The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-02-24
March Convention.

We ask attention to the call for March
Convention, which we publish elsewhere.
The opponents OF the dominant element have
a perfect right to call a Convention, and they
have perfect right to meet and consult and
adopt the best methods by which their pur-
poses and aims may I've accomplished.
Boiled nown, the document to which refer
ence is had may be considered as an arraign.
ment of Tillman. However just that arraign-
ment may be, yet we think something else
could have been said. This country, the
State, as well as the people, are now In great
financial straights. We need 10 have our
credit restored. We need public confidence
in our Londs, and we need the restoration Of
individual credit in the money markets. The
fact that Governor Tillman characterized
some OF his followers as "drftwood," is per-
sonal matter between him and his followers,
for whom he has such contempt. If they can
stand 1t, we needn't care. But every public
spirited citizen is interested in the refunding
Of our bonds, and the fact that they are 10 be-
come due at this time is the most unfortunate
event that has befalen US under this admin
istration.
The depreciation OF our State bonds In mar
ket value since Tillman's appearance on the
stage will amount to something like 100000.
They were at a premium, and now our six
per cents are at q discount. The credit OF the
State was so good two years ego that the pres
ent administration thought they could float
four per cents AT par. The result OF their In
competency and general warfare on capital,
is, that the six per cents are below par, and 1t
no a y,tca VI n
where Tillman and his associate will yet
drive the four per cents.
This country needs wise and conservative
government-0ne that will respect the rights
Of all classes. If the March Convention can
nominate, and the people will elect, man 10
the governorship who will restore our credit
and give peace 10 our excited and nervous cit
izenship, they W i'll have done indeed Il noble
work for South Carolina. We need rest. We
need the promised peace. We need to have
our credit restored. We need governor who
will regard the finances OF the State as Of
more importance than the qualification of his
own thab bby spite against broken judicial
officer who did his duty. We need govern
or who will he governor of the whole peo-
pie, but we do not need a dictator, who may
assume control OF the executive, the legisla-
tive and the judicial departments OF the gov
ernment for the purpose Of depressing corpo-
rations, or others.
One sI eat need is the election of members
of the General Assembly who may have at
least decent ability To discharge the high
and Important trust.
The day for amasspg at Colum bia on aggre-
cation OF incompetent and useless representa-
tives has passed.
The experiment OF sending 10 the capital
alleged representatives who have no higher
ambition than to become the subservent
tools OF any Governor has not been to our
credit. May we not hope then that our far
mcrs will hereafter look more to the ability
or competency OF the men whom they may
elect to the Legislature, than to their well
known unfitness for the place-and TO which
they were heretofore chosen because of their
especial unfitness for legislation.
The time for boasting that the ignorance
and the prejudice Of country may be mass
ed against light, reason, facts, and common
sense, is in a large measure out OF date.
The shameless pretense that the decent peo-
Pile of this Stale will vote for an officer
merely because his shortcomings and unbe-
coming official conduct has been exposed is
not TO the credit OF the people OF South Car.
olina.