The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-01-22
answers A CRITIC
SENATOR TlLLMAN WRITES The
new YORK WORLD

NLH lUAH n UnkB
REMEDY IS NECESSARY
Replies to Criticism Of His Letter to
the General Assembly Urging
Safeguard for the Primary and
Declares That Honestly Conduct
ed 1t Is Best Solution.
A day or two ago the New York
World had an editorial criticisiag
Senator Tillman's open letter to the
legislature Of South Carolina. Sen
ator Tillman replied to this in his
usual terse but forcible way. The
editorial in question 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 mobiliz-
ed and elections determined by bril-
berry. To add strength 20 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 senator 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 VINO won't see. The greatest
event In the South to-day 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 di7i.
sion Of her people into two well-bal'
anced parties. It 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 tho wisdom that
should come with age"
To this Senator Tillman replied:
"My attention has been called tc
your editorial Of the 10th, Bad
Counsel From Senator Tillman,' crit
icising my recent open letter to the
general assembly Of South Carolina
urging 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 numper Of negroes
of voting age in the State exceeds
the whites. All Of these are not ell.
gible to register. but more and more
are becoming so every day. The ig.
norance and natural depravity Of the
negro race wholly unfits them te
participate in government. While
our conditions in South Carolina is
not ideal by any means, to have
white men struggling for the mas
terry with the negroes as the balance
of power, say $4,000 Of them, would
be anything but pleasant. Can you
imagine any more prolific field fol
corruption and bribery? If we could
have the voters Of the State divided
into two well-balanced parties II
would be far better than the condi-
ton We are now in. That Is just
what occurred in tho last primary
But there was enough irregular and
fraudulent votes to cast suspicion on
the primary. White men will not
tolerate the continuance Of any such
conditions.
"I am urging the general assembly
to remedy 1t by legislation. You say
it. Is not necessary and you know alb
solutely nothing about 1t, but are
theorizing about government on gen.
eral principles. I know whereof
speak. You are guessing. The ne
groes ought never to have been CIV
en- the ballot. Many Republicans IN
congress now acknowledge this. But
they have the ballot and We can not
take it away unless the North takes
the initiative to repeal the 18th and
18th amendments. The white pri-
mary honestly conducted Is the best
solution Of our troubles.
"In some Northern States ignor-
ant 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 its
dirty work Of buying congressman
and eiecting senators by debauched
legislatures. The South has had
none of this so far, but If your coun-
eel should be followed We would
soon have enough of 1t and to spare.
Which Is the better, honest white
primaries or corrupt legislators elect
ed by negro voters bought at the
polls like cattle? We want the first;
you want the latter-or that Is what
your argument leads US to-"