Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-08-07
Convention if that body refused to

Convention if that body refused to
endorse the "16 to /" proposition.
The friends of Colonel Jones, in de-
fence, explained that he was a oitizon
OF Columbia and had always been a
staunch reformer and friend of Till
man; that he was national banker,
and yet an avowed and outspoken
free silver man, but that Colonel
Jones was above all things Demo
crat and would bow to any decree
made by his party in convention as
sembled. BY small majority the
convention defeated Colonel Jones,
and thus denied the representative
of the Fourth district the long recog-
nized right of naming their own dele
gate to a Democratic convention, a
privilege at that same time accorded
every other district in our State.
simplyrefer to the above instance
to show the great latitude that South
Carolina has for the past eight or
ten years extended to Democrats, and
how new issues are constantly spring
ing up, furnishing slogan for poll
ticians, and then permitted to lapse
into state of inocuous desuetude,
to give place to some other rallying
cry for politicians.
And it was not only in South Caro-
lima that the Democratic party per-
mitted it's members and leaders the
exercise OF a very elastic political
conscience, and regularly every few
years some new and untried issue has
been brought forward to rack the
minds of voters, and / believe that
such vascilations and constant shift
ing of positions are responsible for
the repeated defeat of our party. To
attain political success and secure
the confidence of the intelligent vot-
ers of this great country the plat
form of any party must embrace
broad, liberal and progressive ideas
that will appeal to the justice and
reason of the voters and to be eter-
nally trimming it's sails to catch every
passing breeze, but a party must fix
it's compass so as to keep straight
and consistent course and not be tack
ing from side to side.
The policy 30 long pursued by our
party has been taken advantage of by
men of brain and influence to warp
and twist its platform to suit their
own ends and the interests of their
constituents.
Congressman Randall, of Pennsyl-
vania, was Dem ocratic leader in the
House and his honesty was never
questioned. And yet Mr.. Randall was
an avowed and outspoken protection
ist, always voting with the Republi-
cans on that question, and at time,
too, when opposition to rejection
was the leading issue with the De-
mocracy.
In our sister State of Georgia tho
opponents Of Alexander II. Stephens
met in convent ton at Thomson and
nominated DR.. Casey for Congress.
The news was instantly wired to Mr..
Stephens at Washington, when he
telegraphed back the five significant
words: 81 will stand for Congress. !"
The Democrats Of that district knew
Mr.. Stephens was stronger than his
party, and the result was that they
took down the name of DR.. Casey and
substituted that Of A. II. Stephens
thus making great political organi-
zation bend like reed before the
eloquent blast of an individual Demo.
crat.
Thomas Jefferson is recognized az
the founder of Democratic principles
and the father of our party. The
Democrats brought on the late We,
between the States to maintain slav.
cry, and yet, what is Jefferson't
record on the slavery question: Ir
1907 Jefferson recommended to "pro
hibit a traffic Of which the morality
honor and dearest interest of the
country had long required the disap
pearance."