The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-09-07
CARD FROM me. LEVER
Gives Convincing Reasons Why democrats
Should Register.

EDITOR THE SUMTER i1ERALD:-
Intii. rush aud hurry TT tti- CAM
paigu I have l,e,.n tliaking iu 0''- III
serest of more thorough r-gistra ton
of the Democratic vo,rrs, l iuhdver-
tentiy, in my statement to the pr-SS.
said that the first Monday in Sep
tember was the last day Of registra-
ton. A more careful examination
nf the law shows that We haye two
more days for registration, namely.
the first Monday in September aid
the first Monday in October. The
general election this year comes on
the Tuesday after the first Monday
i'm November. which is theSth day of
the mouth. The-law provides that
the registration books shall be kept
open every first Monday up until
thirty days immediately preceding
the general election, aud, therefore,
the registration books will have to
be kept open for the registration OF
voters ON the first Monday in Octo-
Der.
nv experience in handling the
contests that We have had to make
in congress, conyiuces me that we
are very much weakened. by. the
small vote in the general election,
and nv inforInation is that in some
counties of the district, hardly one
third af the Democratic vote is reg
isterel and qualified to vote. This
fis an unhealthy state of affairs. /
the next house is Republican, by Il
small majority, q contest from TINS
district would be most dangerous
matter. There are ,nany good men.
Republicans, in congress. who SYM
pathize with us in our effort TO solve
the Southern problem, and If every
thing is favorable, they are with us !;
but when we come to them with u
vote of four or five thousand, they
Immediately begin to compare their
vote of forty or fifty thousand with
ours. and the comparison is not at
all favorable to our cause. The he.
publican platform demands that
Southern epresentation be reduced
IN proportion to the disfranchise.-
nlent of the vote iii tile. Southern
states, and in districts from which
there is Il contest, small vote is ike
"a wet biauket-aln1ost smnthering
Democratic liope.of success before a
hostile committee.
It is important, therefore, that
every man should get his reglstra-
tion certificate, a0d, not only that,
but thas he should vote III the gen.
erai election on November 9Th. The
primary settles nothing. It is only
a method of naming the standard
bearers Of the Democratic party in
this State. To elect we must go one
step further and vote In the general
election.
In this campaign, although with
out opposition Within the party, 1
have gone from place to place to
urge upon the people the great i'm
portance of registering and voting in
the general election. I am much en-
couraged from the reports | have re-
ceiyed from the boards Of regI>tra-
ton. The people must remember
that in order to qualify themselves
to vote, they must not only have a
registration certificate, but q tax re-
celps for the last fiscal year. Get a
certificate and pin it TO your tax re-
ceiot and on November 9Th be sure
that you, yourself, nnt only 90 to tie
election, but that you take your
friend with You in order that the
vote in this district may be as large
as possible. It is a most important
matter and We must not forget.
Very truly yours.
A. F. Lever.