The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-01-15
PROTECT PRIMARY
SENATOR TILLAAN URGES S0hE
REFORM By Law
STATE IS In JEOPARDY

STATE IS In JEOPARDY
The Senator Fears That Good Gov.
ernment is Doomed Unless Legis-
lation is Enacted 10 Put the Prf.
mary Substantially Under the
Same Regulations as tho General
Election.
eve must either reform the PR
mary system by law or see 1t de-
warns Senator BENJAMIN Ryan TILL
man, in an open letter to the South
Carolina General Assembly, soon to
meet, in which 1t Is urged that legis-
lation be enacted to safeguard the
primary system Of election in this
State. "If We do not safeguard the
primary system" writes Senator TILL
man, "snd make it above suspicion,
good government in the State Is
doomed" The senior Senator again
warns the people against the negro
being used in politics under white
leadership; if the black population
be thus modified, he thinks, Offices
OF trust and power will become mere
"pawns in the game Of politics, to be
bought by the highest bidders" Fol-
lowing is the statement:
II dislike = have the appearance
| even OF assuming the right to die
tate to the General Assembly, ana
such is not my purpose now. But for
reasons unnecessary to enumerate Z
feel that have q duty to perform
| in the present instance.
"The angry passions aroused last
summer in the State campaign for
Governor have in a measure subsie-
cd, and the people have cooled or.
To my mind there was great danger
to white supremacy and Democratic
unity which is now happily passed.
But unless every possible safeguard Is
thrown around the primary system,
by law, rules and regulations made
so plain and Of such Just and reas-
enable nature as to compel honesty
land fair play IN the primary-the sys-
TEN Is doomed and the people Of the
| State will settle their political differ
|ences at the polls in November just as
they do now IN all border and North
ern States.
There are many people in South
Carolina who would be glad to see
two white parties in the State. Were
conditions different I myself would
like to have two white parties. bul
as things are now I. would mean the
mobilization Of the negro and his &C
tive and aggressive return to State
politics under white leadership.
l "I know Of no calamity create.
than this that could overtake ou,
people. speak advisedly. for went
through the reconstruction period
and know the degradation to whicr
our people sank. the rottenness anc
, corruption that were N our politics
and made our Government by-wort
and hissing, and know how hare
It was to get the white men to line
up shoulder to shoulder and throw
of tho yoke. From 1858 to 1875
We had the y1lest and most corrup
Government in South Carolina tha
has ever existed in any State Of tns
Union, except Louisiana.
'The negroes outnumber us II
South Carolina by more than one
hundred and fifty thousand, and
large number Of them are either reg
istered or eligible for registration
II they should ever be modified ant
led to the polls by white men, in thu
struggle for mastery and control
|, then we can never save the State
from repetition Of even greater
corruption than we nave already en-
dured. The State corporations ant
Standard Oil, to say nothing Of th'
; railroads. would use money lavishly
, and the Governorship and the United
, States senatorships, to say nothin.
Of the Congressional delegation
would become pawns In the game o.
politics to be bought by the hishes
bidders.
81 "The Democratic party os soutl
, Carolina, when it meets again Il
: Convention, will no doubt deal with
: this question, but the Legislature
, ought to deal with 1t now, at thi!
> coming session, while the memory II
fresh and knowledge Of intensity O.
? feeling has not faded away.
81 cannot and will not indicate
) just what sort Of a law the Legisla
: ture ought to pass. The details mus
be worked out In committee, but
can and will outline the general pol
icy which should govern Us in this
crisis:
II "First: The primary ought to bs
honest ana fa1r and ABOVE all sus
picion.
, Second: No man ought to Object
to whatever expense and trouble are
necessary to secure such registration
, and preparation OF tho Democratic
|, club rolls as will insure honesty and
, fair play. It must not be lett to haz'
, ard and guess work.
. Third: Stringent rules and reg
, ulations are required. No man
should participate in the primary tc
nominate who Is not willing and able
to stand the test Of registration to
; participate In the general election.
"The rules should oe few, plain
and simple, but they must be enact
od 3DSo 1av IN or5er m comma? eom.