The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-08-16
REFORMING THE PRIMARY.
iesf OF the Bill Now Pending In the
state senate and Amendments
which Have Been Proposed.

"e 'Peh SuSsests Ht tiine 10 turr
public attention to our election laws
and especially. the bill now pending In
the senate with amendments thereto
drawn and designed to safeguard tn,
ballot box. The amendments wer,
offered by various senator's and print.
ed In the Senate Journal.
IL is trite truth. that however per.
feet q law may be- the benefit there.
from depends not only upon It's execu.
zion by constituted authority, but b,
public sentiment and the resolute de-
termination Of the electorate to uphold
A. Public sentiment cannot be de.
nned to be as the will and wish OF
this or that political faction, but can
only be standardized by the citizens
whose efforts and energies are de-
voted to the upbuilding OF a COM
munity. industrially. socially and DO
htcaliy. While the enforcement of
All law Is the handspring OF public
safety the present primary law has
many ioopholes for loose and danger
Gus practices which wise and practical
hesitation may remedy, ard to that
end the cooperation OF thoughtful
Citizens Is asked. Surely there is no
right one should SO jealousy guard,
and affecting so vitally the welfare
and ideals of a community, nay. lib
erty itself than that the voter should
nave his ballot counted, the election
conducted fairly and results declared
pursuant to law. IL We do not have
such an election. then the deposlting
OF an honest ballot is an idle cere-
mony. and the boasted government
by democracy is but a T.ore mobo-
cracy.
From time immemorlal, men have
struggled and fought for freedom and
the maintenance Of their rights, and
IL In not necessary to recall now, but
to give one brief glance only at the
picture Of the past. dark with despot-
Ism and Its tragic results. but also
bright with heroism and martyrdom
for the establishment OF human rights.
IL fraud and debauchery is triumphant
at the ballot box. then IL Is not only
idle to talk Of representative govern
ment. but a futile and foolish thins
for an honest man to run for office
the cards are stacked" and he plays
against loaded dice" IL the right of
a citizen to run for Office Is dependent
upon the length and depth of his
pocketbook. then the eligibility for
holding ONCE is, indeed. limited to the
favored few.
This proposition Is patent and real
lied by every citizen. There Is no
particular profit In discussing past
events. except by way of illustration;
what we haze to do is to seek not an
aitrnistic but practical remedy for the
future. You cannot turn the mill
wheel with the water that has passed
by"
There Is much adverse comment az
to the legislature not passing an cleo
tion law last year. but very few citi-
zens realized that there was serious
attention given by the senate at this
last session to an election law remedy
ing existing conditions, and the dis
cussion was prolonged for several
"A xxshi
you print was introduced and DISCUSS
ed with the view OF calling attention to
"a. and the postponement of the meas
ure was for the people OF every COM
munity In this State to examine II
before final action was taken there
on. I venture the assertion that the
members Of the senate almost to a
man feel a deep interest In our pres
ent political conditions and do not
need a public whip and spur. but only
the cooperation and thought OF the
men OF every community In this
state. Naturally. there will be va
rious suggestions. some good, and
oehc's u'htNuNt' Out the measure
should be given attention now. for II
Is the property of the people and does
not belong to- any political faction.
Remedies wiz bc gladly received. ire
spcctive OF their source A good cleo
tion law must benefit all. irrespec-
tive of class, creed or condition.
The truest liberal Is he
Who values men Ia their degree.
Who virtue In a churi can prize
And baseness In an earl despise
Yet censures baseness In a churl
And deres and virtue In an earl"
Respectfully.
Huger Sinkler.
Charleston, 3. G.. July 81, 1913.
Reforming the Primary.
s.A