The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1913-01-17
TILLMAN AGAIN SAYS
REMEDY IS NECESSARY
Replies to Criticism of His Letter to
General Assembly Urging Safe
guard for Primary and Declares
that Honestly Conducted 1t is the
Best Solution.

Washington, Jan. ia day or
two ago the New York World had an
editorial criticising Senator Tillman's
open letter to the legislature of South
Carolina. Senator Tillman today re-
piled to this in his usual terse but
forcible way. The editorial in ques-
tion was as follows:
Senator Tillman has addressed to
the general assembly of South Caro-
lima an appeal for legislation to safe
guard primary elections, on the
ground that if the primary be not re-
formed there will be two parties in
South Carolina, as in other States,
and that in the struggle between
them the negro vote will be mobilized
and elections determined by bribery.
To add strength to his appeal he says
that it may be the last he will ever
address to the legislature, as he may
die before another election for sena-
tor comes.
Under the solemnity of this plea,
the letter will doubtless be read with
more attention than is usually given
to political advice. Nor will the at
tention be wasted. The argument is
striking illustration of ruling pas
sion strong to the verge of the grave.
But it is common to the blind given
by one who won't see. The greatest
event in the South today is that of
unnatural politics of government by a
single party, held together by race
prejudices. The best thing that could
befall South Carolina would be divis-
ion of her people into two well-bal-
anced parties. 1t would be far better
than any possible primary reform
that entailed the continuance of the
existing system. The senator's coun-
sci, while consistent with his career,
is inconsistent with the wisdom that
should come with age"
To this Senator Tillman replied:
"My attention has been called to
your editorial of the 10th, Bad Coun-
sci From Senator Tillman,' CRITICS.
ing my recent open letter to the gen.
eral assembly, of South Carolina urg-
ing legislation for the protection of
the primary system in our State.
"The world is a great Democratic
newspaper and its views always COM
mand attention they deserve.
"Let me call your attention to a
few facts. The number, Of negroes of
voting age in the State exceeds the
whites. All of these are not eligible
to register, but more and more are
becoming so'every day. The ignor-
ance and natural depravity of the ne
gro race wholly units them to parti-
cipate in government. While our
condition in South Carolina is not
ideal by any means, to have white
men struggling for the mastery with
the negroes as the balance of power,
say $4,000 of them, would be any
thing but pleasant. Can you imagine
any more prolific field for corruption
and bribery? If we could have the
voters of the State divided into two
well-balanced parties,' it would be far
better than the condition we are now
in. That is just what occurred in
the last primary. But there was
enough irregular and fraudulent
votes to cast suspicion on the pri-
mary. White men will not tolerate
the continuance of any such condi-
tions.
81 am urging the general assembly
to remedy it by legislation. You say
it is not necessary and you know abb
solutely nothing about it, but are
theorizing about government on gen.
eral, principles. know whereof I
speak. You are guessing. The ne
groes ought never to have been given
the ballot. Many Republicans in con-
gress now acknowledge this. But they
nave the ballot and we can not take
it away unless the North takes the
initiative to repeal the 18th and 18th
amendments. The white primary
honestly conducted is the best solu-
ton of our troubles.
"In some Northern States ignorant
foreigners, who know absolutely
nothing about American ideals and
American history, and can not either
read or write the English language,
control. There money gets in it's
dirty work of buying congressman
and electing senators by debauched
legislatures. The South has had none
of this so far, but if your counsel
should be followed we would soon
have enough of it and to spare.
Which is the better, honest white
primaries or corrupt Legislators elect