Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-05-20
DEMOCRATS IN CONVENTION.
Harmonious Meeting Confined to
Routine.
PRIMARY RULES REMAIN UNCHANGED.

/
ileses to Registered Voters, and an
Effort to Have the State Convention
! Elect State Chairman, But Both
Propositions Failed.
Columbia State. Thursday.
| After a fight Of two hours in COM
mittees and nearly three hours on the
| floor Of the house, the state Democratic
convention last night killed two i'm
| portant changes suggested in the rules
and constitution. These changes were:
l. Requiring that the same qualifi-
cations obtain in the primary as in the
general election.
2. That the convention hereafter elect
| the chairman of the state Democratic
| executive committee instead of the
committee, as at present.
There were other matters brought up
and discussed but 1t was around these
| two propositions that members work.
| ed for or against and discussed in lob
bies and on the streets On the first
proposed change there was a roll call.
| On the second the vote was viva voce.
! Then there was q resolution con-
demning the United States attorney
general for his recent action In prose-
| cutting certain cotton dealers and also
commencing United States Senator
Smith for his stand in the matter
Everything else was routine and
| harmonious. In fact 1t could not have
been called anything but harmonious.
| With the exception Of some remarks
made last night ON the Stevenson res
| olution there was no feeling.
The State Chairman.
The fight as to the right of the con-
| IN nh M fat
| executive committee is familiar with
those who have followed the discussion
at the meeting of the state executive
committee. The Chesterfield delega-
| tion was instructed to urge a change
and w. F. Stevenson Of that county
| fought for change at the meeting Of
| the committee and on the floor Of the
| convention. 1t was on the floor of the
convention that there was some dis
| cussion between Jas. A. Hoyt Of this
| city, editor Of the Record, and Mr.. Ste
| venson. Mr.. Hoyt having stated local
ly that the proposed change was fight
on Gen. Jones because Of the latter's
interest in the Seminole company, be-
ing a director in that concern. This
cause Mr.. Stevenson denied and Mr..
Hoyt afterwards said that he was res
ponsible for the article and thought
that 1t was a personal fight on Gen.
Jones' The defeat Of the proposition
ended the incident.
The Primary Matter.
The fight was on article six Of the
party constitution with relation to the
primary elections.
The McMahan resolution upon which
the discussion was directed, in part
provided that after tine words "at this
election" ETC., strike out who have
been residents Of the state II months
and the county 60 days preceding the
general election" and to insert in lieu
thereof the words, whose names shall
appear on the registration books of the
county and who when they offer to
vote shall make oath that they are reg
| istered electors Of said county" Mr..
McMahan's resolution was the minority
| report of the committee. There were
several other resolutions along the
same lines. But the adoption Of the
report meant the defeat Of all.
When the convention was called to
order last night, Mr.. r. /. Manning,
chairman, read the report on number
Of matters submitted to this commit
tee.
A resolution urging all Democrats to
vote not only in the primary but in the
general election was adopted without
discussion.
The resolution called attention to
the fact that there should be a large
vote for Democratic congressman to
do away with usual contests before the
congressional committee and also the
fact that jury commissioners have a
larger field to select jurors.
The unfavorable report on propos-
ed resolution urging the general assem-
bly, to pass stricter game laws was
adopted without discussion, as was the
unfavorable report urging certain ma
| tional aid for good roads.
Condemns Wickershann.
A substitute for a resolution intro
duced by the Anderson delegation, con-
demning the efforts Of Attorney Cen
eral Wickersham in prosecution Of cot
ton bulls" was adopted.
The resolution:
BE it resolved, That the state DEM
| ocratic convention does hereby con-
denim the efforts Of Attorney General
Wickersham in his prosecution Of the
bull leaders in the New York Cotton
Exchange without proceeding against
the bear leaders, and we commend our
Junior senator E. D. Smith, for his ac-
tion in protecting the interests Of the
| cotton farmers Of the south"
The following resolution was then
adopted on motion Of Mr.. Stevenson by
| a rising vote:
Resolved, by the Democratic con-
vention of South Carolina, That the
sympathy of this convention be, and
| Is hereby, extended to our senior SEN
ator, the Hon. Benjamin r. Tillman, in
his recent illness and that this conven-
ton wishes him speedy and complete
restoration to health and strength,
trusting that he may soon be able to
resume his duties in that body where
he has so ably represented the DEM
ocrats of South Carolina for Is years"
The Platform.
The platform was then read and
adopted without discussion:
THE Democrats Of South Carolina,
in convention assembled, express their
qualification that the signs OF the times
point to general dissatisfaction with
the administration of the government
by the Republican party, and conSrat-
ulate the representatives of our party
in congress on the approval given their
course in the recent elections In Mas
sachusetts and New York, at which
Republicans were defeated and Demo-
Gratis sent to the congress in their
place. The people of all sections are
coming to realize that the Republican
party stands for special privileges at
the cost Of the multitude, and that
through the favortism shown to the
trusts by tariff legislation the country
is now suffering from conditions which
make the cost Of living so high that
even the Republican congress Is COM
PEELED 10 institute an investigation.
1.-The only substantial and lasting
relief is to be found in the adoption OF
the historic Democratic doctrine de-
manding a system Of tariff duties suffi-
cient to raise revenues adequate to the
economical administration of the gov
ernment. Material reductions should
be made in the tariff upon the neces-
stiles of life.
1.-The protective tariff makes posi-
BILE the combinations which are called
trusts and only by revision of tariff
duties downward can the growth of the
trusts be checked The failure Of the
Republican administration to enforce
the civil and criminal laws against the
trusts demonstrates anew the obliga-
tions Of that party to the trusts which
render 1t impossible for the country to
secure relief from that source. Favor
ing publicity of all campaign contribu-
tons, the Democratic party throughout
the country enters upon the coming
campaign for congress this fall as the
only agency to which the people can