The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-07-04
McSyyeouey and The kewSDaDerS.

In South Carolina there Is to be primary lot
State officers this year, and If we understanu
the law correctly 1t requires q majority OF tne
This is as II should be, and Is the only plan
likely to give satisfaction. To allow lhe[ .
plurality TO nominate where there are sever
al candidates, would be assure rGna t ~ " Unrs
candidates for the same office II might easily
happen that the candidate securing plurali-
" OF the votes might get less tnan onelourtn u
of the entire vote OF the State When one
candidate has not received n majority OF the
total vote .et Il second election be held 10
decide between the two VINO secured 81, the
highest vote in the previous contest. Ihen
if the voters have taken II proper interest In
the matter the successful mau Will nave re-
ceived a clear majority over all. This VIII De
fair and satisfactory, and no other plan Will.
That is the South Carolina Democratic plan
from United States Senator clear down the
line.
BY the way, we notice that one OF the
charges made against Gov. McSweeney, VINO
became Governor on the death of Gov. Ellerbe
and who is now a candidate before the pri.
maries Is that he takes the country papers OF
the State and pays for thep out OF the con.
tingent fund. He explains that reports oI
grand juries. proclamations and other pup,
Iications which should be matters OF record
are printed in these country papers, ana anat
they should be on file In the executive ONCE.
II they can bring no graver ooJection "
Gov. McSweeney than that he takes ana pre-.
serves the newspapers OF the State ne shouio
be triumphantly elected, for he is doing Just
what the Governors OF all the states ought 10
do. II the State Library OF Alabama con tain
ed copies OF all the newspapers publlshed IN
the State since 1t was organized tney Woui9
form historical record which no LABOR any q
no money can now procure. strangers as wen ,n
as our own people are often interested IN
facts connected with the States and counties
histories which would be Invaluable II tney
could be found, but which are now unattaln-
able. The subscription for and olndlng tnese
far GaC0
year, but their value can hardly be estlmaIed
and the lack Of such data as, they would a1ord
Is becoming more apparent each year, as
people become more interested IN our generai
When federal soldiers in April, 1865, placed
all the Advertiser files in pip In 'front.' OF tne
Office and made bonfire of them they COM
mitted an act Of vandalism for which mere
was no Justification and which! can never oe
remedied. Every important event oonnecteo
with the history and progress OFT the SIate au war
treated to greater or less e1tenEin these mes e
lot now be obtained. II these fles na9 oeen
preserved, and If to them wasS added com.
plete files OF the country ana otneI PapeLs, :.
would furnish mass OF lnformallou "nlcn
would be beyond estimate.
Gov. McSweeney. should be- endorsed IN
stead OF condemned for this part OF his omclal
record.-Montgomer ADVERTISER. ..
AS an instance, showing the value Of news
paper files. we might cite} the sale Of the
Charleston Courier some twenty years ago
when 1t was consolidated with the Charles
ton News. The type, machinery, furniture
and other material equipments brought $780,
The files alone, brought $500.
Again when the contract for printing the
Confederate rolls was b4ing complied with
Mr.. August Kohn, the Columbia staff editor
Of the News and Courier} asked the printer fol
an extra copy of the roN OF each company as
II was printed. The pfinter cheerfully com
piled with the request, and Mr.. kohn now
has hook which is mot to be estimated by
a money value. Ts@' printer could have had
without cost copy Of that book containine
the roll OF 10000 Confederate soldiers, If he
had had the forethought to preserve 1t; but
he did not, and has regretted the neglect ever
since. AS far as We are informed MIR. Kohn
has the only copy Of the book in existence
and we venture to suggest that he has no book
upon which he sets higher estimate.
These instances show the historical value
OF bound Volumes OF newspapers, and we
hope that the Governor may save the files o.
at least some of the newspapers that are
received al his office.