The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-05-19
MUST KEEP NEGRO
OUT OF PRIMARY
The People VIII Not Submit to
Fraud in Party.
INTERVIEW WITH TILLMAN
Many Will Not Take Part i'm Pri-
mary if Safeguards Are Not
Adopted.

Washington Special to Columbia
handed the newspaper correspon-
dents the following interview today:
The near approach of the state
convention and the Importance of it's
expected action emboldens me to .
give expression to some opinions on .
the subject of safeguarding the pri- /
mary. l deem this more necessary
because l know l shall not be able to I
attend the convention in person, and .
| have received many letters asking
my advice in this crisis. Almost
every South Carolina newspaper I
see has something to say about this
all-important subject and there are
scores of schemes, or propositions, as
to how it ought to be lonesome
good, some bad, some Indifferent.
and many entirely impracticable and
unjust.
II will be remembered that Just
after the last primary two years ago,
cries of fraud went up all over the
state and the executive committee
did not declare the result promptly.
This caused intense anger on the
part of the supporters Of Governor
Blease, as they believed there was
an effort being made to cheat him,
and l raised by voice in no uncertain
way urging promptness in investi-
eating and reporting the results of
the election and thus relieving the
suspense. The governor was finally
declared the nominee OF the party
and things quieted down.
HE MAKES SUGGESTIONS.
We have another primary coming
on in August, and there are many
thousands of men in the state who
boldly avow the purpose never to
take part in the primary again unless
there are some safeguards thrown
around 1t to prevent fraud and cor
ruption. 1 have given the subject
much thought and venture to make
the following suggestions:
1t is a pity the state legislature
did not deal with this question and
settle once for all by law the regu-
lations that are to govern the pri-
mary, but Governor Blease by threats
OF the veto and with the powerful
influence he wields prevented any ac-
tion. Therefore, the party must act
If anything is to be done, and the
white men of the state had just as
w hot Z,
done this will be our last Democratic
primary OF white men only The
PROBABILITIES are, the almost inevita-
be consequences indeed will be, a
fight to a finish in the November
election, with the negroes holding the
balance of power and thus controll-
ing.
ONE VOTE FOR EVERY MAN.
lay down as a general principle,
which no honest man can dispute
safely, or object to, that every white
Democrat who is entitled to vote un-
der the rules and regulations of the
party should be allowed to vote once
and once only, and that that vote
result declared promptly. No decent
or honest man wants to cheat an
other white man out of his right to
parti6 iDation in the government, and
no patriot desires anything but fair
play and equality of rights. Let ev-
cry white man have the same chance
as any other white man, rich or poor
high or low, and let the majority
rule. That is Democracy, or Tillman-
ism as ] have taught 1t, and he who
would not be content to abide by such
an election is no patriot and no Dem
, ocrat either. Our trouble heretofore,
and our trouble this year, If we have
trouble, will be dishonest and padded
club rolls and stuffed ballot boxes
The club rolls we have now are old
and have not been revised or cor
rected in a long while. Our politics
have been running along In a Jog
trot, peaceful, way and dead mems
names are on the club lists, absen-
tees who have moved away are on
the club lists, and the names of men
whom nobody ever knew or saw and
Cannot find are on the club lists
This is fruitful source OF fraud, ard
our first effort should be to get an
absolutely new enrolment of the