The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-04-30

Some plan must be devised by whic
those candidates who fill the really i'm
portant offices, and who will shape an,
control affairs, must be gwen sufficien
opportunity to make the people unde.
stand whether or not they are compe
tent. Many of the positions which ar
sought are largely ministerial and tn
duties are well defined, ala these otii
GERS cannot change or shape publi
policy in any material degree. Their,
is no good excuse OF + ason why sever
or eight candidates for railroad com
missioner and fifteen or twenty of tn,
other Slate offices shall be given tim,
at a State campaign meeting, or so lit
tie time as to merely get up and make
their how.
In the last State canvass it required
about five hours fol- the respective can
didates, allowing only thirty minutes
for the candidates for Governor and ten
minutes for the others, not counting
the candidate for United States Senate,
who usually came last. The Limitation
on the time of the candidates for the
important offices, If it be continued,
will absolutely destroy all interest in
the State campaign meetings, and final
ly destroy the primary system itself,
and L am strongly of the opinion that
it would be we'll, indeed necessary, to
have two campaign days in each county,
say six weeks or two months apart, at
which certain specified candidates shall
address the people.
The suggestion has been made that
there ought to be a limitation on the
number Of meetings to one in each
Congressional district. This will never
do, because the people are entitled to
see n hear the men who seek their
votes, and if such asystem were adopt
ed there would be few, if any, citizens
at such meeting other than those who
live in the county where the meeting
is held. The newspaper reports would
have to BIO depended on entirely in Or
der to get any sort of information as
to what the candidates were saying and
what impression they made; and this
would mean the use Of the press by
those who were able TO obtain its sup
port to control elections; and this does
not imply that the press is venal. Few
people take daily papers, and nearly all
the weeklles have patent outsides.
Somehow all of Senator McLaurin's
speeches were published in these out
sides or sent as supplements. 1t was
legitimate advertising, but we do not
want rich men who are able to pay for
advertising to have advantage of
the poor men who cannot. The only
safe way is to have the candidates face
the voters and lei each man decide for
himself. L warn the people against
surrendering the right to judge for
Government by newspapers may be-
a very good thing, but the people off
South Carolina %ropudiated it in 1901
and L have no idea they are going to
return to it, and L am thereforeN
prepared to urge the scheme L have&
outlined, as the best which suggests IT.
self to me. The two sets of candidates.,
could begin on opposite sides of the
State and thus not interfere with each
other. The people ought to devote at
least two days to the selection of theG
best men, and this cannot be brought
about without hearing them fully. If
people lose interest in their govN
eminent that government must beJ
bad. Eternal vigilance is thel
price of liberty" ls as true now ash
when it was uttered. ~