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

those candidates who fill the really i'm
, portant offices, and who will shape auC
control affairs, must be gwen sufficient
opportunity to make the people under
stand whether or not they are compe
tent. Many of the positions which are
sought are largely ministerial and the
duties are well defined, a4u these oft
GERS cannot change or shape public
policy in any material degree. There
is no good excuse or as0n why seven
or eight candidates for railroad COM
missioner and fifteen or twenty of tn,
other State offices shall be given tim,
at State campaign meeting, or 80 lit
tie time as to merely get up and make
their bow.
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 Slate campaign meetings, and final
ly destroy the primary system itself,
and 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 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 if such a system 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 be 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 70 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
such advertising to have advantage of
the poor meu 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
themselves.
Government by newspapers may be-
a very good thing, but the people of
South Carolina ropudiated it in 1S9O,p
and l have no idea they are going to
return to it, and am therefore17
to urge the scheme L have
as the best which suggests it,
self to me. The two sets of candiiates.
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 the1
best men, and this cannot be brought
about without hearing them fully. If
the people lose interest in their gov,H
ernment that government must be}
come bad. Eternal vigilance is the|
price of liberty" ls as true now as1
when it was uttered. -