The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-05-07
TWO CAMPAIGN PARTIES.

TWO CAMPAIGN PARTIES.
There is one other subject connected
with party policy that demands serious
considerable The large number of can
didateS who seek the various State
offices and congressional and senator
ial honors render it impossible in one
day for those candidates to have even
a respectful or decent hearing. Any
man who is fit to be governor or SEN
ator cannot discuss public questions N
any intelligent way if his time is
limited. Some plan must be devised
by which those candidates, who fill
the really important offices and who
will shape and control affairs, must be
given sufficient opportunity to make
the people understand whether or not
they are competent. Many of the po-
sitions which are sought are largely
ministerial and the duties are well de-
fined and these officers cannot change
or shape public policy in any material
degree. There is no good excuse or
reason why seven or eight candidates
for railroad commissioner and 10 or 20
for the other State offices shall be CIV
en- time at State campaign meeting
or so little time as to merely get up
and make their bow. In the last State
canvass it required about FIVE hours
for the respective candidates to speak,
allowing only thirty minutes for the
candidates for governor and ten min
uteS for the others, not counting the
candidates for United States senate
who usually came last. The limlta-
tion 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 fin
ally destroy the primary system itself;
and l am strongly of the opinion that
it would be well, indeed necessary, to
have two campaign days in each coun-
ty. say six weeks Or two months apart
at which certain specified candidates
shall address the people. The sug-
gestion has been made that there ought
to be Limitation on the number of
meetings to one in each congressional
district. This will never do, because
the people are entitled to see and hear
the men who seek their votes and II
such a system were adopted 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
be depended on entirely in order to get
any sort Of information as to what the
candidates were saying and what I'M
preston they made, and this would
mean the use Of the press by those
who were able to obtain its support to
control elections. Money would be freely
used, and this does not imply that the
press is venal. But few people take
daily papers, and nearly all the week
lies have patent outSidaS. Somehow
all of Senator McLaurin'S speeches
were published in these outsldeS or
sent as supplements. 1t was leglti-
mate advertising, but we do not want
rich men who are able to pay for such
advertising to have advantage OF poor
men who can not. The only safe way
is to have the candidates face the
voters and let each man decide for
himself. l warn the people against
Surrendering the right to Judge for
themselves. Government by newSpa-
pers may be very good thing, but the
people Of South Carolina repudiated it
in 1890 and l have no idea they are
going to return to it, and am there
fore prepared to urge the scheme l
have outlined. as the best which sug-
cests itself to US. The two sets Of
candidates could begin on opposite
sides of the State and thus not in
terfere with each other. The people
ought to devote at least two days to
the selection OF the best men and this
.,opp+ no hrOIlrbt 1hOut, without,