The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-05-23

essary.
washington, May Ex-senator Till
man today gave out the following in
tcrview regarding the primary cleo
ton soon to be held in South Caro-
lima:
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 primary.
l deem this more necessary because
l know ] shall not be able to attend
the convention in person. and 1 have
received many letters asking my ad-
vice in this crisis Almost every South
Carolina newspaper / see has some
thing to say about this all-important
subject, and there are scores of
schemes, or propositions. as to how
1t ought to he 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 nomi-
nee 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 it to prevent fraud and cor
ruption. 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 Gov. Blease by threats of
the veto and with the powerful in
fuence he wields prevented any ac-
ton. Therefore, the party must act.
II anything is to be done; and the
white men OF the State had just as
we'll realize that unless something is
done this will be our last Democratic
primary of white men only. The
probabilities are. the almost inevitable
consequence indeed will be, a fight
to a finish in the November election,
with the negroes holding the balance
Of power and thus controlling.
II 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 Tillamnism as
l have taught it. and he who would
not be content to abide by such an
election is not 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 cor
rected In long while. Our politics
nave been running along in Il jog
trot. peaceful way. and dead mems
names are on the club lists, abscntees
who have moved away are on the club
lists. and the names of men whom
nobody ever knew or saw and can not
find are on the club lists. This is
fruitful source of fraud, and our first
effort should be to get an absolutely
new enrolment OF the DemOcra. -
who are entitled to vote under the
rules Of the party.
For reasons that are apparent to
any man who thinks about it, after
n,,n ~: