The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-02-26
PARTY TROUBLES.
Repnh'i''ln Cr'Wd mt Charleston
Threatened With. Wreck in Storm
OF DiscOn!cnt

A special to The Augusta Chr.n.
icle from Charleston says:
The tffict holders under the pres
ent federal administration are hay
ing e hand eight to hold the party
within bounds. according to the g.n.
eral REPORTS and tn. situation is made
the more serious for he administra-
lion and its policies, by the fact that
not all Of the office-holders are said
to be loyal and helpful.
The Republican party has never
been known to stand together in
charleston and South Carolina, since
the days OF good Stealing" and rad
cal rule and as the party has given
evidence OF becoming harmonious.
something has broken out to mar the
harmony and monotony of things. In
solemn convention some time back.
the party leaders got together, or at
least, they claimed to have done so
and there was even talk at the time
OF showing their unity and dispost
ton to do some thing by putting out
a ticket for State Offices, but nothing
seems to hove come Of the movement
and now some of the leaders are
fighting shy of the efforts of the
Roosevelt administration to carry the
votes In the next Republican nomina.
tion convention to Secretary of War
Taft.
1t is to be expected that the Office
holders would prove loyal to the adj
ministration and interests which give
them employment. but such is not the
case, 1t appears, especially among
somo Of the negroes who have Offices
all because they feel that President
Roosevelt has not been as good a
friend to them as they think that he
should have been. and because they
would rather trade as usual with
other interests on the floor of the ma
tional nominating convention. In
fact, the opposition to the establish
cd order Of things. and the adminis-
tration support of Secretary Taft
seems to center largely along tine, col
ored people. although there are a
few colored ofiice-holders who are
true to the administration ard It's
policies.
In a local colored paper appears a
long communication Of L. w. c..
BlalocE. Of Laurens, recounting what
Capt John c. Capers. federal office-
distributor for South Carolina, has
done for the colored brother in the
party. but the editor Of the paper
takes exception to the claim o.
friendship. Notwithstanding the long
list Of negroes holding various Of
fees in the State and in Washington
departments, appointed or recon-
mended for appointment by .yapt. Ca
pers. and the editor proceeds to quote
an extract from the Columbia Daily
Record, attributing to Capt Capers
tho statement that, 80 long as he re I.
mained distributor Of federal patron
age in this State. negroes would not
be appointed to high public office. ex
cCpt In case Of absolute necessity"
To this position OF the federal dis
tributor. tho negro paper replies. pro-
noting mutipy in tho ranks, as fol-
lows:
"The negroes Of this State are fools
II they support man like this who
says that he would not endorse ne.
groes for high public Offices in this
State. The negroes Of this State
should make up their minds ard de-
termine that Capt Capers shall no
longer be .memLcr Of the national
Republican committee from a State
where he does not reside"
The trouble within the party nigh:
all have been avoided. a well.knowr
Republican states. II the negroes were
given to understand their position
definitely. as being. subordinate 70 the
white mem and it Is co1tended tha..
only by this arrangement will the lie
publican party ever be built up in
South Carolina and organization and
discipline maintained in the party.
1t remains to be seen how for tine
disanectt"n In the ranks Will carry
1t may be controlled but with Office.
holders. and especially the colored of.
fice-ht lders claiming that the aln,n-
istration, has MT dealt fairly with
the colored people, the loyal inter.
ests VIII have a hard time controlling
the faction OF .liSsenters
DARLINGTON is DISGUSTED.