The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-04-15
PRICIPLEs NOT CONSIDERED

State are nearly, if not quite, in the
same condition. The dissensions
within the Democratic and Republi
can party organizations have been
brought about by the identical causes,
and. sad to relate, these causes are
not differences in opinions concern
ing the principles supposed to form
the foundation stones Of good
government. The Democratic party
was riven in twain in so far as State
affairs were concerned by desire
for office, and the State organization
as related to the national, has hung
together simply because there was
no decided advantage to be obtained
and no spoils to repay any leader or
faction for Sc, ,ering connection with
the established organization which
had the recognition Of the National
Democratic Committee By keeping
in touch with the National Commit
tee the men who held control of the
State organization obtained whatever
of official spoils there was for distri-
button, Notwithstanding that they
proclaimed allegiance to principles
wholly divergent to the accepted
tenets Of Democracy and advocated
policies within the State that were
rot in accord with the platform Of
the party. The time has apparently
arrived that certain influential leaders
Of the dominant faction of the State
Democratic party deem opportune
for an open reputation of the princi
ples and platform Of the National
party, and they are straining every
nerve to force the entire State organ.
lzatlon to support them in this bolt,
knowing that success in this design
will give them the advantage of
position and at the same time seri-
ously cripple their opponents. The
motive of tie men who are leading
this movement is desire for prefer
ment, and there is little doubt
but that those who are clinging so
zealously to the organization are ami
mated by desire to retain what
they now possess TO lay aside
generalities and give in unequivocal
and unmistakabIe terms our decided
opinion of the political situation in
this State, which is nothing more
digni6ed than a contest between
Senators Irby and Tillman, is to say
that Senator Tillman. having won all
that the State organization could
provide to feed his ambition, now
seeks wider field and he will use or
misuse the State organization as best
suits his purpose On the other
hand, Senator Jrby desires to retain
his present berth, and realizing that
the disruption of the State organiza-
ton, of which he is the head, will be
the signal for his downfall. he seeks
to keep the party intact. SO far Sen.
ator Tillman has had the advantage,
although Senator lrby says that it is
drawn battle, and the probabilities
are that he will succeed in kicking
the State Democratic organization all
to pieces, even though he does not
accomplish his purpose by leading an
organized
Turning to the Republican party
we find two distinct organizations
One led by Brayton and Melton, the
other by Webster, Miller and Smals.
The object of each Of these organi-
zations is to obtain possession of as
much as possible Of the campaign
fund that is being spent in the inter-
est of each of the Republican P1esi-
Dental aspirants There is no rea-
son for the existence of two organi-
cations, except that there are too
many leaders who want shares OF the
Doodle for all to have influential posi-
tions in a single organization.
The politics of South Carolina at
present are not run on very high
plane, and principles cut but very
small figure i'll either party.
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