The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-14
SOUTH CAROLINA POLITICS.
The Effect Of Judge Gof'S Decision Upon
the Present Campaign.
KAY GIYE THE NEGROES A MAJORITY.
Ex-Judge Eucfer Gives Some Interesting
Facts About tie situation-Mr. samuel
l.. Rogers Made Collector for the
Wrs'ern North Carolina Disiric'.
TIMES BUREAU. RAPLET BUHpiNo,
WAsHINGrON. MAY -. 1879.

Judge T.. VI. Rucker. United States at
,orney Ia the Interior department, who
has just returned from South Carolina
was seen this morning and
gives the following interview on the
political situation in his state:
What effect, he was asked, VIII Judge
Gons decision have upon politics IN South
Carolina?
1t has turned matters political topsy-
furry. The immediate effect Of II is TO
give the negroes 5000 majority OF the
votes I'm the State, and consequently.
SHOULD they all vote. a Republican ma
jority Of possibly 1000, as there are
about 1000 white voters Of that party IN
South Carolina. 80 IL Is easy 10 per
celve that the greatest interest Is felt hy
South Carolnians in the result OF the
next election. and the interest VIII be
felt by outsiders as soon as they appre-
ciate the possible effect the decision may
have upon the electoral vote Of the state
TWO years hence.
what was the law prior TO the decision
made by Judge Gon;
Without going into details We ha1 q
rcgistrat0n law which provided that all
voters should Boz registered, and should
produce fIFlf registration lhlifr HlFN N.l.
doy or election. with cctain other qualify
ing clauses that are unnecessary 10 mcn-
ton. aud provided further for "a separate
box for each officer TO be voted for and
that the vote Tor each officer should he
placed So the box for such officer. and III
placed in amy other, the vote should
not bo counted.
The name or tho officer 10 be voted
for iu each box appeared on the box.
There were eight OF these boxes, ana
consequently eight ballots. The law
provided. If l remember correctly. Thai
the managers should upon demand being
made 10y any voter 10 inform him which
box each vote should be placed in. but
even 30 the officers were dcrellct In this
matter, at most tho provision only
amounted 10 am educational qualification
such, iu effect a- has been adopted hy
mosl OF the States. ly means ot THIS
law. and the growing Indifference of the
average cOlOrci man to political matters,
they had ceased practically 90 enier aa
factor in elections, and the Democrats /
believe in elections of recent years have
carried all of the counties In the state,
save one.
NO STATE ELECTION THIS YEAR.
There is no election for State officers
until nest year, but the last Legislature
provided for The holding of constitution
al convention, which was ratified by the
people the object of which was the adop-
lion Of an amendment similar I'm charac-
ter to- that of Mississippi. and the ques-
tion was brought up on The election OF
delegates to The convention.
what will the Democrats do ia view
OF this decision;
il is difficult 20 say. II the party was
united. I would anticipate no difiiculty
i'm IT'S controlling the convention, but it is
not. For the past six years the Demo
Gratis have been badly divided. Tn fact,
there are two wcll-defnod factions the
one In power being known as the reform
or Tillman party and the other as the
conservative.
SENATOR IRBY's COURSE.
Senator Irby, who IS the chairman of
the State Executive Committee, has call
- The committee together 10 take action
upon the course To- Doe pursued and should
tneir deliberations result in the adoption
or plan providing for the holding of a
primary election in the party Tor tine cicc-
ti0n of delegates. under such conditions as
Will give tine Conservatives their just
representation iu the convention. Dee
lieve the two factions Will coaicscc, and
so control the convention. and carry Out
the purpose Tor which it Was called.
Their action viii Doe awaited with The
kccncst anxiety.
Senator lrby IS probably the shrewdcst
leader in the reform ranks. Ho has al
ways seemed insfinctivcN 10 understand
what the rcformers wanted. and if he dee
yisos plan of action under the grave
circumstances that confront the party
now that viii Doe acceptable 90 both face
tions hc Will merit and viii receive the
cordial support of the people.
There are several leaders that might
bee mentioned. but the man who stands
and has for some past as their
most aggressive leader is Sir.
y. q. Gonzales. of THE State. man
of thorough education. well-disciplincd
mind. bold. unuring and loyal.
Hc has urged the cause of the Conserva-
tivcs in such way that he has maIc of
necessity many friends and many cne-
mics.
IfFfcr IRON CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS
What effect. if any. will the decision
have upon the rccently-elecfed c0Ds tss-
men.
That is a very difficult question 60 an-
swer. and not having looked into tho ques-
tiou from legal standpoint, or political
pfccedcnts amy expression of 0pihion
would hc of hut little account. The
question may bo raised by the next Con-
gress that as the election law has been
declared unconstitutional that the mcm-
hers elected were illegally elected. or
more specifically. that there has been mo-
election for congressman in The State.
Shoud COngres, so mold. the Democrats
would lose the entire delegation Of the
state. consisting of seven members or
course. il Congress should take such
position, ~ could NOT seat the contest
ants. as the premise just stated would
apply with equal force 10 them.
VIII Scnator-eicct Tiiiman he affected?
Was ne not elected by The Legislature
which was elected az the same time and
under the same law?
Answering your last question FIRST. YES;
but n IS improbable that the senate will
take any action In the matter as he was
elected by Legislature that was. al
least de facto Legislature, discharging
constitutional duties. However. the
bare suggestion of these questions shows
how far-reachng and important was the
decision rendered boy the circuit Judge,
and the question will be taken 10 the
supreme Court for final adjudication.
Nh oooDt's p oiNrMfNr.
The President came I'm this morning at
an carly hour with a batch OF appoint
ments. Hon. John Goodies son. John ~.
Goode, OF Bedford city. was appointed
as one OF twelve commissioners 10 eN-
anime and classify land IN Montana and
Idaho His appointment was made upon
the request OF his father. whose loyalty
10 the President Is unqucstioned
The position pays ten dollars day
when the incumbent is actually employ
ed. and cannot exceed $500 per year.
This is the position Representative
Enloe, of Tennessee. had been urged for