the public, which the
public wants. The editors and
reporters, men like the balance OF us,
express their opinions in their edito-
rials, and why should they not? 1t
does not make them public enemies.
What they say may be entitled to no
more weight than what other NOR
tails say, but they have Alright, nay
more, duty, to give. their opinions,
and they are accepted or rejected as
they are wise or otherwise.
Why should patriotic citizens of
the State, who do not approve of all
the methods and policies and acts OF
the present administration, be
denounced as 'Bourbons,'' S'aristo-
Gratis" ''ringsters,' etc? And why
should those who approve OF the
methods, policies and acts Of the
present administration be denounced
as "enemies to the State political
tricksters," ETC., etc? There is no
sense in all this. No good. but
untold harm must result from it.
1t would be uncandid in me to say
that the present administration is not
amenable to criticism. a good many
things have been done and left
undone which do not meet my appro-
val, but it is entitled to fair treat
ment. Newspapers publish severe
criticisms of the administration and
they have right TO publish them.
Other newspapers publish vigorous
vindications of the administration,
and they, too, have a right to pub
lish them; but abuse and vitupera-
ton never settled controversy, and
never will. Political issues in free
country are settled by facts and argu-
ments intelligently and fairly pre-