New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-16
ANOTHER BREAK IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

ANOTHER BREAK IN SOtIH CIhVh'-i'
The South Carolina Democracy has struck
another snag Time was when the Son'h Caro-
lin, Democracy stood together rock ribbed, posi-
two absolutc unanimous 1t tolerated no dif-
farenc.s of opipion. and II dominated the Demo
cratic marty of the Nation. Whoever within the
State differed from the ruling powers had snort
shrift given him. lie was anonted with Norm
Carolina tar and decorated with SOuth Caro-
linz feathers and fired ont with directness Oh
purpose quite Puritanical in its dogmatic pre-
cision and q vehemence of manner altogether
tropical in it's warmth. And when dlnerences
arose between the South Carolina Democracy
and the Democratic party of the Nation the
South Carolina Democracy broke up the party
and proceeded with more haste than dellDera-
ton TO dissolve the Union. In that enterprise,
II may he recalled at this late day without
cr,,elty or unkindness the South Carolina De
mocracy. to use a familiar expression, got 1t
in the neck" 1t resumed business along in the
seventies, and in the eighties was in full fcather
once more There was no real trouble on the
inside of the South Carolina Democracy until
1890 when very pronounced difference arose
which resulted in the success by an overwhelm-
ing majority of an Independent Democracy win
the present Senator Tillman ut its head. ms
party Is still in power 1t has two united states
Senators-to wit. Messrs. lrby and Tillman-
both elected as Democrats, but as Independent
Democrats. In South Carolina they never toll
crate anything that isn't Democratic Men may
differ as widely as the poles, but they are all
Democrats.
And now there's another division Senators
Irby and Tillman. from having been the most
intimate personal and political friends, nave rail-
en- out, and are no longer on speaking terms
Both continue to be Democrats, as are also ex'
Senators Hampton and Butler whom they de-
feated displaced and succeeded. The difference
of opinion between these two eminent Son'h
Carolina Democrats seems from this distance
to be a trfe obscure and insubstantial. so 1ar
as we can make out, 1t relates TO the rather re-
mote contingency Of the action OF the Demo
cratic National Convention on the silver ques-
ton, Senator Tillman threatening that he Will
bolt IL the convention does not adopt free
silver platform, while Senator lrby, whose views
on the silver question are precisely the same as
those of his colleague maintains 1t TO be the
duty Of the South Carolina Democracy TO stand
by the party whatever position II may take on
the silver or any other question. This makes
an extremely Interesting situation That is to
saw interesting in South Carolina. Anywhere
else IL might not be deemed of sufficient impOr
lance to raise row over, so long in advance
Of anything in particular having happened. But
Senator Irby happens to be chairman OF the
Democratic State Committee, Or rather OF one
of the Democratic State Committees. And he
has issued a call for a State Convention. The
call IS not easily understood, but the language
of il is extremely beautiful and inspiring.
He opens it with recognition of 1.-THE wide
differences Of opinion as to the details Of party
policies and party management" but adds that,
fully alive to the present emergencies upon the
| Democracy, we cannot hut realize that the
"party's purposes ard successes can only be
attained by discipline and organization" He
then goes on to say. with tropical luxuriance
| Of expression: las understood by us. the hope
"of the country is centred in the Democratic
party. Its principles, which have been handed
down from Jefferson and Jackson, are abso-
"lutey necessary to maintain the equal rights
"of all the States, and TO secure the wise and
economical government of the country. What
"ever differences there may be as to the applica-
"tion Of the general principles for which the
'sparty stands, all must agree that only by har-
''mony, concession and loyalty TO the party can
great ends be accomplished" This. 1t will be
observed. though little lacking in definiteness
as to what precisely the principles which
'have been handed down from Jefferson and
Jackson" Is very fine and highly impressive.
There Is much more Of 1t; but the conclusion is
most to the purpose. 1t means business. and
runs thus: However we may differ as TO de-
tails with our brother Democrats from other
sections Of the Union, we all know that the
democratic creed and Democratic control
.snf for hnttar for m
anything we may expect from our opponents "
That's the gist Of it, However we may differ v
II Is far better for u.s. TO stand together and
! get what we can out Of IT..
That, generally speaking, is what the prin-
ciples handed down from Jefferson and Jack
SON. actually mean, and pretty much all that
they do mean &c the average Democrat Of this
year Of our Lord. Perhaps though. some day
or other. the voting population of South Carolina
will cease worshipping the fetch OF party
name, and when they have real differences of
opinion upon vital questions will have the cour-
age and the sense TO rise above their supersti
tons and call themselves something that has
meaning and significance. AT present they are
all sorts and descriptions Of Democrats without
even knowing the meaning Of the word. Till
then South Carolina, in intellectual progress
material development business enterprise, and
all that makes for the upbuilding of State and
people, will continue to be a back number