The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-03-13
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DO NOT oBsTRUCT THE BALLOT.

q munlclpal election, tlie ~ l~i" ;
to take place April 3oth, but IN
order to vote in said primary, I
man must not only have his reg
ular registration certificate. but
he is also required to have 4 city
registration certificate: not only
this the voter can be challenged
at the polls. The following IS
the rule which. in our opinion:
can cause many voters to lose
their right of suffrage: Should
the vote of any person who IS
registered. as required by law,
be challenged on the ground of
his not being a Democrat, or on
other good and sufficient ground:
he shall not be allowed to vote
unless vouched for to the salts
faction of the managers by some
known Democrat or Democrats.
The managers shall be the sole
Judges as to who shall be allow
Cd to vote" 1t has come to a
pretty pass when an election
shall be placed in the control Of
the managers selected by those
in power; according to this rule
in the city of Columbia, the man
ayers can allow whom they
please to vote and reject any
they please, thus making the
managers the machine to make
or unmake the city government.
So far as the Columbia is con
cerned. we have no interest IN
how they manage their mun'-
cipal affairs, but there is an ele-
ment in this State who is anxi-
Gus to have similar rule in the
Democratic primary for the
State; unless the people are
aroused to their interests, the
party rules will be changed to
deprive thousands Of white men
OF their right to have a voice IN
this government. If a voter is
challenged he shall not be per-
mitted to vote unless be brings
to the managers such evidence
as they will oe satisfied with
that he is d Democrat. Can 1t
not be seen how easily an cleo
ton can berun to suit the friends
of a candidate who happens to
be ncontrol Of the selection OF
the managers? A man applies to
vote. some one interested In the
candidate whom the voter is
sbout to vote against, his vote
is challenged on the ground OF
not being a Democrat, or TOR
some other reason, the voter
must then go off to hunt for
some one who Will vouch for
him, and when the voucher ap-
pears the managers are not satls,
led with the evidence, thus the
man loses his vote, even though
he has in his possession his State
and County registration certlh-
cate and his tax receipt; these
will avail him nothing if the
managers are disposed to keep
him from voting. Then, who IS
to say whether man is a Dem.
ocrat or not. if it is not the per
son applying to vote: How can
any other person vouch for a
mans Democracy: The whole
scheme to our mind is to place
as many obstacles in the way Of
voting as possible so that those
living away from the cities will
not 60 to the trouble to comply
with the conditions required.
Suppose the State Democratic
Convention should make SINH
lar requirement as Columbia has
done. does not every reasoning
man know that the rural vote
will be greatly reduced: Does he
not also know that the laboring
voters of the towns and cities
will not lose the time from their
work to comply with such re-
ouirements? The people are not
prone to go much trouble to
vote in the primaries now, and
it takes an active canvass to IN
duce them to turn out: If the
weather is bad. or they are busy
with their work, they hesitate
about going to the polls, out
now, if they are to be hampered
with a lot of tantalizing require
ments they will leave the elec.
tions alone in disgust.
There is no necessity to load
up the people with requirements
other than those we now have,
and which they are accustomed
to. The placing the name upon
a club roll not less than five days
before the primary, and oath to
abide the result, and to support
the nominee is sufficient for ali
purposes. Why is it there is a
desire to cut down the vote IN
the primary: DO any but white
men vote in the primary except
the little handful Of negroes who
voted for Hampton in 1876, and
continuously voted the Demo.
cratic ticket ever since: Then
why, we ask is It that every
rerent election year. there is an
attempt made to force the gen
eral election requirements on the
primary:
The only reason we can give
is that certain interests cannot
get such legislation as they de
Sj,.a NnGpr present conditions