The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-07-28
Campaigning in South Carolina.

The ~rencounter between Senator Nc
Laurin and his rival, ex-senator lrby,
brings to the front once more the nettle-
some character of South Carolina pollt!cs.
Perhaps in no other State of the Union
have political campaigns been conducted
with 30 much rancor aud bitterness as
they have in South Carolina. For time
almost out of mind, the public political
meetings OF that State have been fraught
with 30 much excitement as to render
breaches OF tho peace almost inevitable.
When the dominant wing Of the demo-
cratic party was first attacked by the
reform element, acting under the leader
ship of Mi. Tillman, there was 80 much
Of hateur and defiance thrown into the
campaign that the efficacy of debate was
DESTROYED, and enmities were formed
which will never be healed. If there
was %roughness and boisterousness on the
part of Mr.. Ti!lman's followers, there
was equal contempt and want of consid-
Grafton betrayed by the others. The re-
suit of all the campaigns which have
followed has been to exhibit South Caro-
lima in a light which conservative men
must regret, and which has a bad lntu-
ence abroad. Now that Tillman, as an
element OF factionalism, Is passing away,
IL WIS IO U6 uOp6u ludL OuouluS SoAlP ao
would be conducted with as much good
humor as esrnestness. But it seems that
this ID not to be, and that already all the
worst features Of previous campaigns are
to be injected into the present one.
It ia difficult to assign a reason as to
why this state of things should exist.
The people of South Carolina are among
the most stable and conservative in the
Union. AS a distinct community in the
confederation of States, the people OF
South Carolina have been welded together
by education, by common tradition and
by united interest, which should be to
them a cause of pride. One element OF
the South Carolina politicians nature,
however, has been developed somewhat
beyond reason-that is his self-assertive.
ness. He does not court debate upon
anything. He Is dogmatic in nature, and
having made an assertion, stands or falls
by it.. He has not been trained in that
school OF debate which makes the Geor-
gian give and take. Hence, when his
| word Is crossed by a rival, it is regarded
as personal, and the difficulty to which
| we have alluded, follows:
Whatever the cause may be, the time
has certainly come when, for the credit
of their State, South Carolinians should
lQauSuT6t6 SuCu q CuauBo aS WILL uLfcAS0
%personalism from public debate, and thus
free the State from such reports as those
which must spread over the Union in
relating such scenes as took place the
| other day. These %rencountres do not
|! take place among the lowly and the ig-
norant, but among those chiyalric men
| who a~rejustly the pride Of aLy State, but
| who allow their nettlesomeness to get the
| better of their prudence. We have entered
I upon a new era, where men can defend
themselves by better weapons than
brawling in public, and surely there are
those in South Carolina with influence
enough and nerve enough to put candi.
dates upon notice that If they cannot
debate public matters in a respectful
| manner the people can find other candi-
| oates who wi!I.-AtLdntG Constitution