The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-06-14
IT CANNOT WORK.

The Columbia Record suggests
a primary for the selection OF
delegates to a National conven-
ton, giving as its opinion that in
this way the choice Of the people
can be better obtained. We have
given this matter some thought
and at first was inclined to agree
with our contemporary but upon
more mature deliberation we have
reached the conclusion that it
would be impracticable. To have
a separate primary for delegates
to a National convention would
not secure the expression of
choice from the general mass Of
the Democratic vote of the State,
in all probability the voters as a
whole would let such an election
go by default because Of having
no local interest to bring the vote
out; it frequently happens IN
special primaries not over one
half of the vote Of county is
polled Notwithstanding an impor-
tant county Office is to be filed,
if the people will not turn out to
have a voice in their local affairs,
what can be expected of them
when they are called upon to
have a voice in the selection Of
delegates to nominate president
I'd vice president: The people
are very much worn out by these
elections anyway, and from year
to year they are becoming more
Indifferent, many urging that it
is a waste Of time to attend cleo.
tions because the only ones prof
tied by them are the candidates
for Office, it has gotten so there
is no interest taken in the con-
ventions which send delegates to
a. State convention, the club
meetings are poorly attended,
frequently there's no attendance,
and the president appoints dele
gates and they do not show up,
the county convention elects del
egates to a State convention and
proxies are used Or the county is
left with no representation, when
these are the conditions with the
present system, how much worse
will it be under a system Of voting
direct for delegates who are un-
known to the masses: Under the
system suggested by The Record
it is our opinion that it would re-
suit in a practical elimination of
the rural vote and confne the
selection Of the delegates to the
cities and towns, that it would
also have the effect Of eliminat-
ing the laboring vote as this ele-
ment will not spare the time from
their work to attend the election.
The primary elections are ex-
pensive, managers have to be
paid for their services, where is
this expense money to come from.
surely not out Of the pockets OF
those who would consent to sac
rifce their time and the expense
of attending a National conven
tion as delegates? It would not
be the proper thing for the State
to bear this enormous expense
out of it's treasury, then how
could the scheme be put into op-
Grafton and secure as good re-
suits as are gotten under the
present system we cannot see.
The rules Of the party need
amending in a number of partic
ulars, one thing should be espec
tally fixed that is the matter Of
representation in the county con
ventions, the practice now is to
send delegates from the number
of names on the club rolls When it
should be on basis Of the votes
cast by the clubs at the preceding
primary election; to illustrate, u
club has been 400 names on its
club roll, and in the election only