The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1918-02-20

speculation. 1t is generally conceded,
however, that the political effect upon
either faction will not be considera-
bic. 'El@
That South Carolina would be BEN
Gifted if factionalism could be elimi-
mated goes without saying. This does
not mean that one-party state or a
one-party nation would be altogether
desirable as long as human nature is
what it is. The idea is that the bit
terness of the factionalism which has
characterized some campaigns in the
past could be eliminated to the advan-
tage of the state. The Reform party
urges this, but it's position, as borne
out by the facts ,is hat it is a party
representing the interests of the great
masses of he people, and that when
it speaks tn popl themselves are
speaking-and speaking at this par
ticular time in an effort to ttake their
own state government back into their
own hands.
The Reform parry ha sheen charged
by prominent anti-Reform newspa-
per, even since the adjournment of
tn legislation, with aligning itself
against measures to purify the ballot.
AS matter of fact all the Reform par
ty asks, or has ever asked, is free
ballot and a fair count. When the So
called "Australian ballot" sytsem
came up in the house at the past ses-
sion, it's imperfections, as called at
tention to at the time by the Charles
ton American ediorially, were realized,
and leading Reformers voted against
it on second reading. On third read
ing with some amendments which
were agreed upon, perfecting the
q fnr IL ~
fected at that time. Mr.. Summers, a
brother-in-law of Governor Bleasc
and the other reform representatives.
Voted for. it, and 1t was passed. and
sent to the senate, where he Anti
Reformcrs are in an overwhelming
majority. The senate killed it, but
resurrected it and amended it so as
to practically nullify it, making it ap-
ply only to Incorporated towns and
cities. 1t was Reformc membere of
the state Democratic executive com
mittec who following the election of
l9l6, when the Reformcrs kn wv they
had been robbed of the election, in
troduccd a resolution, which was
adopted by the committee, favoring
the "Austrailian ballot" The record
OF the party in standing for the purity
of the ballot speaks for itself, and can
The position of the Reform party as
to extravaganza was again made plain
ut the recent session. They stubborn
ly fought many items in the heavy
appropriation bill-the largest in the
tlon in South Caroina--and on sew.
eral of these the house agreed with
them. But thesenate rewrote the bill,
as it usually does, and most of the
items wen in. AS Il rcsul the already
heavy burden of taxation under which
the people are laboring has been ma
tcrially increased.
The Refgorm party again also made
clear its position as to the rule of
the people in choosing state officials.
They fought for the measure TO make
the office of the chief game warden
elective by the general assembly, as
thy had fought for the measures pass
ed last year, and still hald up by the
governors veto, to make the office
elective by the people. The bill this
year again got through the senate, but
could not be pushed through the
house.
The Manning administration pro-
gram would have put the selection of
chief game warden in the hands of a
board, and would have taken the selec-
tlon of commissioner of agriculture
out of the hands of the people, adm
made this office elective by a board
also. The latter measure failed to get
through. The Reformers in the gen
eral assembly did not hav sufficient
strength of themselves to have defeat
ed 1T, but htey were practically solidly
opposd to it.
In every particular during the ses-