The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-08-13
THOUGHTS on VOTING.

Twelve days only will elapse be-
tween now and the primary election.
The result of this elcction-the nam
ing Of United States Senator, mem
bers Of the lower House Of Congress,
State Senators and members of the
Eousc-wili be looked upon by the
people everywhere as indicating the
intelligence and moral stamina Of the
citizenship Of South Carolina. I'm
trammelled by Republican opposition,
undisturbed by factional differences,
there can be no excuse for the selec-
tion of any man whose ignorance,
moral turpitude or want Of courage un-
fits him for the position he seeks to
fill.
1t is q we'll known fact that thou
sands of dollars have been wasted in
the enactment of laws in recent ses-
sions Of the Legislature which proved
to be unconstitutional, causing con-
fusion to the counties, delay in the
courts and much unnecessary trouble
and expense to private individuals.
VI such was the county government
law, the jury law, the drainage law
and some others. Can there be any
other cause assigned for this mislegis-
lation than ignorance? Surely there
can be found among those Offering
for public Office men of sufficient
brains, culture and honesty to fill the
positions, and he who feels pride in
his citizenship and hopes for progress
and prosperity should place the quail
fication Of man above friendship.
Ignorance is field in which grows
rank weeds Of vacillation. inconsist-
ency, weakness and unreasonable pre-
judices. Whatever of good grows in
such field is planted and nurtured
by other hands. tits not Indigenous.
In shot, an ignorant man is at best
merely the tool for intelligence and
likely to be used as often for bad pur-
poses as for good. The type of man
here represented is not without
friends. Some Of them have very
many, and to such we would suggest
that they will best conserve their
friendship and at the same time bene-
fit their State and honor themselves
by declining to cast their votes for
this friend. These remarks are d.
rected more especially to our State
Offices. 1t is plain, simple plea for
intelligence aud morals.
In the selection of representatives
for Congress, a Senator and members of
the House of Representatives, coupled
with intelligence and purity of life,
there should be undoubted moral cour-
age and dignity. The industrial bat
ties which must be fought out in the
near future in the halls of Congress
calls for the strongest men the State
can muster. Men Of ability, courage
and dignity who will stand amidst the
brains of the nation, alone if necessary,
and battle for the rights of the plain
people of our Southland against whom
the iniquitous laws of the Republican
party are operating in manner more
disastrous than they have ever thought
of. Legislation of the Republican
party encourages and fosters the enor-
nous combinations Of capital which
have restricted competition and ner-
ruwed the field of employment. The
small factory and small store is rapid
ly disappearing, and with them the
numerous opportunities Of beginning
life in moderate way and gradually
winning comfort and independence.
A small clerkship, with barely more
compensation than is sufficient for
support is about all the average young
man need hope to obtain. The pro-
tective tariff law, Republican meas.
ure, which brings about great corpor-
ate fortunes at the expense of the
plain people, operating against them
as an Indirect tax which they are
forced to pay on every article Of cloth
ing they wear and on every instrument
or too, they use in the various pur-
suits of life; these and other vicious
systems Of legislation which are grind
ing the people to desperation, must
be corrected, and it can only be done
by the selection of representatives
who have the courage of their convic-
tions and whose brains aud energies
will be constantly engaged in demand
ing the rights Of the people. What is
needed by the South in Congress is
men whose dignity and wisdom COM
mands hearing. 1t has been so and
can be again. Victory cannot be won