The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-05-01
TIE PRIMARY ALONE COUNTS.

TIE PRIMARY ALOhE GUMS.
The result of the election of
delegates to the county conven-
tlons throughout the State ap-
pears to be in favor Of Judge
Jones, but this does not signify
anything, for the reason, the
club meetings are never well at
tended, and as rule, where there
are no lines drawn to divide
those attending the meetings,
the election of delegates, as a
general thing, is mere perfume
tory. Jones may be able to have
an Overwhelming majority IN the
State convention or Blease may
have this majority, 1t does not
amount to anything more than
to give the partisans for the can
didate having this majority a lit
tie material to claim for their
man. Now, did Jones and the
Blease men draw lines as was
done in 1890, a better idea would
be had from the club elections.
We are glad, however, this was
not done, the game is not worth
the c1ndle. To the average man
it matters not whether Jones or
Blease is elected, except the
pride of choice, neither of them
can make taxes lower, put the
the public highways in better
condition, or help the public
schools. There is no issue Of
principles involved, both claim to
stand for the same things; each
proposes to help the State, and
both claim 20 be opposed to
changing the rules Of the Demo
cratic party, as is advocated by
by some, so it will restrict the
suffrage by requiring the exhi-
bition Of a registration certificate
as a qualification to vote in the
primary. We understand that
Blease and Jones oppose this.
# the State convention should
adopt a rule to require the regis
tration certificate in the primary
it will be a sad day for the State.
In our opinion. there will be a
revolution such as the State has
never witnessed before. The
masses are not going to stand
for their political privileges to
be placed upon a parity with the
negro; if those who by any kind
of tactics to get the State con-
vention, whether it was by an
open declaration for or against
Jones, or by gnmshoeing their
way to the convention, it mat
ters not, the masses Will not
stand for being obstructed in
their political rights; if the ne
cessity arises they will call for
a leader who will see to the
building up of an organization
that will preserve to them the
rights they made sacrifices for
when they drove an alien gang
from power.
The primary will tell the tale
as to who shall be governor, it
is not the clubs or the conven-
tons, at the primary the voter
goes to the polls, and votes his
choice, at the clubs ouly few at
tend, and these few, are fre
euenSly present by the special
request of some person who has
an axe to grand, while the large
majority rest contented until
their time comes to exercise
their right of selection where it
will count.
It has come under the writer's
observation frequently, a little
click of shrewd men at a club
meeting or a convention, carry
things their own way, but when
the true test comes-the primary
their shrewdness is not so
potent, and they are made to go
away back and sit down; there
fore, we say, the manipulatlons
of a club meeting or a conven-
tion does not signify anything
whatever, the convention merely
gives the politician temporary
advantage to boast, while the
primary does the work and gives
to the masses what they want
whether it suits a coterie Of pol
iticians or not,
We well remember how things
political were in 1890, the politi-
clans then in control carried
everything before them until
the people woke up and took a
hand in the game, the result is
a matter of history known to all.
Two years ago the State conven-
sion had large majority Of men
in it opposed to Candidate Blease.
Col. Featherstone would have
been the nominee had that con-
vention had the power to nomi-
nate. The candidates went into
the primary, Col. Featherstone
was defeated. We mention this
merely to show that the conven-
tions are not an indication Of the
choice of the people, often more
misrepresentation Of the people
than representative Of them.
When the candidates go before
the people who at last must set
tie the contention and make the
choice, each candidate will be
measured for his full worth,
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