Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-05-12
NEED FOR REFORM
Tillman Talks Of Political Conditions
in First District.

Senator Tillman on last Wednes
day gave out the following as 10 po'
litical conditions in South Carolina:
"Some people in Charleston anc
Colleton counties will not understand
inst how or why Mr.. Murray has De
come postmaster at WATERFORD, whlit
Mr. Storen has lost out in his hight Ioi
the position of collector OF the port q,
Charleston. The situation was JUS
this: George Legare while living In
dorsed both OF these men Tor the re,
spective offices and promised MIN
would do what / could for potn o'
them. ~ ,.,,,
pending in the congressional dlsulc.
both names were sent to the president
for appointment, but no action was
taken Senator Smith and ! indorseo
both men and had the appointments
been made when the names first wen'
to the president, both would nave
been in office now. For some reason
which I have never been able TO un-
derstand, Mr.. Murray's name came tc
the senate for postmaster at waiter
boro while Storen's name hung nre.
'.When Mr.. Whaley came to wash
ington and urged his right to make
the appointments in his congressional
district, as we all had agreed that the
congressman should do, the SITUATION
was as 1 have above indicated.
1--WE had Endorsed Mr.. Murray ano
To our surprise the name came to the
senate the day after Mr.. Whaley ap-
peared here and after the second pri-
mary had been held. Although ne
was not a congressman he was to all
intents and purposes elected and we
so recognized him.
Realizing that 1t would be unfair
to Mr.. Whaley to press Storen's ap-
pointment under the circumstances
we held 1t up and waited for news
from Charleston.
at wrote to George Legare's bosom
friends there and asked their opin-
ion and advice. The replies We're
that If George Legare were living
they believed he would be. against
Storen rather than for him.
"Mr. Whaley had indicated pref
erence for Mr.. Harvey first and for
Mr.. Peters second. Finally 1t was
agreed that Mr.. Peters should be rec
commended for appointment and his
name was sent to the president and Is
now before the senate. .-..
"Murray's appointment had been
made and was out Of reach before Mr.
Whaley arrived in Washington. The
senators would have stuffed them
selves had they tried to recall 1t. With
Storen the case was different and we
did recall his name and substituted
Peters. Mr.. Storen's activity against
Mr.. Whaley is the cause OF his failure
to get the office.
"I think it worth while and indeed
my duty to warn the people Of the
First congressional district, II half we
hear in Washington is true, some
body ought to be put in the pen pref
ty soon. An examination Of the penal
code shows that sections $50, ?t
S62, 363 and 365 have all been vio-
lated by more people than are aware
Of II, perhaps. Promises to give office,
actual payment of money for votes
and other serious crimes are men
toned. Many men, not in one coun-
ty but in several, are liable to go to
the pen or pay heavy fines. The
papers Of the state would do we'll and
render the public service II they
would print these sections Of the code
as a warning to office-seekers and
their friends.
"I sincerely trust that the next ses-
sion of the legislature will throw such
safeguards around the primary as to
make the corruption which is charg-
ed impossible to occur again. We have
laws enough to punish fraud and
bribery If they are only enforced, but
laws are mere waste paper If there are
no officials ready to carry them out
Public opinion must compel the Off
GERS to do their duty or else the
state will be corrupted throughout its
borders.
1T will be remembered that these
statutes were enacted after a con-
gressional race in the Second district,
where much money was used. 1t Is
very clear to my mind that the Demo
cratic party must take active and ag-
gressive steps to stop such transac-
tions. We can hope for good gov
ernment otherwise to maintain the
states fair name.
"It is enough to make any South
Carolinian ashamed of his state to
hear of so much rottenness and cor
ruption in the First congressional
district"