Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-05-19
TILLMAN ON The RULES.
Wants Every White Man TO Have One
Vote.
PREFERS COMPLETE new ENROLMENT

So il Would be Impossible for Any
Man to Vote Twice-Advises Against
Makir Regulations Too Expensive
and Laborious.
Senator Tillman has given out the
following as his views with regard to
changing the primary rules:
THE near approach Of the state
convention and the importance Of its
expected action, emboldens me to give
expression to some opinions on the
subject Of safeguarding the primary.
I deem this more necessary because
know 1 shall not be able to attend
the convention in person, and l have
received many letters asking my ad-
vice in this crisis. Almost every South
| Carolina newspaper l see has some
thing 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 en-
tirely impracticable and unjust.
1T 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 Gov. Blease, as they
believed there was an effort being
made TO cheat him; and I raised my
voice in no uncertain way urging
promptness in investigating and re-
porting the results Of the election, and
thus relieving the suspense. The gov
ernor was finally declared the nominee
of the party and things quieted down.
I'VE 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 corruption. 1
have given the subject much thought
and venture to make the following
suggestions:
Should Have Acted.
1T Is a pity the state legislature
did not deal with this question and
settle once for all by law the regula-
tions that are to govern the primary;
but Gov. Blease by threats Of the veto
and with the powerful influence he
wields, prevented any action. There
fore, the party must act, II anything
Is to be done; and the white men Of
the state had just as well realize that
unless something Is done this will be
our last Democratic primary Of white
men only. The probabilities are, the
almost inevitable consequences indeed
will be, fight to a finish in the No
vember election, with the negroes
holding the balance of power and thus
controlling.
Il 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
should be counted honestly and the
result declared promptly No decent
or honest man wants to cheat another
white man out Of his right to partici-
patton in the government, and no
patriot desires anything but fair play
and equality OF rights. Let every
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 Tillmanism as
l have taught it, and he who would
not be content to abide by such an
election Is no patriot and no Demo-
crat 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 ccr-
rected in a long while. Our politics
have been running along in jog
trot, peaceful way, and dead mems
names are on the club lists, absentees
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 a
fruitful source of fraud, and our first
effort should be to get an absolutely
new enrolment Of the Democrats who
are entitled to vote under the rules Of
the party.
Should Be Filed.
For reasons that are apparent to
any man who thinks about it, after
the new rolls are made up-and this
should be done by given date-they
snould be filed In some convenient
place where they can be examined
10 detect If there has been any fraud
practiced in placing names on them.
Twenty days should elapse between
the fling of the rolls and the pri-
mary, and entry Of no name be al
lowed after the period fixed. No name
should be put on the roll unless the
voler applies in person or sends writ
ten authority asking that his name be
enrolled. There should be three
club rolls, one copy to be sent to the
county chairman, another copy to the
clerk of court, and the third copy re-
main with the secretary OF the club as
a registry list to govern on the day OF
the primary election. No man should
pe allowed to vote whose name has not
been enrolled in accordance with the
above regulations.
IF the money can be had, 1t would
be we'll to have the club rolls pub
n
days before the primary; but as l fear
TINS may be considered too expensive
the tling Of them with the clerks OF
court and the county chairman is suf-
ricient, in my judgment.
Ought to Give Residence.
The voters, when they enroll, |
should state the place OF residence, |
giving the street and number Of the
mouse, if they live in town, or the
township when residing in the coun-
try. No club roll should be made up |
or men from two townships or two
wards but each subdivision Of a coun- |
ty or city should have one club and
no more. The residents Of that poll
tical sub division could then deter |
mine whether any fraud has been
practiced in the enrolment or not |
This regulation will compel me to go |
SIX miles 10 NOle Tic al
though there is at present voting |
precinct within half mile of my
home But no inconvenience can be
too great to prevent our taking every |
precaution possible to prevent fraud |
or the charge of 1t.
THE promiscuous enrolment such
as we have always had. the free and
easy way in which we have conduct
ed our political affairs, will not do,
now that white men have grown so
suspicious and unscrupulous. The
honors and emOuments of office are
so great that inevitably human selfish
ness and greed will cause men to act
the rascal.
Other Precautions.
"On the day of the election no man
not enrolled according 10 these rules
should be permitted to vote. Every
ballot when deposited in the box
should be stamped and the voters
name checked off the club list, show
ing that he has voted once at that
precinct Rubber stamps for this
purpose should be provided by the
county executive committee. The
stamping of the ballot will prevent
voting several tickets at once so fold
ed together that they will fall apart