The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1910-03-09
LAURENs, S. c. MARCH 0, 1919.
RUNNING FOR THE LEGISLATURES,

hCNNbNN TOh inE LENISLil hE.
Twenty-Five years ago when the hue
and cry was raised in this state that
ring rule" was in the ascendancy,
one Of the little side yelps was that
Charleston county had too much power
in the Legislature and was ruling the
commonwealth That Charleston coun-
ty 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 III. Smonton,
Edward MCCrady, Rudolph Sielging,
George Lamb Buist and Augustine r.
Smythe, w. IL. Brawloy, James Simons,
John f.. FiCken and Simeon Hyde and
kept them there year after year and
term after term. There were few
weak men in the Charleston deicga-
tion in those days and any OF the men
named would have been prominent and
influential in the Congress of the
United States Just as they were in the
Legislature. OF course they eXerted
immense power. Trained brains can't
be kept down anywhere. Other coun-
ties sent able men but it was seldom
that one of their representatives re-
manned in Office more than two or four
years. After 1890 Charleston ceased
to send powerful delegations, though
a few coed men were scattered in
them, consequently the county's in
fluence decreased. Spartanburg coun-
ty, which has twice the Democratic
vote that Charleston has, commands
little more influence in the Lcgisla-
ture than does the average county for
the reason that no Spartanburg man
serves more than two terms and the
really big men of the county, barring
rare exceptions, refuse to go into poll
tics
A strong delegation in the Legisla
ture is of great value to county and
a weak delegation is Il handicap to it.
This applies not only to political af-
fairs but to business. We're the state
about to establish a new college or
other institution, the county without
strong men in the Legislature would
have little chance to secure it. Some
Of these days. five years or twenty-five
years hence, South Carolina may adopt
policy of state highway building and
the county with influential legislators
will have the better chance to obtain
q part of the assistance first.
The Legislature is the most import
ant body in the state. We laugh at
it and make jokes at it's expense but it
is the real government of the state;
1t is the starting and creating point
in state, county and city government
and nowhere else can n good man do
so much for his people as there. No
man is really worthy citizen if bust
ness selfishness 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
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
being placed in the position of beggars
when they know it to be 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 pre-
ferment though they know that they
are doing nothing of the kind.