The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-03-11
Under WHICH FLAG2

In the past week there have ap-
oeared two distinct appeals to the
white people of South Carolina to
make new political affliations-to
abandon the Democratic party and
seek their rights and wishes in an
other political organization.
First, there is the "Reorganized
Republican" party, headed by MI.
Lawson D. Melton as chairman of its
State Committee. The most notica-
bic feature of this organization is its
fight with the Webster-Miller-Smalls
crowd for control of "Republicanism"
in South Carolina-having an eye to
the Federal patronage which is hum
grily looked for as result OF the
election of Republican President
next November. The avowed pur-
pose of this crowd-among whom are
some of the fellows who figured in
the days of agood stealing" "a con-
spicuous example being E. NJ. Bray
ton, of Columbia) is to bring white
men into the Republican ranks. Ev-
ery inducement is offered. There is
to be nothing offensive. There are
to be separate clubs for white folks
and negroes. Dissatisfied people
Conservatives, Reformers, protec-
tionists, goldbugs-all sorts Of people
are offered seats in this new political
band-wagon. Much is expected OF
the supposed division among the
white people. Dissatisfied Demo
Gratis, IN proportion to their intelli-
gence or their influence, will be re-
ceived with especial Joy and defer
ence. The animosities aroused by
recent events in this State are relied
upon to get white Democrats to 60
over to the negro Republican party,
in order to drive the Reformers from
power. Towards such disafected
Democrats Melton and Brayton (once
8 6re-est;Eg Radical are as mild as a
pair of sucking doves. Everything
looks lovely-t, Brsyton~and his man
Melton.
But there isn't much danger in this
movement. It lacks character. 1t
lacks brains. It lacks principles,
Even were it otherwise, there would
be little ground to spprehend that
the white people of South Carolina,
in any considerable numbers, could
be drawn into the Republican party.
Even could they forget the career OF
infamy which that party ran in every
Southern State, until driven from
power, they have some regard for po.
litical principles. And the Republi-
can policy is opposed to every inter
est Of the Southern people. To get
no farther, the South tolerates nei-
sher protective tariff nor the demands
of the goldbugs-
Next comes the appeal of Mr.. j.
". Bowden of this State, who used to
edit the Cotton Plant, and who
sounds the bugle call Of the "Ameri-
can Silver Party"-he being the
South Carolina member of its Ma.
tatiopal Executive Committee. This
organization proposes to repudiate
botL of the old parties and organize
one which shall be distinctively
and aggressively in favor of the free
coinage of silver. Nine tenths of the
Democrats in South Carolina favor
the free coinage OF silver. They
mean to work for it and battle for it
until it shall have been secured. But
they mean to make their fight within
the Democratic organization. If that
party should refuse the demand for
free coinage (a demand of a vast ma.
jority of the people of the United
States) then might come some ques-
ton of the duty of that majority.
Just now there is no good ground to
quit the regular Democratic organi-
zation. The american Silver Party
will not gather many recruits among
the white people of this State.
Now, more perhaps than at any
time in their history, is it the duty
of the white people of South Carolina
to stand by the Democratic party.
There is less excuse than ever for
them to quit it. It was their only
hope, their oply friend, in times Of
greatest need-in times when the
power of the Federal government
with its bayonets and its courts, was
used to crush this people in order to
uphold the rule of the negro, the
alien and the robber. It is their on
ly hope now.-Hampton Guardian.