Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1906-07-04
T|LLMAh WON'T JOIN CAMPAIGN.
SENATOR DECLARES SHORT SPEECHES
NOT REQUIRED FOR HIM.

Senator Tillman has decided not to
join the regular campaign party which is
now touring the State. Instead he ys
home, responding to invitations to speak
at picuics and other special open air
meetings. He sends tho folio aing to
the press of the State:
Fellow Citizens: The primary system
of the Democratic party in South Caro-
lima is very largely my own work. The
canvass of the candidates from county to
and letting the people meet them face to
face is an essential and very valuable
feature of our political machinery.
The daily papers have always opposed
this program me because it broke up the
old system under which tho editors
of these papers exercised immense
power, and in q measure dictated our
tion changed 80 as to do away with
this State campaign, they have hit upon
device of rendering it imperative and
largely nugatory by giving very meagre,
unimportant and often garbled accounts
of the speeches. The people being told
that the candidates are saying nothing,
do not turn out to the meetings and this
makes the Plan a failure because the
people do not see or hear the men who
want their votes and the newspapers ac-
complish their purpose of controlling
our politics. The meetings are rendered
ridiculous by the short time given to any
candidate in which to present his views
and make known his qualifications. The
discussions instead of being educative,
enabling the voter to select the candidate
whose personality and platform are most
to his liking, are farces. No man can do
himself or any important subject justice
in tho 10, 20 or 80 minutes time allotted
to him under the plan now being carried
out and something must be done to
change this condition or government by
newspapers will come again to stay.
have no quarrel with the newspapers
of our State, but nothing ever broke up
the old ring which governed the State
prior to 1890 except tho joint discussions
between the candidates for Governor,
and nothing will restore the conditions
of ring rule 80 easily and inevitably as
to have such rules and regulations as are
now being carried out. Every candidate
wants hearing in every county, but he
does not get it and the people are un-
willing to lose the day, especially when
they are busy in their farms, listening to
the kind of speeches that are being made
and no other kind can be made under
the circumstances. There are about
twenty-five candidates, leaving out those
who have no opposition, and who, there
fore, have no need to speak, and where
a Congressional candidate has opposition,
this number is increased.
have something l want to say to the
people of the State, because believe it
is my duty to say it, but am unwilling
to Join the present State campaign party
and be limited in my speeches as l must
be. 1t would be unjust to the others If
were not limited. l therefore have de-
cided that | will attend none of tho
Stafa Can,nniun naafinus nnlaes
cially invited to do so by the county
executive committee and shall have all
of tho time l want. Instead, | give no.
tce that after the 7th of July, when
will make my first speech at Sandy Flat,
in Greenville county, l will be ready at
picnics or other public gatherings, to be
held always in the open air, at such time
and place as may be desired that l shall
speak to them. Of course, will reserve
the right to select the counties in which /
will accept invitations and will arrange
to accommodate as many as possible in
the month which will devote to this
work. l have no objection and will well
come the presence Of such other officials
and candidates as my friends may see fit
to invite. moments reflection will
show that the program now being carried
out of limited speeches would be alto
gether to my advantage, because Mr..
Lumpkin could never make much of an
impression in the limited time which
he can obtain. While he thinks candi-
dates for the Senate should not discuss
State issues, think very differently and
want to discuss them, but can do no
good and will make waste of lot of
valuable time which / had rather devote
to rest and recuperation after my hard
winters work, than follow the campaign
as it is being conducted. Mr.. Lumpkin
will be at liberty TO tell the people all
about national issues that do not know,
while ] will tell the people about State
affairs and how they have been msman-
aged and how they ought to be reformed.
At this time l have only two engage
ments in the State, one at Sandy Flat, in
Greenville county, on July 7th, and one
at Elloree, in Orangeburg county, on
July 14th, the place where made my
second speech in the State. AS soon as
l have arranged a schedule of meetings /
will announce the dates and places and L
shall hope to make the meetings thus
arranged both instructive and satisfac-
tory to those who may attend them.