The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-04-30
adopted in 1895 has eliminated

The number of negroes eligible to vot
does not exceed $4,000, but it is con
stantly increasing and there may be
good many thousand who are not res
istered who would be eligible to regis
tratlon. There have been in the receu
past evidences of Republication crop
ping out in South Carolina in variou
directions. There is no doubt we shal
soon have white Republican part
appealing to these negro voters.
The action of one of our Unlte
States Senators In advocating Republi
/ can doctrines and voting with tha
party on all essential measures, con
tending all the while that he is Dem
ocrat and that he has the right t,
define what Democracy means, ha
brought things to focus. The Dem
ocratic party in South Carolina, and it il
we'll understood that the State is over
whelmingly Democratic, has right tc
be honestly represented in the Senate
and IN the House, and in fact, 1 do mo-
believe the Democrats of the State
would Intentionally and willingly elect
any man to any office whose Democracy
was unsound if they knew it.
Our present danger is Republican,
ism in the guise Of Democracy. The re.
fore the question has been raised and
it is now an issue, and 1t must be set.
tied as to what constitutes Democracy
and who shall define it.. II is con-
tended that we should leave the pr.
mary just as it is and make no new
rules and regulations to prevent a re.
currence of the election of man or
men whose Democracy does not tally
with that of the national party. We
are urged to permit every man to vote
who will take the pledge, and not to
require of the candidate any other
pledge than the one now in force. To
the first proposition there can be no
serious objection. We need not be
solicitous about the rank and file; at
least do not think the time has vet
come when we must drive out of the
party individuals who will pledge them
selves to support the nominees, State
and national, though they may be dis.
loyal. Itwould be manifestly unfair to
permit Republicans TO vote in Demo-
cratic primary, thereby endangering,
election of genuine Democrat as
against some mugwump or traitor. 1
do not think, however there are
enough avowed Republicans who will
take the oath to make it necessary to
trace their records back to the preced-
ing November election and see wheth-
er they voted as they pledged them.
selves.
1t may in time become necessary TO
use the registration lists at the legal
election to purify the club lists, but we
cannot well make the rules so txacting
hat we will bar out men who want to
act independently in merely local mat
.ers. The fact that our fight is IN the
primary and not in the legal election,
and hardly half of the Democratic
votes are ever polled at the legal cleo
ion, would make it difficult to devise a
scheme to prove who or who had not
supported the nominees of the
party" will not, therefore, discuss
hat phase of the subject, but it is
matter of vital necessity that we should
make candidates define their attitude
and give explicit pledges as to their ac-
ions while In Oflice.
Senator McLaurin was charged with
in his race lin the
primary of '97, but he denied il bitter
y, and l thought he was honest. He
lenies it still, but his utterances now
ire all in endorsement of the Republi-
;an policy, and his votes tally with his
speeches. We must have a revision
of the pledge given by candidates
which will make it impossible for any
honorable man not Democrat to se-
cure the nomination, if we are TO keep
he party from being stabbed in the
back and not have repetition of the
disgraceful state of affairs.
AT this time South Carolina really
has no voice IN shaping public mat
ters in the Senate, and if she has a
voice the votes of the two Senators are
nearly always on opposite sides of any
given proposition. This is something
that does not obtain in any other Dem
ocratic State, and know of no way by
which we can guard against recur-
renee of this condition, except to re-
quire all candidates for the Senate,
State officers, Congressman and other
positions of honor and trust to pledge
faith and loyalty to the doctrines and
principles of the party as announced in
State and nationil conventions. This
will leas g their status as far as it can
be devised in words as absolutely
known.
Senator McLaurin is no longer o
factor in dealing with this question.
He is simply an illustration of what
might happen again under the present
loose regulations. While his actions
have shown the necessity for revision
of the pledge to be given by candi-
dates, the party can act without con-
sidering his case at all. 1t is even de-
sirable that be be given an opportu-
ity to go before the people and let
them show him how they feel about
his treachery. The revised pledge can
be required of all other Democrats
without charge of persecution or per-
sonal application. This is important
for the future welfare of the party.
Let him run il he desires to face the
people aud be elected If ne can get the
votes. If he can win in the primary
after his record is set before the peo.
pie he can Win much easier as an indie
pendent If he is denied admission
We do not want to be unjust to him
or to his followers.
If the Democracy of South Caro-
lima wants to put none but Democrat'
on guard it must decide the Democ
racy of each candidate by requiring
nledQa i'm writing that will dalina n.l.a,.