The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-09-26
WHAT IT MEANS.
Mr.. ]. w. BarnwelI COnstrues the
Voters Oath and Obligation.
Naua and EOuriar

A Renorter for The News and Courier called
on Mr.. J.. w. Barnwell yesterday with re-
Quest for an Interview upon the suplect OF the
nronosed nomination of State tlcket Dy tne
Convention which Is 10 meet Un iues1as ,hs
citizens of Charleston In the present crisis.
Mr.. Barnwell said that he had already ex,
pressed himself as 10 his own position ana
fhat of other candidates who had participated
IN the late primaries, but he had not until
lately examined into the question as TO how
far the voters who took part In the primary
we're pound by their action.
THE rules of the party under whose dlrec-
tion these primaries were held contain this
requirement: .,,
election shall require every voter IN Demo, 9 o.
abide the result Of the primary and to sup
port the nominees of the partv."
/ do not see how any voter who took part IN
the primary under these rules can hola tnat
the result Of the primary by scratching the
names Of the delegates to the convention. ior
the words Of the pledge read that ne shali
abide 1.-THE result OF the primary wltnout !
fibs Marty" without qualification, and give no
option to the voter TO select one nOmiuee aiiu
reject another, or 10 abide by part OF the re-
suit of the primary and u resist any other
PIT r. n,nst he remembered that ten days before
the election every candidate for Office ID tne
STATE had in writing sIgnitied his candidacy,
and therefore, each voter knew, or coulo
have known exactly VINO tne nominees nS ~ we,e, onn,
port them, all that was necessary ior MIN u
do was not to take part In IT.
A party, is O. purely voluntary association
and by simply a6staining dtom obso,ves HIM.
self from any obligation TO support ils nonii
nees. Indeed there is an implied understand.
Ing in all party IN 'ne n ardsr io
claim Ihs support oil the voter. shall be
nroner candidates, and that the party plat.
form shall be IN accordance WIN tne paLty
principles but there Is no sueh edsa
EnoWs the party platform and knows who
the candidates are before he votes.
So far as the adoption of the Ocala platform
Is concerned that was as m9eh Pnp1 par VI 'ae ae
Il is Today, and If the voter ooJected 10 II ne
had onIv To refrain from voting and That ap'
solved him from the duty OF supporting tne
candidates nominated In the primary upon
As To those who took no part In the pri'
mary thew are entirely unbound and may 40
What they please. The days have gone oy
when any one is TO De trlgnbbeheu gbs air Hy so far
as the voter who took no part In the primary
Is concerned, is question OF Poilcy. o. MN
on the question OF policy u seems 10 me AZ;
that It would be fatal course on the part i OF
the onnonents of the present Administration
To make nominations for State ofhces now.
For four wears the Administration mas oeen
sustained in large degree by appeals 10 pas
sion and preudiiGe ey eyeap redseiion Of Taxa
tion Time Is needed TO allow the SOBER Juug
ment of the more conservative peopie vi tne
State TO have It's effect, and 1or the iolio~ers
Of The leaders who made these promises ano
who have reaped all Of the profits OF the
agitation to find out that they have been
deceived. ,- .ho,,t moo
we'll that the clubs which 1t was suggested
Iast winter should be formed In support OF the
National Democratic party were not lorineu,
and n seems TO me that 1t Is well tnat no con
test was made for State officers oy the oPposi.
ton during the late campaign. Ininh s,,a sxeas
Sence between the leaders Of the AdmlnlstTa'
lion party and loosening OF Ties among Inc
rank and file. This is acknowledged oy heni-
bers Of that party themselves: m ~
the nresent time would be lost, and the dan
ger would be the consolation OF the Auhin-
Istration ranks. OF course II IL ls oeslreu ny
those who are unpledged merely yds 10 nake hH ,bs
party in Bower, they have perfect right 10
Do s0. brit does the occasion demand sucn D
nrotest at the expense Of what mas Deen
gained by the passive policy up to the present
So far as my knowledge OF politics extends
n wonld be almost impossible to make sue
cessful contest in the short time between now
and election day even, II all OF InosS |,.
to the Administration were free and untram-
meIled, but bound as they are, and WIN the he
whole election machinery in the hanos OF tne
other side, success is impossible In my opihonI.
I shall not 60 into the question whose laull
Il was that q surrender of the immense pow
ers OF this election machinery into the hands
that now hold them was ever made, put the
problem OF how TO overcome party Wnlcn Is
In possession of them will never be solved
while the opposition Is In the conoiIlon ia
which it now is. In my opinion 1t can only
be effected by so great a change in the sentt-
ment OF the white people OF the state as 10 10
make the possessors Of the machinery AFRAID
to use it, or BY consolidated party which Is Is
self evident that no such party can be organ
lied and put In action IN six weeks and In the
present condition OF affairs. ,-
have reason to think that very large
number of the people OF Charleston take
similar views with my own, and although
this is the only county In the state where
there is practically no Administration party,
so few are It's members, yet an opposlslon
ticket could not now, in my opinion, expect
large support here.