The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-09-28
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
A VIEW FROM ABROAD.

a VIEW chVM AoAOAO.
We are in receipt of a letter
from a'former South Carolinian,
now living in West Virginia, ask
ing US to write an editorial on
the subject ssIn South Carolina,
there is no God save the Dispen-
sary, and Tillman is it's Prophet. :"
This correspondent evidently
keeps posted on South Carolina
politics and has reached the con-
clusion that the entire popula-
tion worship at the dispensary
shrine, and regard Tillman as an
idol. He is mistaken, the only
part of our population thus be-
nighted are the politicians, and
they would not be so, if they had
the manhood to acknowledge the
ownership of their souls, and
strike the political shackles from
their limbs. Our political sys-
TEN, is virtually a deed conveyed
to those in charge of the party
machine, and it viii continue to
be so until the people take more
interest in our political affairs
when the reorganization time
comes. Every two years the
party is supposed to be reorgan-
lied, clubs are called together,
very few attend, and the same
set of delegates attend the con-
vention from year to year, as it
is in the county, so it is in the
State, with the result that the
same gang of politicians continue
in possession of the machinery,
and use it for their own aggran-
dizement. In this way Tillman
is made the Idol, and the dispen
sary is the test of loyalty, hon
or and ability: it is surpris-
ing to look upon the manner of
men who fall down and worship
at the shrine Of these false gods
for the sake of Office. We favor
the dispensary as a money max
ing scheme, and to regulate an
evil, but there are those who are
not in favor of it, and have op-
posed it as an iniquitous scheme
which is damning the souls of
men, robbing the church, and
defling homes, yet the greed for
Office made them bow down be-
fore this juggernaut, and give a
false sound to the note of their
religious professions.
We are not surprised that peo-
pie living in other States should
think the people Of this State
are withouta God, save ''the Dis
pensary and Tillman," when in
the columns Of the newspapers
in the recent past, candidates
made their loyalty to both the
Dispensary and Tillman, para
mount. Character, and ability
was a secondary consideration,
just so. a man stuck close to the
Dispensary and Tillman, his Gre
dentials were marked 80 K" by
the powers for the enslaved vot-
ers. There will be a better time
we believe, the indications point
strongly in the direction of puri-
tying our politics.
We believe, if the proper agi-
tating is done just before party
reorganization two years hence,
the county and State conventions
will be in the control of men who
viii change the party constitu-
ton and rules so that a candi-
date for Office need not stultify
himself in order to secure votes
political preferment, nor need he
be required to accept issues
which are repugnant to his priu-
ciples, When this is done men
of ability will regard it an honor
) to stand for public Office, and
we will be rid Of the gang of
time servers who are barnacles
upon our body polite, and who
are fast bringing the State into
disrepute, and the law in con-
tempt.