The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-05-02
Politics w. Law.

The claim that is made by the Till
NANTES that when Judge Gary goes on
the Supreme bench to succeed Judge
MCGOWAN the Supreme Court will then
be favorable to Governor Tillman, and
that the recent Dispensary decision
will be reversed, is either very dis
creditable to the Court as it is now
organized. or as it then will be.
It implies that the present decision
was made by the highest Court in
Carolina, not from the standpoint of
law, but merely as matter of par
tisan politics, governed by the fact
that two out Of the three judges of the
Court are anti -Tillman men. Either
this is implied, or else that the Court,
as it will be organized on the promo
tion of Justice Gary, will pay no
attention to the law, but will be gov
erned in it's decision by the fact that
the majority Of the Court will then be
for Tillman. That this is really the
opinion entertained by many Caro-.
linians is pathetic fact, indicative of
the unhealthy condition of things in
the State. Saturday the writer talk
ed with representative of one of the
most prominent families in Carolina,
and he advanced the idea that as the
decision just made was under the old
Dispensary law, the system could be
continued under the new law, and that
any case which could be made would
have to come before the Supreme
Court with Judge Gary on the bench,
and he and Judge Pope would uphold
the. constitutionality Of the law.
When we mildly suggested that a
Judge on the bench would have to be
governed by the law and the facts,
al and not by his political affiliations,
the Carolinian looked at us with a
look Of ineffable pity, and in that
picturesque diction so common to the
State, exclaimed:
"Great Cd You don't suppose
that Dispensary decision was made
from the standpoint Of law, do you!
Why, h-ll, man, we've got no law in
Carolina nothing but politics. If
the case to be decided has any politi-
cal bearing, the decision will be ac-
cording to the complexion Of the
Court. If the judges are for Tillman
the case will go that way, and If they
are against him, it will go the other
way. If the Dispensary law comes up
before the Supreme Court again, with
Gary on the bench, the decision Will !
be Just the reverse, as sure as h-ll."
Now, we dom t believe this; and We
don't believe the speaker really be-
lieves it. He was Influenced by his
prejudices in speaking that way. But
It is illustrative of the unfortunate
state of mind which the people across
the river are in, when man can bring
himself to contemplate the highest
Court in the State as acting upon such
a low plane. It is time for change.
The conservative men Of both sides
should come together and agree upon
some man who will be acceptable to
both sides as Governor, and who can.
be elected without any terrible Wran-
gle. Another bitter partisan cam,
paign in Carolina just at this time will
be very unfortunate. A compromise
candidate, and quiet peaceful ad-
ministration for few years, the aim
of which shall be to bring harmony,
and to close up the rupture in the
State will be Of incalculable value to
Carolina.
The men who desire to precipitate
another heated and bitter campaign,
for the Offices, are not true friends OF
Carolina.-Augusta Chronicle.