The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-04-25
CONVENTIONS DO NOT ALWAYS REFLECT
SENTIMENT.


the State of South Carolina on and after
next Saturday. The Democratic clubs
will on that day choose their represent
atives for the county conventions,
which in turn will choose representa-
tives for the State convention. \ po-
litical calm now pervades the State, as
there are no issues which are Of an eX-
citing nature. Politicians gain very
little comfort or encouragement from
the result Of conventions for the reason
that the people themselves by their
individual ballots in the primaries con-
troll the results.
The conventions now-a-days are al
most useless contrivances and only
serve to keep up party organization.
When nominations were made by the
convention plan, every aspirant for pub
lie Office strove hard to secure the or
sanization that he might come away
with the prize, but now that every voter
has the privilege of making his own
choice, the candidates for public favor
must deal directly with him and not
with men who pose as leaders. 1t IS
often the case that men who are not
conspicuous in the conventions, are very
successful at the ballot-box, and many
of those who carry everything their
own way in conventions, make a poor
showing for themselves in the prima-
ries. When our county conventions
meet next month. it will be an excep-
ton to the rule if there is not a skir-
mish for advantage. Just what the ad-
vantage is in getting control of a con-
vention, and securing the management
of the party's machinery we are at
loss to understand, because, when the
primary is ordered, each club selects its
own managers and the friends OF every
candidate have right to witness the
casting OF the ballots and the count,
thus making it almost impossible for
any cheating if there is any disposition
to do so.
The primary elections in this county
have been conducted, especially so in
the past few years with the utmost fair
ness; even when factional feeling ran
riot, the disposition was to give each
side fair showing to the extent that
both factious were represented at the
various clubs. Now that there is no
factional feeling, and all bitterness has
been removed, we see no reason why
there should be the slightest feeling OF
diStrust.
# any issues should arise, those ad-
vocating their various IDEAS can go be-
fore the voters and discrss the issues in
calm and dispassiorate manner with
out giving offense or being offended.
Every man has a right to his ideas and
if he can convince a majority to his
way of thinking he is entitled, and will
receive the vote he merits.
What are likely to be the issues in
the coming primary? We must con-
fess that up to now there has been no
definite announcement made. The pro-
hibition element of the Democratic
party have held few preliminary
meetings, and an address has been is
sued which, while not indicating just
what part they propose to play on the
political chess-board they have said
enough to lead US to believe that they
have plans by which they will make q
strong effort to uproot the dispensary
system. Whether they will put for
ward q full State ticket remains to be
seen, but we do not think we are CUES
sing wildly when we say, they will
have a legislative ticket in every coun-
ty. Whether the result OF such plan
will be successful remains entirely in
the hands of the people. We know
that personal popularity often carries
votes for an issue, because out OF re-
gard for the man the voter loses sight
of the issue and casts his vote contrary
to his convictions.
We know there are now members of
t6eGeneral Assembly who We're elect
ed by people, the siocity OF whom
are opposed to them on the Question
of liquor control, but voted for them
outside of that issue altogether. Had
the question been made an issue in their
counties, as we believe it will be in the
coming election, these men being op-
posed to the majority, would not be oc-
cupying their present positions. Per-
sonal popularity very properly counts
for much when there are no special IS
sues, but when special issues are in
volved, they become a principle, and
we sometimes, although reluctantly, in
order to vote for the principle, have to
vote against man for whom we have
a high regard. To do otherwise would
be giving up our own convictions to
crafty an individual who would not do
the same for Us.
Since the above was written We learn
that State prohibition conference will
be called to meet in Columbia on the
23rd day of May for the purpose OF
considering the propriety OF suggest
ing candidates for governor and lieut.
enant governor, and that county calls
will be made for meetings on May 18th
to send delegates to the State confer
ence, and at these county meetings a
Prohibition county chairman is to be
chosen for the campaign.
II will thus be seen that as the Pro-
hibitionists are preparing TO effect a