The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1916-07-05
TO THE STATE.


The Press and Banner is alway'
glad to have its conclusions reviewed
by those who are willing to concede
to it a purpose to serve the best in
terests Of the state. That others dc
not agree with US, is no reason wh!
we do not respect their Judgment. a
We expect them to do ours, ever
when disagreeing. The State believes
that the reasons assigned by us' TO,
opposing the reelection Of Governo,
Manning are ALLEGATIONS indefinite
vague: and illusory."'. Perhaps 80
But when the Columbia State under.
takes to tell us why the. Governor
should be reelected, we find moth.
ing. on which the black ink Of EN-.
phasis is; placed except the second
term, argument. g -.
;ffsthe State admits the right oi
MI: co8par to offer for governor al
this. time and the. right, if not, the
propriety, of Mr.. Blease to offer for
a third .ternn,: then: it should admit
that tie sole question before tic
voters O., this stateiseas to*the best
mahfor the Office. That a man must
make a long :s:aana expensive cam.
paign IL, the Office OF governor lis
nothing jaf which Governor Manning
has any right to complain: He: has
not advocated, as we have, the adop-
ton 81 some other system of nomi-
mating officers which would do away
with the length and expense Of cam
paigns.
!Conceding ths right of all candi-
dates now running 70; offer for the
Office, the sole consideration for the
voters as before stated. would ap-
pear to be the fitness in point of
character, training, and patriotism,
of, the respective candidates, and! the
selection of the one !: who will best
serve the interests afathe state, the
one most representative of all the
people Of the state, the one most
respectful Of the rights Of every
person in the state, the one farthest
removed from factionalism, the one
most likelyto heal the breaches of
the past, to get the people together,
80 that they. may, enter upon a con-
structive era, the one most repre-
sentat tive of democracy.
We presume that the State and
the Press and Banner may meet on
common ground in thus stating the
case. Our respective solutions may
not be the same. The one may be
wrong and the other, therefore,
right. But we assert that when the
second term argument is brought in
10 the discussion, we get away from
the real question. We get away
from an argument as to principles
and get back to individuals. Cover
nor Manning should not allow his
friends to seek his reelection on
this ground. He should demand that
the people vote for him solely on his
merits or not at all: We must get
away from personal considerations,
if better man is in the race.
And we assert, that in this emer-
eency there is a better man in the
race. He may be as much the repre-
sentative of what the State. terms
"good government" as is Governor
Manning. We believe that he is. But
he is not the representative of a fac
ton. He has never waved the fac
tjonal banner. The State will not
deny that Mr.. Blease is the repre-
sentative of an extreme element in
cne faction. Will it deny that the
reelection Of Governor Manning
would be taken as the triumph of the
extreme element of another faction?
Will the State deny that the re-
election Of Governor Manning will
mean a continuance of Bleaseism
and anti -Bieaseism? Will it not fan
afresh the flame Of factional strife
in South Carolina?
Will the State not admit that the
election of Mr.. Cooper will be a re-
buke to factionalism? Will the State
not admit that if he is elected Cover
nor he will be the representative of
no -f"ct;>- in the State. byt the rep
resentative Of people who are tired
Of factional politics in the state, and
who are ready 10 ;assept . :nsR leader
free from the Sbits fEsss., az FORMER