The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-10-29
LAURENs, s. c.. Oct. 20. 1895.

Take the convention as a whole the
body now assembled at Columbia to
frame q constitution is above the aver
kage OF South Carolina political bodies
in recent years. Nevertheless, there
is a strong flavor of demagogism in the
body, which detracts from its charac-
ter for decepcy, dignity and decorum.
This was evidenced by the int~erjection
Of the Anticipated and threadbare
references to "upper" and slower"
country In the debate on new counties.
These issues were settled in 1908 salts
OF course, however, that o
and demagogism should to q limited
extent enter into the composition of a
body composed of one hundred and
sixty members. Here and there there
must be dense ignorance-that may be
carved with q knife. Hence we find
intensely ignorant statesmen urging
that the constitution should so adjust
the power Of creating new counties as
to preserve equilibrium between the
two ancient divisions-"upper" and
lower" country in the State mo parts
OF the world divide on sectional lines in
this age; as q matter OF fact they never
have. To-day, in all parts Of the civil
lied globe, parties and factions are
formed upon ideas, policies and theo-
ries Of government We have home
rulers and tories in Ireland, liberals and
conservatives in Britain and so on
through the catalogue OF parties in
every land. the contention being upon
principles which should dominate. 1t
has been the case in the history of this
State in all issues where the passions
and the interest of the people have
been greatly excited. 1t was so in the
qualification period; it was the case in
1901 when secession. 'per Sc" or with
the cooperation Of Nother States, was
the issue presgfted. The war of seces-
sion was a val upon slavery and had
not slavery existed; had not the South
addicted herself exclusively to agricul-
ture and a low tariff upon imports, the
war could not have been brought
about. Perhaps there has been less
method in the madness which has
ragged in South Carolina during the last
four years than has characterized q
political era here or elsewhere. With
all the furry and hurrah there has been
no revolution, not an idea evolved. A
college has been built at Clemson
reared upon the bequest of q kranky
old man who secured the perpetuation
OF his name at the expense of the tax
payers of the State. A college is re.
moved from Columbia to Rock Hill for
women, and kind Massachusetts, gen.
tleman has his name embalmed for all
time at a heavy'charge to a people just
now emerging from humiliation by his
brethren. And we have State grog
shops and liquors drank upon the high.
ways instead of dispensed by private
parties within doors. This is the whole
story. The State moves on in precisely
the old governmental ruts. There may
be an idea that there was an idea in
the movement" but we are just where
We were cat" excepting Winthrop,
AShioo ohu viz uiopCISiIS. IL WuS
not the upper" country that did it, it
was moro unanimously the old ''par,
ish" counties, Oranseburg, Colleton,
Hampton, Clarendon and the entire
, PeedeS section: Sumter, Richland and
Newberry were all the while debata-
BILE ground. No; no lesson can be drawn
from the sectional war of 1870 and the
compromises OF lSO7-S. Education is
fast advancing in the South and South
Carolina. Ideas will rule in the neal
future, The day of the demagogue is
fast passing away-and the pot house
heller must soon loose his vocation. In
every State in Europe the issue is a
policy-and may God. speed the day
when the same shall be the Ease in our
land. Bear in mind, that we are not
quareling with Clemson, Winthrop,
the South Carolina College, the Cita-
del and other schools maintained at the
expense Of the State. This State will
not keep pace, and abreast of other
States, in intellectual progress, indus
trial growth. wealth and individual
moral worth, except upon a high stand
ard OF educational development.