The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-11-01
THE PRIMARY.

iEE SN1MANl.
We believe that the situation would
be greatly improved if restrictions were
thrown around the primary so as 10 cut
out every man who is not entitled to
vote. Then it would be i very easy
matter to eliminate the undesirable
candidate. As sure as we live. the way
our primary elections are conducted is
the source OF great amount OF trouble.
1t matters not who man is he can vote
in the primary, and he never fails to
vote.-The Greenwood Journal.
That there is a desire on the
part of certain newspapers. and
politicians of the retired class, to
eliminate from the primaries a
certain class Of voters, is more
and more evident, and: in our
opinion, this very matter will
play an important part in the
making up Of the county conven-
tions. when the clubs have been
reorganized under the party rules
next May. The above paragraph
taken from our esteemed con.
temporary, is enough warning to
those who are opposed to elimi-
mating any portion of our white
citizenship from participating in
our primaries. We should like
for the Journal, and the others
with Similar views and purpose,
to explain what is meant by re-
strictions around the primary
that would be an easy matter
to eliminate the undesirable can
X didate, or $50 as to cut out
every man who is not entitled to
vote
The primary manner of nomi-
mating candidates in this State
is confined to the white voter
who is a Democrat. this same
white voter gave his service to
put the white man IN control Of
the government, this same white
man always stands ready to re-
spond tc a call to duty for the
support of the government, he
performs road and jury duty,
must aid the officers Of the law
when called upon, and perform
all of the acts required of citi-
zens, then why should he be elm
mated from the privilege of ex
ercising his right of suffrage? Is
1t because his vote is cast con-
trary to the wishes Of those who
now seek to roo him Of one Of his
most precious privileges?
How is it proposed to eliminate
''every man who is not entitled
to vote?" Under the existing
rules a man must have his name
on the club rolls certain time
before the primary, and to enroll
his name he must be of lawful
age and citizen Of the county
in which he proposes to vote, but
the scheme of these would be
eliminators is to secure delegates
to the county conventions who
will send delegates to the State
convention that will change the
party rules by making the privi
lege Of voting burdensome, hop
ing thereby to discourage an ele-
ment from exercising their rights
of franchise. To eliminate the
class objected to by those who
desire the rules of the party to
be changed, it is expected that a
rule will be made .Iring the
presentation of the tax receipt
and the registration certificate at
the primaries, just as is required
now of another element of our
citizenship at the general elec-
tions. If this should be done, we
believe it Will sure enough elm
mate a very large proportion of
the factory, shop and farm vote,
because, this class of voters are
not disposed to go through a
whole lot of red-tape proceed
ings, and possibly suffer a loss
of time from their work to secure
these certificates, and besides,
they would feel themselves as
specially ruled against by those
in political control; the conse-
quence would be that a shrewd
agitator could organize this peo-
pie having such a grievance, and
give to this State any amount of
trouble, not only in politics, but
it would extend to the agrlcultur
al and industrial affairs.
The primary system was IN
augurated to give every white
man in this State the privilege
Of a voice in the selection of the
officers to conduct the affairs of
the government; it SO happens
through this system men have
been elevated to political promi
nence in opposition to the wishes
of the element now clamoring to
change the party rules, so that
sit would be very easy matter
to eliminate the undesirable can
didate," this they propose to do
by cutting of the undesirable"
candidates source Of support;
when they put on such restric-
tions, the voter will regard the
game not worth the candle,
and not take the trouble to COM
ply so that he may vote. Then
when this has been brought
ABOUT, the selections of tn. otfi-
GERS will be practically in the
control of those who are now
wanting to eliminate the objec-