The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-02-26
Gives His Position in Full as Il
Ordering the Election for Con-
gressman in First District
-''Equal Rights to All
Men and Special Priv
ileges to None"

SilOCLly dtLor COuS ESS5luoh AoS -
death l wrote to each county chairman
in the lst, Congressional district IN
order to get their views in regard to
holding a primary All OF them ans
wered, favoring the primary. 1 my
self, personally, favored it, as l have
always favored the primary in this
State. AS the candidates we're an
nounced, I addresseda a letter to each
of them, whether prospective candi-
dates or those positively announced,
and each Of them answered, favorins
the primary. I secured this informa-
tion for two reasons; first, so that when
the executive committee met l cou'd
furnish it to them, and. secondly, that
1 might order the general election al
such time as would give opportunity
for a primary to be held.
81 am member Of the State execu-
tive committee, but have not attended
meeting since the present chairman
was elected, and will not attend one
while he is chairman, I do not speak
to him, and never expect to-person-
ally, on business or otherwise. Con-
sequently l would not attend any meet
ing over which he presided, and if
should be so unfortunate as to be in
one where majority would select him
as their presiding officer, I would i'm
mediately retire.
"When the committee met here last
Friday 1 was exceedingly busy. having
just received from nv secretary, Col.
Aull. large number OF Bills which
had been ratified by the General AS
sembly aD6 were awaiting my sigma
ture. I thought, however, that the
committee would consult the Governor
not the member of the committee
from Newberry, but the Governor OF
the State. whose duty it was to order
the election, upon the time the pri-
! mary should be ordered. However,
the committee-or, at least. those who
met; understand there was not quo
rum present, and those in the meeting
had noright to transactany business-but
those who cid meet, following their US
ual custom OF last year. showed their
political bias and prejudice against the
present Governor by absolutely ignor-
ing him in the matter, and feel that l
am in no way bound TO recognize the
acts OF minority of committee, who
did not constitute quorum, when they
absolutely ignored me in the matter.
"Some time ago l announced to you
that would order the election possibly
the second Tuesday 10 April. but GER
tainly during the month OF April, for I
deemed it extremely important on ac-
count of Charlestoo's situation and To-
cation towards the Panama Canal, and
also for the reason that it has been
agreed that the appointments Of Presi-
dent Wilson in this State shall be gov
erned by the Congressman OF the re-
spective Districts-in view OF these
facts, I say, deemed it extremely i'm
portant for this important post at Wash
ington to be filled at the earliest pos
sible moment. I was surprised, then,
when saw that the committee had not
only ignored me, but had ignored the
date which I had suggested. aud post
poued the primary TO date which. If
it should be allowed to govern the date
for the general election, would drprive
this District of representative until
the end of the special session OF Con-
gress which President Wilson will Call,
which think would oe very detriment-
al to the best interests of the District,
and particularly to the port and city OF
Charleston.
However, to be frank with you and
with the people OF the District. / do not
think primary advisable if it is TO be
used as a means to rob candidates by
fierce. and I think it disyraceful and dis
gustipg that any bndv of white men
should say that another white map shall
pay the enormous and e1travagant sum
OF $500 for the bare privilege OF being
candidate in white mans primary in
South Carolina 1t is outrageous, be-
cause it utterly deprives the poor white
man Of the right Of entering the race.
By the time he raises this $500. and
then pays his absolutely necessary ex-
penses, and the contributions that will
be expected of him by the county COM
mittees, and the individual contribu-
lions which every candidate does pay,
and is forced 10 make under the disguise
OF charity, he will be ruined, if he is a
poor man, and. in short, it simply means
that nobody but corporation official.
or corporation-furnished-money candi-
date can get in the race. believe that
Is the purpose for which IT was done.
and If, as the Governor OF the people of
This State. can thwart it. believe it
is nv duty to do so, and I propose TO do
it. And l propose, in the next State
Convention, to make fight to fix the
assessments OF candidates, through 4
committee, and take it out OF the HANDS
OF set OF politicians who place them
selves as the special guardians Of the
people aud attempt TO deprive the poor
man of the privilege of entering race.
I guess if this crowd could fix the ass
essments next summer they would put
the assessment for the Uoited States
Senate so high that it would be aoso-
Iutely impossible for me to pay it, in
order that the corporations might elect
their candidate, an6 the poor people,
,,nlocc thev rOok nm q r,riyate Subscriu-