The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-04-29


And 1 take this occasion to say that
no other living South Carolinian
more willingly or gladly pays tribute
to his leadership or has a better
realization of the invaluable services
to his people and the State rendered
by this great man in '76.
THE HASKELL MOVEMENT.
It was only after the revolution of
1850 that there was anything like
freedom of political utterance and &C.
tion. The convulsion which brought
this about also brought with it an
attempt on the part of those who
were in the minority to withstand
the popular will; and some of those
who had been most clamorous for
party regularly and submission to
the dictates of convention in select
ing candidates bolted and ran Judge
Haskell for governor. The Haskell
movement was based largely on per
sonal opposition to me, and there
was never any question in regard to
the loyalty of those who supported
Judge Haskell to the general princi-
pies of Democracy in the nation.
Following the independent action of
the Haskellites came the rebellion
of those who voted against Cleve-
land for Weaver in '92, amounting
to some 1000 or more white votes,
mainly in Pickens and Oconee coun-
ties. Then '94 there was another
rebellion on account of the adoption
of the "Colleton plan" DIR. Pope
ran as an independent candidate for
governor and received several thou
sand white votes. So there have
been three attempts to resist the will
of the organized Democracy speak
ing through regular channels. In
each of these instances those who
had broken fealty with their fell
lows and who failed to support
the nominee of the party as they had
pledged, at the primaries to do were
forgiven and admitted back to fel,
lowship without any .7estion. In
each case those who resisted the
will of the party of course felt
justified in acting Independently, but
they were private soldiers so to speak
and the desire of our people for con-
tinued fellowship and good will
among the whites prevented their ex-
pulsion from the party, Now we are
confronted with q different condition
of affairs. The new constitution
adopted in 1895 has eliminated for
the presented the negro majority.
The number of negros eligible to
vote does not exceed Is, 900, but it is
constantly increasing and there may
be good many thousand who are
not registered who would be eligible
to registration. There have been in
the recent past evidences of Repub-
licanism cropping out in South Caro-
lima in various directions. There is
no doubt we shall soon have white
Republican party appealing to these
negro voters. The action of one OF
your United States senators in sdvo-
eating Republican doctrines and vot-
ing with that party on all essential
measures, contending all the while
that he is a Democrat and that he
has the right to define what De.
mocracy means has brought things
to a focus. The Democratic party
in South Carolina, and it is we'll un-
derstood that the State is overwhelm-
ingly Democratic, has right to be
honestly represented in the senate
and in the house and in fact / do not
believe the Democrats of the State
would Intentionally and willingly
elect man to any Office whose De-
mocracy was unsound if they knew
it. Our present danger is Republi-
canism in the disguise of Democracy.
Therefore the question has been
raised and it is now an issue and it
must be settled as to what constitutes
Democracy and who shall define it.
It Is contended that we should leave
the primary just as it is and make
no new rules and regulations to pre-
vent recurrence of the election of a
man or men whose Democracy does