Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-03-01
The Middle of the Road.

because we deem our views or Such
great importance, but rather in justice
to ourselves, and for the satisfaction
of those who believe in the sincerity of
our motives, endeavor to make our
position as clear as 1t Is possible for
us to make it at the present moment.
First. Personally we have no inter-
est in the political fortunes or ambi-
tions of any individual in this state.
Second. Our only desire and aim is
the promotion, to the utmost of our
humble ability. of better political and
moral atmosphere in South Carolina
We do not see how this result can
possibly be brought by the perpetua-
ton of factional differences in the
state.
South Carolina has fully demonstrat-
ed her total incapacity for self-gov-
ernment. II 1t were not for the fact
that she is forcibly held in place by
the other states, she would, like many
Of the little South American republics,
be in constant state of revolution
This humiliating remark was made
In the presence of the writer recently
by an intelligent nonresident, and al
though we confess that our first i'm
pulse was a pretty hot rejoinder. real
izing that there was no intention to
give offense, we allowed it to pass,
and since then we have been wonder
ing how much truth there may have
been in the observation.
Here we have been having a legis-
lature passing law, governor Veto
ing it, and the legislature coming back
and passing it over the governors
veto. Not only Is this lack of har-
mony apparent as between the legisla-
tive and executive branches Of the
government, but 1t includes also the
judicial branch, from which. as the
result of bitter controversy with the
chief executive, we find the very chief
justice resigning this high position
and entering the political arena as a
candidate for the governorship,
Now we cannot believe that the
no apologist for Governor Blease, the
legislature or Chief Justice Jones.
We look upon the whole thing rather
as a tempest in a teapot" and feel
that the best interests Of the state
will be subserved by setting aside the
entire outfit and going back to the
people for fresh material.
What is the use. now that it has
been demonstrated that there can be
no effective prosecutions, and in what
way does it serve the public interests,
to gnaw and chew over. the dirty rags
of a dead dispensary? Why not cut
the whole thing out and make the in
dustrial and moral uplift of our peo-
pie the one paramount issue?
In a very recent issue, We stated
frankly the real basis of such support
as we were able to give Mr.. Feather
stone. 1t was not because Of any be-
lief in the idea that prohibition is an
infallible political panacea. This
writer admits that he was inclined
somewhat that way years ago, and al
though he has not yet reached the
point where he can apologize for or
Justify government sanction of the
liquor traffic, more age and experience
have taught him that there are still
other things in government. We be-
lieved and we still believe, that If
elected, Mr.. Featherstone would at
tain these things to greater extent
than any other man in the primary of
two years ago.
We have not sought to lead the po-
litical, industrial or moral thought of
the state. We recognize our utter in
capacity to do so, and we want to say
now and here that while we are not
insensible of the high compliment i'm
piled by the confidence with which a
number of our contemporaries seem to
be looking to us for guidance, we feel
too weak to assume the responsibility
they would put upon us. We are only
cropping in the dark like the rest, try
ing from time to time to make our
way in the direction Of such rays Of
light as appear. If in following us any
one should get lost, the only satisfac-
tion we will be able to offer will be
the explanation that we are doing the
best we could.
paramount issue-the only measure of
broad, general import-that has been
brought forward in this state for
years, was the warehouse bill. 1t
seemed to rise like a sun out of the
long Arctic night. AS much as we
desired to see the bill become a law,
we confess that we would not have
.esteemed it calamity had the gov
ernor vetoed it. Such a veto would
have meant that two-thirds of the
members of the general assembly
would have had to become it's defend
'ers on the stump, and Hon. John l..
McLaurin, author Of the bill, would
have been compelled to canvass the
state for governor. Just think of a
speech by Mr.. McLaurin in every
county in the state like that he made
before the committees of the house
and senate recently, and the educa
tional value of the same being further
amplified by the legislative and other
candidates. No, it would not necessa-
rily have meant the election of Mr..
McLaurin as governor, and that per-
haps would not have mattered, but the
educational value of such a campaign
would have been beyond estimate.
We do not desire to make any secret
of the fact that we think Mr.. McLau-
rim would make a good governor, and
we may as we'll confess too, that we
have tried to persuade him to become
a candidate; but he has firmly de-
clined except on the conditions recent
ly announced and as those conditions
failed to materialize, we are not con-
sidering him any further.
According to our view the rc-elec-
tinn nf Coyarnor Rlease Or tho cleo