The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-07
Still a Few Other Anomalies OF Our
Situation.

Still Few Other Anomalies of Our
Situation.
To the Editor of The Herald and
News: | pointed cut two weeks ago
some Of the anomalies Of our situation
here in South Carolina under our So
called "Reformn or ''Refawn" admin
istration, in the eXtravagant remuner-
alton paid to our official bar-keepers,
compared with what we pay those en-
gagged in the much more honorable
and useful calling of educating our
children.
Last week ] called attention to our
condition of ''enthroned anarchy" as
DIR. Curry so appropriately termed it
in speaking not long since before the
Georgia Legislature, as illustrated by
the frequent outrageous lynchings TAX
ing pl%ce in our State, without any
attempt whatever on the part of our
so-called "Reform" Governor to pre-
vent them, or to punish the guilty.
Nay more, that in one case he had
actually turned over a poor negro to
the blood-thirsty mob for brutal exc
cution, thus soiling his official hands
with the poor fellows blood. But, as
| then stated, this is not all, and per-
haps not even the worst. These lynch
ings have been for the most part the
work Of individuals, for which only
those engaged in them could be held
responsible, morally or legally. But
what shall we say of the outrages and
murders being so often committed by
Gov. Tillman's whiskey spies, acting
under his immediate and direct orders
the breaking open of ladies trunks
and parcels at our railroad depots-the
slapping Of white women in the face
by drunken ruffians, and their imme-
diate pardon 0y our "Reformn Gov
ernor when justly condemned therefor
the invasion Of private houses in the
dead hours Of midnight and the shoot
ing down Of their inmates il they at
tempt to escape or show signs of de-
Tending their premises? Can We con-
sole ourselves with the idea that these
too are the lawless acts of individuals,
and that we are not at least morally
responsible for them? Are we not as
citizens responsible for our Straits and
Irbys, and Latimers and Talberts, who
disgrace us in the Halls of Congress?
And if our Governor, either directly or
through his sabordinates, openly and
f1agrantly violates the Constitution
and laws of the State, are we not all as
citizens more or less responsible for it,
for having elected such an unfit man
to the office? Ard if even our Judges
on the Bench encourage sucn lawless-
ness by releasing the criminals on al
most nominal bail, are we not all
TO some extent responsible for elect
ing legislators capable Of selecting
such men for the Bench? The judi
ciary especially should be kept pure
and upright and independent; and in
no respect perhaps has Tillmanism
brought greater or more lasting evil
and reproach on our State than by de-
grading this most important depart
ment Of the government to mere fac
tional purposes.
The evils of bad Executive or bad |
Legislature can be remedied at the |
next election, as has recently been |
done in New York and New Jersey.
But the evils of had Judges are much |
more lasting, not only because they |
usually serve for longer terms, and not |
only because they establish precedents
that live after them, but also, and |
worst Of all, because they undermine |
public confidence in the very source Of |
justice, and prepare the way for law
lessness. I repeat, then, that the de-
gradation of the judiciary is one of the
greatest and most lasting evils that |
can befall any civilized community. |
And this has been done by Tillmanism |
in our State, by the election of faction
al Judges.
These and many other anomalies of |
like character might be mentioned as |
characteristic of Our situation under |
the present dominant element" and |
which every intelligent and rejecting !
citizen must admit and regret. But
the question is, what are We going to |
do about it? Are We going to sit quiet
ing? Do we expect to get rid of Till |
manism and all its attendant evils of |
strife and bloodshed by sitting quietly |
a-straddle of the fence, undecided on |
which side to get down." Would we
have got rid of "Radicalism" in this |
way in 1875? Just as it was necessary |
to organize fight to the death the cor
rupt "Radical' ring then, it is now ne
cessary to organize and fight the or
gsnization that is responsible for the
condition of affairs in our
State. Prudence and good judgment |
should be exercised, of course, but we
are very greatly mistaken, in my opin-
ion, if we expect ever to restore peace
and harmony and respectable govern
ment otherwise than by organization
and by energetic action at the proper
time. We might have peace perhaps
by blind and abject submission to our
petty Gar, but it would be "the peace
Of Warsaw Do we desire peace on
such conditions? A READER.