The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-07-27
HOW CLARENDON COZ IN FIRST DISTRICT.

stage at the auditorium. now IS
It that Clarendon was put IL the
First District. and when was II
done: Our recollection is that
the State was rediStricted by an
Act Of the General Assembly in
1902 to comply with the census
Of 1900 and the Constitution Of
the State and the United States.
Clarendon was formerly IN the
Sixth district which was com
posed OF Horny. Marion, Oar
linston, Marlboro, Florence and
Clarendon. The bill to redistrict
the State was introduced by
Hon. Cowper Patton Of Rich
land, we think, aud the, argu-
mert was that the districts must
be compact and contiguous. The
writer, together with the other
members OF the Clarendon dele
CATION. worked with might and
main to be allowed TO stay in the
Sixth, but on account Of the for
nation Of several new counties
since the redlstricting Act Of ten
years before, TO have permitted
Clarendon to stay in the Sixth
was impossible. We had to get
out and make new alignment.
After We found that Clarendon
could not remain in the district
where she had been for the pre-
vious ten years, one Of the del.
egation We cannot recall at this
time who it was, but he went TO
the committee in charge Of the
redis.ricting bill and urged to
have Clarendon placed with
Sumter, Lee, Orangeburg. Lex
ington and Richland. After he
had been to the committee he IN
formed the writer of what he
had done, and the writer remem-
bers making tbs reply: We'll;
if Clarendon goes in the Seventh
along with Lexington and Rich
land and Orangeburg it viii fare
ike it has always Jared, be a
vote furnisher only, therefore
under the circumstances it makes
but little difference whether We
are IN the First or the Seventh. ;"
So far as the writer is concerned
man from Clarendon stands but
little chance Of going TO congress
it matters not in which district
the county is lodged. But had th>:
committee been disposed to have
acceded to the request Of the
Clarendon delegation it would
have beenimposslble, and comply
with the Federal law. on ac-
count of population, which says
that congressional districts must
be compact and contiguous; the
purpose being to put a stop to the
Jerry Wandering" as was done
just after the Democratic party
came into power after the recon
strucsion period.
The rsdistricting which put
Clarendon in the same district
with Charleston was done about
ten years ago. and no power on
earth could have prevented the
formation any different. There is
a strong probability of the gener-
al assembly having to again re-
district the State because the cen
sus will show an increase of pop
ulation sufficient to give US per-
hapstwo more congressman, even
if We get an increase Of only one,
there viii have TO be provision
made for it by new arrangement
of the counties; when that occurs,
there is 60 telling where Claren-
don viii be placed, and there is no
man or delegation of men who can
put Clarendon where they please,
for the rest of the State has fin
ger in that pie and the districts
must come under the provisions
of the Federal law.
It gives Us pleasure to give TO
our readers our recollection Of
this matter, and although it has
been nearly ten years since the
redistricting took place in which
Clarendon was placed IN the group
of counties along with Charleston
and Berkeley, we remember
clearly that Clarendon:s deiesa-
ton in the general assembly had
tc submit to the taking this coun-
ty out Of the Sixth District be-
cause nothing else could oe done
and comply with the Federal laws
regulating such matters. But
when the new redistrictins takes
place which we are satisfied the |
present census will demand then /
ali Of the congressional districts
will have to be re-arransed, then
perhaps Clarendon will be able to
get into q group which Will give !
her better chance to send Z man !;
to congress.
It was reported to Us that. Ger
tain county Official who is very
much interested in the present
county campaign, although no:
a candidate this tine himself. out I
vii! pro o5ably be two years hence. !
was prancing about il the crowG
last Friday telling people that :
the writer is responsible for C!ar
endon being II the present con-
sreSsionai group Of counties, and /
tried tocreate the impression that
this formation was made recent
ly. OF course his purpose being
to drive votes to the candidate he