The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-08-05
TILLMAN DEMANDS REFORM
is A DANGER TO THE STATE.
[ Unless Protection is Given Honest
! Voters, Negro Electorate Will
be in Power, He Fears.

IA J0e cali IOT SdIe
guarding the Democratic primary
in South Carolina and advice that un-
less the Legislature acts at the next
session the state democracy should
hold a convention to adopt rules
milNtating against corruption are the
features of q letter from Senator
B. r. Tillman to r. NJ. Jefferies,
editor of The Walterboro Press and
standard of which The State has
received a copy.
In his letter Senator Tillman again
refersI to the charges OF corruption
in the First district election last
spring and intimates regret that the
whole matter was not investigated
by congress.
The senator says tina: unless the
legislature adopts somo Dill for the
protection of the primary and there
is such a bill i'll eparat:on--it is
incumbent on the Democrats of the
State to- call "onv enCion which will
amend the rules of the primary so
as to obviate the possibility Of corrup-
tion.
UnleI,s this is done, says Senator
TillmaTl, there is grave danger of the
elimination of the primary as reg
lister of the peoples will. This, he
saws, would leave the candidates for
eral election, with the ever-pTesent
danger of the serious introduction of
the negro vote.
Senator Tillman's letter follows.
THE QUESTION ANSWERED.
"I have Just received your valued
favor of July 80 and have read 1t
with great care. After citing my re-
cent interview about the purity of
elections in our state and defending
and safeguarding the primary, you
say: We take the liberty of asking
you for a statement concerning the
recent election in the first congress
sional district to name successor
to the late Hon. George S. Legare
You go on to say, There Ia ) been
much said concerning the use or
money in the first district, and we
are writing this to ask whether this
matter has been presented to you
Further, you ask whether this matter
has been officially brought to my at
tention, and whether / am in posi-
tion and intend to do anything in the
premises. In other words, 1t seems
that you desire me to discuss the
conditions in the first congressional
district brought about during the re-
cent primary.
"You close by saying, We are con-
vinced that the last election in this
district was a disgrace to our cleo
tion system etc.
Briefly, / can not go into details
or cover all the points your letter
would suggest, but I have this to
say:
NOT HIS PROVINCE.
mot being o member of the house
of representatives / can not with any
show of reason be expected to ac-
lively enter into the matter in that
body. I would regret exceedingly If
any of the members from South Car
olina should feel called upon to press
for an investigation Of the conditions
and charges of bribery which obtain
ed in the recent primary. There are
better ways to safeguard our pri-
mary than TO ventilate that election
here No one knows better than l
do that unless we do purify 1t and
make it's verdict more trustworthy
and reliable the people will have
nothing to do with it, 1t will be de-
stroyed as it should be, and those
who want high office in South Caro-
lima will be left to fight 1t out at the
polls when the legal election comes
off in November.
rms WOulu HeNlldDlN ItSull III
bringing the negroes back into our
politics All of them that could reg
ister would be registered and car
ried to the polls, led by white man
and protected by white men. Unless
we reform the entire system of crimi-
nal procedure SO as to guarantee con-
viction and punishment for violations
of law as we'll as guarantee feedom
form promiscuous pardoning Of Grim
inals, the State would soon grow so
corrupt and debased and its poll
ties so debauched that there would
be on living in 1t.
MUST NOT ALLOW 1T.
whatever else happens let us see
to It that the white people continue
as they now do to be the only ar
biters in our politics. We can not
afford-it would be crime If we
should do ito have the negroes
modified and become the controll-
ing factor in our elections. Even II
we are not able to stamp out the use
of money altogether-which we will
never be able to do IL the negroes
get control of our state government
again-we can purify our elections
and safeguard them, If the legisla-
ture of South Carolina will only do
it's duty when 1t meets again In JAM
uary. Men are at work now, as |
happen TO know, preparing bill
which will do this, according to the
law and constitution. This bill Will