The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-12-13

heard Of events to the average citizen
were current in political circles through
out RAYMOND. The Crawford system OF
balloting for nominations was not III
use in the state. and the primary was
called for public meeting at the court
house.
The citizens Of Raymond will never
forget that meeting. 1t was SO unlike
any political meeting ever held in Ray
mond before that there was no attempt
at comparison The special officers to
be nominated were mayor, city council
chief Of police, city clerk and city
treasurer.
The Evening News in its Saturday
edition gave full account OF the pri-
maries, and in an editorial column Ed
ward Norman spoke with a directness
and conviction that the Christian peo-
| ple of Raymond were learning to re-
spect deeply because so evidently sincere
and unsel6sh A part Of that editorial
is also part Of this history
.:It is safe to say that never before in
the history of Raymond was there a
primary like the one in the courthouse
last night. 1t was, first CT all, COM
plete surprise to the city politicians
who have been in the habit of carrying
on the affairs of the city as if they
owned them and every one else was
simply tool OF a cipher The over
whelming surprise Of the wire puller
last night consisted in the fact that a
large number Of the citizens Of Ray
nond who have heretofore taken no
part in the city affairs entered the pri-
mary and controlled it, nominating
some Of the best men for all the Offices
to be filled at the coming election.
':It was a tremendous lesson in good
citizenship. President Marsh Of Lincoln
college, who never before entered city
primary and whose face even was not
known to many of the ward politicians,
made one Of the best speeches ever
heard in Raymond. 1t was almost lu-
dicrous to see the faces of the men
who for years have done as they pleased
when President Marsh rose to speak.
Many Of them asked, Who is he? The
CONSERVATION Geepened as the primary
proceeded and it became evident that
the old time ring Of city rulers was out
numbered Henry Maxwell, pastor of
the First church: Milton Wright. Alex
ander Powers, Professors Brown. Will
lard and Park of Lincoln college, Rev.
John West, DR.. George Maine of the
Pilgrim church. Dean Ward of the Holy
Trinity and scores Of well known busl-
ness and professional men. most of them
church members. were present, and 1t
did not take long to see that they had
all come with the direct and definite
purpose of nominating the best men
possible. Most of these men had never
been seen in primary. They We're
complete strangers to the politicians
but they had evidently pro6ted by the
politician methods and were able by
organized and united effort to nominate
the entire ticket.
Gas soon as it became plain that the
primary was out of their control the
regular ring withdrew in disgust and
nominated another ticket. The News
simply calls the attention Of all decent
citizens to the fact that this last ticket
contains the names of whisky men, and
the line is distinctly and sharply drawn
between the machine and corrupt city
government. such as we have known
for years, and a clean. honest, capable
businesslike city administration, such
as every good citizen ought to want
1t is not necessary to remind the people
of Raymond that the question of local
option comes up at the election That
will be the most important question
on the ticket. The crisis of our city
affairs has been reached The issue
is squareiy before Us. Shall We con-
tinue the rule of rum and Doodle and
shameless incompetency. or shall we.
as President Marsh said in his noble
speech. rise as good citizens and be-
gin new order of things, cleansing
our city Of the Worst enemy known to
municipal honesty and doing what lies
in our power to do with the ballot-to
purify c-7r civic life:
The News is positively and without
reservation on the side Of the new
]! movement. We shall henceforth do all
in our power to drive out the saloon
and destroy its political strength. We
shall advocate the election Of men nom
mated by the majority of citizens met
in the first primary. and we call upon
all Christians church members and low
ers of right. purity. temperance and
home to stand by President Marsh and
the rest Of the citizens who have thus
begun u long needed reform in our
city