The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-09-11

this fraud the vote here was
largely increased. To this we
objected because we do not BE-
lieve there was fraud, on the
contrary. it was one Of the clean
est electlons Clarendon has ever
had, and the increased vote over
1910 was only natural, because
of the intense interest, and the
resentment the people felt for
the manner in which they were
treated last Spring, when by
methods that will not be repeat
ed in this county. they were mis-.
represented in the county and
the State conventions. We said
at the time that the gum.shoe
methods of the opposition to
Blease would be resented, and
we added, that conventions are
not always an honest representa-
ton of the sentiment of the peo
pie. Have we missed the mark?
The vote in the primary will an
swer. Without going into gilt
tering geueralities, let US get
down to the issue. Was fraud
practiced in Clarendon?
AS far back as 1890 there
W a S polled in Clarendon as
many as 1856 votes, from elec-
ton year to election year this
vote increased with varying tg-
ures; We recall one year there was
polled over I 900 votes, and sew
eral times over 1900, but Ill 1910
the vote fell off to l:57l; this
falling of was not due to the
population decreasing, but due to
the lack Of interest, many refus.
ing to vote for either Feather
stone or Blease, and because Of
the church interest manifested by
certain citizens, including women,
many remained away from the
polls altogether-the voters were
here, but they did not vote. this
however: should not justify a
correspondent in intimating that
because the vote was larger IN
1912 than in 1910 that a fraud was
perpetrated, thereby publishing
to the world that this people are
dishonest. Our complaint is, the
injustice done the people by the
publishing of such an intimation
when there is absolutely no proof
to sustain such; the very air is
now surcharged with the cry of
fraud, tt bowling comes from
the card llers; the frau d
screamers aptured the deck.
shufied, cut and dealt the cards,
aud now that they have lost they
holler fraud" The man who
goes to a circus and is induced
to 'scatch the greasy pig" comes
away with a wry face and com
plains of having been swindled
by the finn famer. but if the finn
flau gent slipped up in his manip-
ulation, and the Yokel won, Mr..
aim-fam would get the horse
laugh, did he go among his fel
lows complaining Of being cheat
ed. What the correspondent
says about "many beli e
there was a, great deal of fraud
ulent voting in this county, "
might be so, we have no way
of searching the minds of such
to know what they believe, they
may believe the moon is made of
green cheese, or that Theodore
, Roosevelt is a woman, they are
alone responsible for what they
believe, but it is, in our opinion,
an injurious policy to blazen out
to the world that our people are
set of thieves merely because
some have said they "believe"
the election was dishonest in this
county. 1t is a reflection which
deserves notice, especially, when
it is given publicity from nigh
source. We do not believe there
was fraud in this county, and
further, if such a charge was
"opeuly talked on the streets"
we failed to hear it, on the con-
trary, we talked with a number
of good men who know the con
ditions here, and voted for Judge
Jones, they agreed with US, the
Increased vote was not unnatural,
nor was it very large when the
voting strength is considered.
The number Of men who voted at
Silver live near that place and
we're interested in the Paxville
Magistrates race. They did not
vote in Manning. Ghis is Il fact.
The correspondent says he was
not writing a signed commuui
cation to argue a point to discuss
the fluctuations Of the vote in the
primary elections for any num-
Der of years past" This IS true,
but 1t does not alter the fact that
a wrong impression was created
which reflected upon the integ-
rity of the people OF Clarendon:
merely because some people
"believe that there was IL great
deal of fraudulent voting in this
county" and this is what we
complain of.
With regard to the charge that
"a certain young man III Man
ming" voted under age, We have
this to say, our information is,
that this young man applied for
a marriage license some time this