Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-10-26
The first main clash was partici-

The first main clash was partici-
pated by the Introduction by General
Johnston Hagood of a resolution de-
signed to lay down as the only mark
of the convention the election Of del
egates to the coming. st. Louis Con-.
vention and the election Of an execu-
tive committee to carry on the work
of the party until new convention
was called. Butler, and Lipscomb, of
Newberry, tried to frustrate this
plan by the introduction of sub
stitute plan of action. On the second
day of the convention occurred a de-
bate between the forces Of immediate
action, led by Butler and Martin
Barry, and the forces of inaction, led
by the elder statesmen of the con-
vention, Kennedy, Kershaw, Man
ming and Conner. Two resolutions
were submitted to the executive COM
mittee. The first of these was Con-
ner's Charleston resolution setting
forth inaction; the second, comh;-
nation of Lipscomb's Newberry reso-
Luton and Sheppard's Edgefeld reso-
luton, purported to pledge the party
the support of none but Democrats.
After lengthy session of the COM
mittee, Kennedy,-Butler, the chair
man dissenting-presented the ma
jority report favoring Corners poll
cy. Gary Immediately introduced a
substitute resolution providing Chat
the Democratic party shall nomi-
nate none but straight out Democrats
for state Offices" In a passionate at
tempt to convert the convention to
his views the Edgefeld orator ac-
cused the majority of timidity and
the Charleston delegation of conni-
vance with Chamberlain, "The man
who dares, wins; not he who holds
back" cried the South Carolina Dam
ton. Butler, with more moderation
stigmatized those who defended
Chamberlain: "The only possible way
to win the state is to nominate a true
liberal native ticket-and carry the
war into Africa" Gary and Butler
were defeated by vote of seventy
two to forty-two, the policy of post
ponement being victorious.
From the May convention until Au-
gust virulent word battle went on
between the advocates of the Straight
Out policy and those in favor Of
compromise, the radicals (many from
Edgefeld) at times becoming so bit
ter that the more moderate friends
Of Democratic union feared dis
ruption of the party. The Edgefeld
Advertiser took Chamberlain to task
for a letter rebuking Northern Re-
publican extremists. 1t regarded "all
the beautiful resolutions and news
paper puffs that South Carolina peo--.
pie have showered on this chambesss,, s,
lain lately to the end that he nigessss
keep South Carolina surely Republi-
can." Bacon, its editor, accused the
owners of the News and Courier of
being "northerners and Radicals"
and of having "no more understand
ing of the feelings, hopes and aspira-
tions of the people of South Carolina
than hog in Heaven" The Green
vile News served notice that it would
break away from the dominant ele-
ment in the party in case the Straight
Out policy did not prevail. Colonel
A. C. Haskell denounced the News
and Courier as the newspaper "that
had the shameless audacity to claim
the fidelity of the people of, South
Carolina"
But towards the middle of summer
other and more effective means than
newspaper tactics began to be used
"by those accustomed to long habits
of command and self assertion to
strike terror into the hearts of the
recently emancipated race, which still
exhibits the effects of their long
slavery" and other means began to
be used to arouse the apathy of the
white race; strong arm tactics began
to be used to fan the flame of racial
antagonism which, once aroused,
would obviously lead to the victory
of the race that was stronger in ev-
cry test except that of the democrat
ic ballot.
The first of these events, taken ad-
vantage of to bring about unity of