Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-03-18
Nistrllanruus Arading.
THE LEGISLATURE.
Why It Is Important to Elect Good
Men as Lawmakers.

Twenty five years ago when the hue
ring rule" was in the ascendancy, one
of the little side yelps was that Charles
ton county had too much power in the
legislature and was ruling the com
had more power than other counties
was true, but the explanation in the
main part Of it. was plain. Beginning
with 1878 or 1880, when the Democrats
regained control in Charleston. the
county sent to the legislature such men
as the late Charles II. SimOnton, Ed
ward McCrady. Rudolph Siegling,
George Lamb Buist and Augustine T..
Smythe. w. H. Brawley, James ST.
mons. John F. F'icken and Simeon
Hyde. and kept them there year after
year and term after term. There were
few weak men in the Charleston dele
cation in those days, and any of the
men named would have been promi-
nent and influential in the congress Of
the legislature. OF course, they ex-
erted immense power. Trained brains
can't be kept down anywhere. Other
counties sent able men, but it was sell
dom that one of their representatives
remained in office more than two or
four years. After 1890 Charleston
ceased to send powerful delegations,
though a few good men were scattered
in them, consequently the county's in
fuence decreased. Spartanburg coun-
~, which has twice the Democratic vote
that Charleston has, commands little
more influence in the Legislature than
does the average county for the rea-
son that no Spartanburg man serves
more than two terms and the really big
men of the county, barring rare eXcep-
tions, refuse to go into politics.
A strong delegation in the legislature
is Of great value to county and a
weak delegation is a handicap to it..
This applies not only to political affairs
but to business. Were the state about
to establish new college or other in
stitution, the county without strong
men in the legislature would have lit
tie chance to secure it. Some Of these
days, five years or twenty-five years
hence, South Carolina may adopt a
policy of state highway building, and
the county with influential legislators
will have the better chance to obtain a
part of the assistance first
The legislature is the most important
body in the state. We laugh at it and
make Jokes at its expense, but it is the
real government of the state: it is the
starting and creating point in state,
county and city government, and no
where else can a good man do so much
for his people as there. No man Is
really a worthy citizen if business sell
fishness prevents him from running for
the legislature, and the truth is that the
man who is too big to go into politics
is actually very small.
What the people ought to learn is
that when men of character and brains
offer for the legislature, they confer a
favor upon the people and the voters
ought to encourage such men to enter
the primaries. Such men do not like to
run for office, because they resent be-
ing placed in the position Of besgars
when they know it to be a false posi-
tion. At the same time, the best men
are those who will serve their county
and their state, however they are made
to appear that they are seeking pref
erment, though they know that they
are doing nothing of the kind.-Laur-
ems Advertiser.