The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-09-05
Col. J. A. HOYt'S Views.

In telegram to D. H. Tompkins, secre-
tary of the State Democratic executive COM
mlttee dated Washington, August 9th,
General N. G. Butler withdraws his pledge
to abide the result of the primaries on the
28th instant, as candidate for the United
States Senate. In response to a telegram
from the Columbia Register, asking for an
explanation of his course, General Butler
replied as follows: II am following in the
footsteps of distinguished Reformers who
are unwilling to submit their Claims to n
primary where everything from coroner up
has been cut and dried, packed and salted
down by the ring; where the result Is stated
and known by the ring before vote has
! been put in the ballot box" 1t is also Civ
en- out that there is to be an independent
movement, which is to take shape in the
next ten days, and that Congressman SEcll
| is likely to be the candidate for Governor
This is the political situation on tie eve
of the primary election. General Butler is
making the mistake of his life. He has
been consistent and uniform advocate for
the unity OF the white voters in South Cur
olina. He has stood squarely against any di-
vision among them, and has at all times de-
precate,l any appeal to the negro clement to
settle our political disputes. He went into
the recent campaign with his eyes open,
and with fnll knowledge that the methods
and plans combatted by others for the last
four years would be applied to him in the
race for the United States Senate. He firm
| ly believed that by personal effort he could
achieve success where others had failed,
and that o different line Of conduct would
break up the combinations which are con-
trolling the State.
The result is mortitying and disappoint-
ing. His opponent Was evidently the ia
voritc of the voters who listened to their
speeches, or at least a large minority of
them. The index Of the campaign meet
ings pointed to the utter defeat CT General
Butler if the white voters are to decide.
Every fair, impartial observer drew this
conclusion. and they wondered 1t the
claims set up by the friends Of General
Butler that he would carry the State #
the purpose was to iuaugurate an indcpeE-
dent movement from the outset, then it
was mistake 10 enter the campaign at all.
Such a movement would have had greater
strength by reason of the fact that it was
known and understood, and might gather
elements from all sides. To inaugurate
such movement now on the pant Of Gen
erul Butler and his friends, after partici-
pating in the campaign to the fullest eX-
tent, argues beyond question that they are
chagrined and disappointed and that de-
feat is the cause for their present action.
| The only reason assigned by General
Butler for his withdrawal is utterly unwor-
thy of his record as n public man. He has
been regarded always as self reliant and
courageous in politics, bnt he acknowledges
now that he is following in the footsteps
of distinguished Retormers," which he puts
forth as a reason to Justify his conduct
Who are these distinguished kcforners
whose example is SO potent that NJ. c. But
Ter is obliged to follow? Let us have the
catalogue, and in almost every instance it
can be demonstrated that they were fore
most in originating and pursuing the ring"
methods which prevailed in 1890 and 1892,
in which they We're henefciaries and par
takers Not one of them entered protest
until these methods were used to their per-
sonal discontinue; and thsro is not scil-
tilla of political independence in their con-
duct. They are not entitled to blaze the
way for honest. self-rcspecting Democrats
over whom they role rough->llol in pre-.
vions campaigns. and it is with sincere re-
! gret that We find General Bntler giving
tbe:i. us the inspiration for his conduct.
Surely he hns better reasons for qnitting
the ranks of an organization which has
honored him without stint in the past, and
for whose unity he had plead with much
earnestness dining the recent campaign.-
| Greenville Mountaineer.