Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-09-20
The PRIMARY SYSTEM.

So long mas the present PRIMARY
system been established in South Car
olina that there are men of forty five
and fifty years who have forgotten its
actual relation to a real election.
York county had the primary system
of nominating officers as far back as
1880: but the system was not generally
established over the state until 1892.
AS originally established in York
county, the primary election was SIM
lar to a general election. in that
whichever candidate received the larg-
est number of votes was declared the
nominee of the party.
The restrictions on a white man to
the right to vote was that he must be
twenty-one years of age and must
pledge himself to support the nominee.
Negroes was required to swear that
they had voted for Hampton in 1876
and had continued to vote the Demo-
cratic ticket ever since. Where a
question was raised as to whether a
negro had voted for Hampton in 1876,
the matter was settled in the affirma-
tion by one or more reputable white
men.
The club roll system came into
vogue under the rules established by
the Tillman regime.
There were two or three slight
breaks from the original primary in
this county to the general election, but
none of them ever cut any figure as to
practical results, and the system be-
came firmly established. The weak
ness Of it was the rule that permitted
a mere plurality to nominate. This
furnished opportunity for manipulation
by bringing out additional candidates
In the stroneholds of the stronger cam
dates for the purpose or weakening
them.
The result of the first primary cleo
ton in York county which was held on
September 16, 1880, was as follows:
For the Senate. D. WitherspoOn
(without opposition) 2,166.
House of Representatives-Joh G.
Black 1897; ]. c. Chambers, 555; John
P. Gage, 444; Peter Garrison, TIA; W.
Porter Good, 634; James F. Hart, 1,057;
Iredell Jones, 1889; Benz. Massey, l.
06S: VIM. H. Stewart, 1872.
County Commissioners-Jam b.
Allison, 1,041; Alex M. Black, 3S7; W.
H. Carroll, 1877; Ephraim L. Glenn, 6O2;
Ira Hardin. 497; John M. Jackson, 719;
Andrew F. Lindsay, 652; A. F. McCon-
NELL 252; Jeff V. McFadden, 5O5; VIM.
A. Robinson. 369; James Scoggins 1852;
L. Milton Wallace, $50; Calvin Whlso-
IldnI, 100, w. w. w HllS, loO'
County Treasurer-James M. Hope,
$50; ]. Ernest Lowry, 2O5; Robert D.
Mcknight, 407; Hyder A. D. Nicely, l.
054; James A. Wallace 140.
County Auditor-Elwood f. Bell,
10: VIM. S. May. 422; John M. Sherrer,
297; VIM. B. Williams, $50; c. Scott
Wilson, 251; A. Springs Withers, Sal.
Clerk of the Court-Wm. E. Erwin,
SO; w. H. McCorkle, TAP; Jos F. Wal
lace, 1,341.
Probate Judge-William B. McCaw,
1876; Joseph A. Mclean, 1877.
Sheriff-Robert H. Glenn, 1,671; VIM.
j. Stephenson, $40.
School Commissioner-John B. Good
346; Robert Latham, 1927.
Total number of white voters-2,121
Total number of colored voters-S9.
Total vote cast-2,210.
In the general election that year
York county cast 6.269 votes, Of which
1907 were for Hancock electors and
1852 for Garfield electors. Johnson
Hagood for governor, without opposi-
ton, received 1859 votes. John H.
Evans, the Democratic candidate for
congress, received 3,S47 votes, and Abb
SALON Blythe, the Republican candi-
date, received 2,347 votes. The largest
vote received by a Republican candl-
date for a county office-75.