The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-01-02
Bad Precedent to Establish.

COuQLy WIS SuccSsSlul, LuS1S ID LuoSAi
bitterness, regrettable bitterness in
the old county" If The State will
take the trouble to ascertain the feel
ing among the largenumber'ofsDem-
ocrats in the new county who were
not allowed to vote on the question
as to whether the new county should
be formed or not, it will find that
there is more bitterness among them
than there is in any other part Of the
old county. These are the people who
are fighting for their rights in the
courts, and we think they are enti-
tied to a respectful hearing.
The State thinks that "the intima-
tions and allegations are serious, and
should not be made by one South
Carolina community against another
except under great and just provo
cation" That is true, and we claim
that the provocation in this case is
great and just. Suppose it had been
possible for the opponents of the new
county to so manipulate its lines as
to leave out of its boundaries the vot-
ing place of over a hundred Of its
advocates, thus debarring them from
voting, don't The State think these
disfranchised voters would be justifi-
ed in going to the courts to get their
rights. This is exactly the case of
the opponents Of the new county who
are seeking their rights in the courts.
1T seems to US" says the State,
"that the ills of which Orangeburg
complains are chiefly due to the law
providing for the formation of new
counties and not to the people of
Calhoun. They, of course, did the
best for themselves that the law al
lowed them to do" Orangeburg is
not complaining Of any ills. The COM
plant is made by the Democratic
voters who have been denied their
rights to vote on a question of vital
concern to them, and it is natural
that thew should have the sympathy
and support of the people of Or
angeburg and all who believe in
justice and fair play. If every one
of these disfranchised Democrats
were in favor Of the new county we
would be in honor bound as a Demo-
cratic paper to take the same posi-
tion that we now take.
The State claims that IF through
any technicality the recent election
is set aside there would have to
be another election, and conceding
all now claimed by the old county"
that in the next election the large
majority for the new county would
carry many of the opponents with it.
That would be all right. if all the
electors in the territory were allow
ed the privilege of voting. No one
could then object, and the danger
GUS precedent Of disfranchising
white voters would not have been
set for other new county organizers
to follow. Such a precedent, if al
allowed to stand, would surely be
followed by other people in other
parts of the State who wanted to es-
tablish new counties, and the unity
of the white people in South Caro-
lima would be a thing of the past.
Then the negro would be brought in
by the two factions of white people
and our political condition would be-
come 1ntolleraDle,
The State must also remember
that the majority would not be near
so large if it was not for the disfran-
chisement of so many voters and the
moral effect this disfranchisement
had on other voters who refused to
vote because they knew it would be
no use when so many Of those op-
posed to the new county were dis
franchised. The great injustice done
these disfranchised voters has embit-
tered them and their friends against
the new county to such an extent
that nothing could induce them to
vote for it. The desertions is more
likely to be from the advocates than
from the opponents of the new coun-
ty.
The Times and Democrat is con-
tending for a principle, and that
is that no Democrat should
be deprived of his right to vote,
when he is qualified to exercise it. If
the projectors of any new county
have the right to so run the lines of
a proposed new county as to disfran-
chise many of those who are opposed
to it's formation, and it is used as it