Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-01-13

~~ @N@azA v @NazS 60.
in this state, and one who stands high
in the councils of the farmers unions,
having held high position in these or
ganizations:
Governor Cole L. Blease, Columbia,
S. G.
MY Dear Governor: l wish to COM
mend your interview about the cattle
tick question and to call your attention
to one little item in it's connection that
has probably escaped you. Richland
county is agitating the raising Of $4O.-
900 by legislative appropriation, this
sum to come from taxing all the peo-
pie. All counties that are above the
quarantine line and those under pro-
cess Of cleaning have had to pay good
portion of the expense Of the work.
Newberry county Is now paying about
,, $500, possibly more, and presume that
other counties are paying a like pro-
portion. Now, 1t would hardly be just
to tax those counties that have worked
out their own problems for those coun-
ties that have not shown enough inter-
est in the matter to do the same thing.
1t would be unfair, and I am sure that
the people Of the state will endorse
your position. Either make Clemson
do the work (and heaven knows tn
are doing little enough except dabble
in politics) or let the various counties
work with the college and the U. S. de-
partment, as the other counties have
done. For your information / wish to
state that no tick authority believes
that the state can be cleaned in one
year, so it would probably mean an ap-
preparation for a like amount the COM
ing year"
AS shown by this letter, you will see
that it would be very unjust to give
$40, 900 out Of the states money with
out giving proper consideration to
those counties which have already paid
their pro rata share for relieving
themselves Of the cattle tick.
Now, gentlemen. do not understand
me to say that oppose the eradication
Of the tick. / do not want some little
lying editor to come out and say:
"Blease Fighting Eradication Of Cattle
Tick" am only calling your attention
to the inequality which might result
from a hasty consideration Of the mat
ter, and to an extravagant expenditure
Of money which could be turned to use
full purposes I repeat, eradicate the
cattle tick, but do it in a common sense
way. with as little expense as possible
to the already overburdened taxpayers.
The Primary System.
Many years ago some Of the counties
of South Carolina adopted a system Of
primary elections, which system pro-
vided for the selection Of candidates
among the white people for the Demo :
cratic nominees, for the purpose or
avoiding a division among the white
people in order to keep the negro vote
from becoming factor In the pontlcs
of this state Many years before tina:
the eight-box law had been in use and
it had been successful in depriving the
negro Of participation even In the gen
eral elections, except to limited num-
ber. To go through the entire history
of this matter might be very interest
ing to those who know nothing or little
Of it, and yet 1t might somewhat reveal
a condition of affairs which 1t might be
as we'll to let be forgotten. Later the
state Democracy adopted this primary
election system for the purpose OF
nominating candidates for all state anu
county offices. Just a short time AFTER
wards the Democracy Of the state
adopted it for the selection Of candi-
dates for congress and the United
States senate. The last convention for
the nomination of a governor and state
officials was when Governor John Pc
ter Richardson was nominated for his
second term. Then came the struggle
of the Reform party in 1890. The his
tory Of this and campaigns from then
up to the present would be very inter-
esting reading. but I presume 1t Is un-
necessary to give it here. However, II
seems that this system was perfectly
satisfactory when Governors Tillman,
Evans, Ellerbe and McSweeney were
elected, and it reached it's height in the
ewes Of many people-especially GER
tain newspaper editors-who are now
condemning it, and gave most splendid
satisfaction to these distinguished gen.
tlemen, when Governors Hayward and
Ansel were elected. Nothing was heard
of its being unsatisfactory to this great
element of our people when Gen. Jo-
seph II. Earle was elected to the Unit
ed States senate, and when many con-
gressmen and many state officials were
chosen.
But, alas, the campaign Of 1912 came
on.
When that campaign came along the
then governor Of South Carolina on the
Sth day Of July, 1912, issued procla-
nation which read as follows:
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Executive Department.
Proclamation.
Whereas, Information has been given
unto me that divers persons are traV-
cling in different parts of the state OF
South Carolina and are, by the pay
ment and promise of money or other
articles Of value, endeavoring to pro-
cure other persons to vote for or
against certain candidates in the pri-
mary election, which is to be held on
the 9th day Of August, 1912, in viola
ton of Section 356, Code OF Laws OF
South Carolina, 1912, which reads as
follows:
Section 356. At or before every po-
litical primary election held by any po-
litical party, organization or associa-
ton for the purpose Of choosing candi-
dates for office or the election OF dele
gates to conventions in this state, any
person who shall by threats or any
other form Of intimidation or by the
payment, delivery or promise Of money
or other articles Of value, procure or
offer, or endeavor to procure another
to vote for or against any particular
candidate in such election, or who shall
for such consideration offer to vote,
shall be guilty of miSdemeanor."
Now, therefore, I, Cole l.. Blease,
governor of the state Of South Caro-
lima, in order that justice may be done
and the majesty Of the law upheld, do
hereby offer a reward Of One Hundred
Dollars each for the first five convic-
tions Of any person or persons who
shall be found guilty under said sec
ton: Provided, That said five convic-
tions shall be had in five different
counties of said state.
In testimony whereof, have hereun-
to set my hand and caused the Great
Seal of the state to be affixed, at Co
lumbia, this eighth day Of July, A. D.,
1912, and in the 18th year Of the Inde-
pendence of the United States OF Amer
lea.
Cole L. Blease, Governor.
BY the Governor:
r. NJ. McCown, Secretary of State.
And in his opening speech at Sumter,
he said:
After reading the sections Of the
statute in regard to fraud in elections
Governor Blease said:
"And I call upon all Of my friends to
see that any person who attempts to
buy votes in this primary, or who in
timidates voters by threats or other
wise, be Immediately prosecuted, and
if you need any assistance in the pros
ecution of the case, l promise you, as
governor Of this state, to furnish 1t, be-
cause / believe in a fair, square cleo
ton, and propose, so far as in my pow.
er, to see that it is held for all the Of