The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-06-27
PLAYING A LONE HAND.
SENATOR zTILLMAN.s PLAN TO
CANVASS THE STATE.
Senator Tillrnan Has Made Only Two
Engagements So Far-He Will Ac-
cent Invitations to Other Places.

Fellow C1uZenS. 1Ne primary SyS-
TEN of the Democratic party in South
| Carolina is very largely my own work
The canvass of the candidates from
county to county seeking Office, dis
cussing issues and letting the people
meet them face to face, is an essen
tial and very valuable feature Of our
political machinery. The daily papers
have always opposed this programme
because it broke up the old system
| under which the editors of those pa
pers exercised immense power, and in
a measure dictated our politics. I'm
able to get the Constitution changed
so as to do away with this State cam
paign, they have hit upon device Of
rendering it imperative and largely
nugatory by giving very meagre, I'M
| important and often garbled accounts
of the speeches. The people being
told thas the candidates are saying
| nothing, do not turn out to the meet
ings, and this makes the plan fail
! ure because the people do not see
or hear the men who want their votes,
and the newspapers accomplish their
purpose of controlling our politics.
The meetings are rendered ridicu-
lous by the short time given to any
candidate in which to present his
views and make known his qualifca-
tions. The discussions, instead of be-
ing 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 i'm
the 10, 20 or 80 minutes time allotted
to him under the plan now being car
ried out, and something must be done
to change this condition or govern
ment by newspaper will come again
to stay. I have no quarrel with the
newspapers of our State, but nothing
ever broke up the old ring which gov
erned the State prior to 1890 except
the joint. discussions between the
candidates for governor, and nothing
will restore the conditions of ring rule
SO easily and inevitably as to have
such rules and regulations as. are now
| ~ sDS ENxyn,~
wants a hearing every county, but
he does not get it, and the people are
unwilling to Lose the day, especially
when they are busy in their farms,
listening to the kinds of speeches that
are being made and no other kind can
be made under the circumstances.
There are about twenty-five candi-
dates, leaving out those who have no
opposition, and who, therefore, have
no need to speak, and where con-
gressional candidate has opposition
this number is increased.
I have something I want to say to
the people of the State because be-
lieve>it is my duty to say it, but am
unwilling to join the present State
campaign party and and be limited in
my speeches as must be. It would be
unjust to the others were I not limited.
I, therefore, have decided that I will
attend none of the State campaign
meetings Unless specially invited to
do so by the executive committee and
shall have all of the time want. In
stead I give notice that after the 7th
Of July, when I will make my first
speech at Sunday Flat, in Greenville
county, I will be ready and am de-
sirous Of the opportunity to address
the people at picnics or other pubic
places, and that there has been a
gatherings to be held always in the
open air at such time and place as
may be desired that I shall speak to
them. Of course, I will reserve the
right to select the counties in which
I will accept invitations and will ar
range to accommodate as many as
possible in the month which I will
devote to this work. I have no OBJ
lection and will welcome the presence
of such other officials and candidates
as my friends may see fit to invite.
A moments reflection will show
that the programme now being car
ried out of limited speeches would be
altogether to my advantage, because
Mr. Lumpkin could never make much
of an impression in the limited time
which he can obtain While he thinks
candidates for the Senate should not
discuss State issues, think very diff
ferently and want to discuss them,
but I can do no good and will waste
a lot Of valuable time, which 1 had
rather devote to rest and recuperation
after my hard winters work than fol-
low the campaign as it is being con-