Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-07-12
Tho State Canvass.


olina who think that the county to
county canvass now in progress
throughout the state, furnishes an
adequate and satisfactory means OF
filling the public offices with the best
men available; but we frankly confess
that we are not among those who so
think.
Years ago, after we began to real
ize how nominating conventions were
manipulated by political wire-pullers
and how frequently unfit and unaccept-
able men were foisted on the voters
under circumstances and conditions
that seemed to carry endorsement that
was not to be questioned, we were
glad to accept the primary plan as OF
fering the only reasonable hope OF
relief; but the great question that now
confronts us seems to be, cannot the
present system be still further i'm
proved?
It Is not ours to complain of free
for-all primary. We cannot conceive
of any other system that is fair and
lust to all or which is better calculated
to ensure and promote Democratic
government. While it is not to be de-
MED that the present system admits
of the candidacy Of all kinds of char
acters, including freaks, who are not
to be considered as possible office
holders, and while such are sometimes
elected, still it must be admitted that
for every fault or disadvantage that
can be argued against the system two
or more redeeming advantages can be
urged, and as imperfect as the present
plan may be, it appears to be about
the best thing there Is in sight.
But when it comes to this county
to county campaign, there Is very lit
tie good to be said Of it. Here we have
a crowd of candidates going over the
state talking to from 800 to 500 voters
in each county, in all less than one out
of twenty of the voters of the state,
and less than twenty minutes each,
even for men who are standing for an
office so important as the governor
ship itself. Among those who have
been candidates for governor have
been quite a number who had never
been heard of before outside of their
own counties, and the campaign has
furnished them no opportunity to con-
vince anybody whether they should be
hn of 70
for the other offices the condition is
even worse. They generally have from
5 to 10 minutes each, hardly time
enough to tell their names, occupa-
tions and places of residence and GER
tainly no time in which to convince
the average voter Of their fitness for
the position they are seeking.
Just how the whole situation is to
be remedied, we do not know. We
have no we'll defined plan to suggest.
It seems to us that the present system
might be improved in a number of
particulars; but, however, this may
be, we feel thoroughly well satisfied
that one of the first and most import
ant steps in the direction of improve
ment would be to abolish the cOmpul-
sorry feature of the county to county
canvass. Leave it to the candidates to
have such a canvass if they want it,
to arrange the itinerary for themselves,
and stick to the itinerary or not as
they may prefer.
We would not like to promise that
a free for all still hunt would be more
satisfactory than the present arrange
ment; but we are certainly unable to
see anything in the present arrange
ment that recommends it's efficiency
in the attainment of the object sought.