Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-11-29
Race for Governorship ..


! and the campaign will no doubt be in
teresting.
AS to what will likely be the out
standing features of the next political
campaign, we do not feel competent to
| predict; but somehow, we have an idea
| that the governmental affairs of the
state are in more of tumble than they
have been for many years, and the
people are probably more open minded
! than they have ever been!
| While we are unable to see tLat con-
| ditiOns in South Carolina are especial
ly critical, or anything like that, we do
feel that there is pressing need for po-
litical leadership that will give prom
ise of constructive development, the
more especially along the lines of gen.
eral civic progress. ,..
According to the view Of The York
vile Enquirer except during the period
of from 1876 to 1880, when the issue
was the overthrow Of scalawag rule,
the politics of South Carolina has ever
been partisan and personal-the only
real purpose behind any Of the differ
ent campaigns being which group or
| faction should hold the state offices
and exercise administrative authority
in behalf II its own adherents or
against the adherents Of the other Side.
1t has mostly been case o. all for
self and none for state.
Perhaps the greatest economic issue
of the past was the lien law, involving
the question whether the majority of
thd people should be kept in slavery to
cotton culture, or be left each to work
out his own salvation according to his
own energy and gifts. The slavery
side Of the proposition won and al
though the lien law as such was re-
pealed a few years back the system
has continued to flourish by means of
the crop mortgage, etc, until now II
seems to be approaching It's end
through the boil weevl.
The next great issue of cid time
was the building of the Columb a canal
at state expense for the benefit Of CO.
lumbia. The argument was that build
ing of the canal around shoals at Co.
lumbia would open the naviga ton of
the river up through Newberry, Fair
field Chester and Union and eventual
ly into York county. But after mil
lions had been expended on the canal
and before it was completed, it passed
into the hands Of Columbia parties for
power purposes and only just now as
the result Of a supreme court decision
last week does the state seem TO be in
a fair way to come back into posses
sion Of its own.
The next great question was
whether or not the state should spend
millions for the development of the
South Carolina college, ostensibly for
the benefit of the whole state really
more particularly for the benefit of
Columbia, Just as in the previous case
of the canal. Later the Clemson be-
quest looking to the establishment Of
a great agricultural college provided
the late Senator Gilman with an issue
on which he was able to divide the
forces that had been grouped around |!
the South Carolina college and further
his ambition for the political control Of
the state with himself in the saddle. |
Carolina college and Clemson came
Winthrop, largely because Of the
strength it would bring to Clemson. |
and this furnished opportunity for the
Citadel to get recognition of its claims,
which opportunity was not neglected.
Then in the course Of time the educa-
tional institutions which had been
fighting one another, each for the
benefit of itself, began to pool issues
and work together for appropriations
big enough for all-thc present stu
alton.
Following the 81 tickle you, you
tickle me" principle established by the
partisans of the different educational
institutions, the State Highway crowd,
the state board of health, and various
fadists like the state board of chari-
ties and others haze added to the bur
dens of the tax payers with but slight
increase in the efficiency OF the gov
ernmcnt.
The lawyers have taken complete
charge of the administration of the ju-
dicial affairs Of the state almost with
out regard to the people at large, who
have practically nothing to do with the
selection or conduct of their judiciary,
and it is actually beginning to look as
if trial by jury may soon become a
thing Of the past.
What we need in South Carolina is
broad, able patriotic leadership We
want competent men who will work for
state rather than for self. We want
men who will seek power for the bcne-
fit they can be to the people as Il whole
rather than for the promotion of the
private ends of themselves and sup
purtcrs. To secure these things it is
necessary for the people to cultivate
more independence of thought and ac-
tion and to break away from the petty