The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-08-21

anu autnorlty ana Is much coveted.
The total number of such commission
ners in the whole State Amount like
wise 20 about 800 mofe appointees
of the Governor. Craving for official
rank is almost universaY and irresista-
bic. When Caesar in passing through
village. remarked 10 companion
that he would rather be first man in
that place than second man in Rome,
he only Impressed n sentiment COM
mon to mankind, and each of the
many thousand petty officers appoint
feels grateful for the place holds. All
men love to cxepcise power over their
fel!owmen and |hey desire office not
only for the reason that it con-
fers social dignity in the neigh
borhood but because it flatters
their vanity iand clothes them with
substantial authority. A man that can
determine fho may vote or that can
rniSc or lower tax assessments or that
can build or not build bridge, lay
ont or close public road, or that can
do any Of the many things that the
thousands of officials appointed by our
parsonage and tho aggregate power of
such officers in South Carolina is i'm.
mcnsp, III fact predominant for time
ut lepst, rs the official mass is inclined
To obcy It's creator and is sort oil
hodf polite uctuated by m esprit dc
coAps to sustain one another right or
wFnG, and vote for one another right
oT Twrong, and vote for one of their set
~ ring against any outsider. 1t is only
Shen such ring falls out among
themselves as they invariably do soon
or late, either from chngrin Mt being
defeated for Office or disgust ut general
rascality, that the Macedonian phalanx
of the ring can be broken. The mon.
ster political faction of New York
known as Tammany Hall society is or
ganized and Leld together by horde
of appointed oaicc-holdcrs, among
whom the greed for Office, bribery and
peculation is so rife that they period.
cally bcS,t such corruption rs cries to
heaven for correction; and as long u,
South Carolina politics shall continue
to be run upon the same low plane OF
concentrating all power and patronage
IN the hands OF but Il few men, OF
rather one man, the same periodical
nphcaval must throw of tie corruption
aud rottcnnrss that awaits us. ]
might sny, in truth, already upon us.
Today charges are being made against
the chief executive of our State-witE
or without foundation | cannot say
but the Governor OF South Caroline
should he like Cesar wife-without
crime and above suspicion.
Although the primary is Iauded in
this State rs the best method and
present method of nominating candi-
dates for office. yet it is continually
and grossly violated by appointing as
many public officers as possible and
permitting the people neither to NOM
lnnte nor elect except the members of
the Legislature and four or five county
olllcers, and tho travelling circus of
eight or ten candidates, mostly buff
looms. seeking State officers, who are
expected to amuse and dclude the peo-
pie with the idea that they govern
themselves, while the appointing pow
cr does the actual governing. Things
are so circumstanccd n.South Carolina
now TINT the ''heud chief or real
appointing power has only to intimate
whom he wants choscn to any Office and
his will is done with II Tammany obe-
dience. Official appintees are ever
eager to obey their masters to prevent
removal, and what makes any ap-
polntlve despotism SO powerful and the
opposition SO weak is that the former
Is as thoroughly organized as the lat
ter Is scattered rabble SO irresisti.
bic and effective is organization that
spanish maxim truly says: "Three
men organized against an unorganiZed
town can ruin it. The members Of
any mere political faction of office
hunters always stand by each other,
right or wrorg, until, as before re-
disgust ut the rascality of
their associates, or chngrin Mt toe
many being dcIrntri for office. pro.
duccs division. OF course, ring NAV
run rotoEs career n good while un-
less tho opposition can furnish a
strong rnllying force to meet it. This
can I've done III South Carolina by |
lehoUhcln% increase of taxation
through Increase of assessed value Of
property, although lower taxes were
promised: /: can br done also hv expo-
sure ol thc Clemson College eXtrayn-
game" nnd dm!Smnnagcmeut; by showing
up III" dlspcnsarE tyranny and rotten
ness; by d"nouncinS the consolidation
Ut power III thu hnnds OF the executive,
Mt only - denying the people the
right of local government il: tie
convention, but also by
taking AWAY from them the election OF
county commissioners, and then pre-
venting them from clcciing either
county commissioners or township ,,
commissioners, or having any local |
government except through nppoiutel