Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-09-06
WNLIIAI.IIA, s.. c.:
WE'D NESDAI, SEPT. o, 1922.
DOES IT ENIIGIIrEN?


thc recent state campaign meeting
as made by Tho Courier, the Green
Vile Daily News, under the heading,
"l.ct Records Decide has these very
pertinent remarks to make:
Did the state campaign rnlighten
thC 'pcOplc on the affairs OF govern
mcnt in the way it should there
would be m argument for retaining
the state campaign. But it does not.
After six weeks OF sauntCring from
county seat to county seat with an
CXtravagant waste Of time for the
candidates and Il monumental ex-
pcnsc, the campaign came to 4 close
in Spartanburg. If this mobile show
had succeeded in giving South Caro-
liniuns accurate knowledge of an-
preparations and expenditures, 3 of
schools and colleges and the like, the
time and cost might have been worth
while. Bui II has had quito the op-
posic effect. 1t confused most minds
about the details OF State govern
mont. fOmcutCd factiopalism and i'm
parted False conceptions. Out Of the
mass of conflicting testimony pro-
scented him by truthful! and mcnda-
Ci0uS politicians the voter is how'll
dcrrd in separating the wheat and
the chan. Tho campaign has been OF
no value % him except in rormitt,E"
him 10 l0ok Upon the faces OF those
who would #crvG him, and lie would
have derived equal satisfaction at
gazing upon a photograph supple
m"ntCd by an artists brush.
I'm" state campaign is Of no prac-
tiCal benefit. for ii does not expose
the merits Of candidates. The real
merit OF candidate is TO be found
in his record, and that is the answer
10 The Couricr'S question as to what
Il poor citizen is to do after he has
bren puzzled by the campaign how
tiers. 1t is ten times more certain
that Il candidate will conduct him.
self as he has been doing all the
while should he be elected than that
he will conform to picturesque prom
iScs he MIXES not at all in accord
with his history. There ought to be
Dun or BradStrect agency to give
reliable and unbiased information
about the records Of our prospective
officers. But tho conscientious citi-
Nc ,,l.i ilfn1 Of r; yi
and If no will take time to inquire
into the records he will need the ser
vices OF an appraiser. The voter is
not so often fooled by polit;lians as
by himself"
1t has been quite some time since
Ihc Couricc made its first slap at
the ugly iaco Of the South Carolina
state campaign We recall. some
years ago, having referred 10 the
campaigns as "a thrcc-ringcd cir
ons," and thereby calling down up
on ourselves somewhat of an ava
lanchc OF adverse commcnt by num-
N"rS ri papers that seemed to find
""Wa' Ming good and worth while
AZ unr state campaigns as they arc
conducted. We would not say that
there is absolutely nothing good in
thcm. 1t may he thai, as a training z
Schonl, in course Of time South Car
0lina Will evolve Il number OF states
mon out q horde of mountcbanks,
Who pratc OF gcncralitics. condemn
me STstcm'-- which We certainly
would not think of endorsing as a
Whoic--but giving nothing tangible
upon which a citizen may judge as
20 whether 'the system" would be
E'@jlcf or worse for their having 4
.1ah" in "thc systcm's" workings.
r. however, We arc TO wait on
ahis 'thrcc-rngcd circus" 10 evolve
a set of statesmen, some Of us are
Eoing TO have 90 wait uutil the here.
after to meet them.
The citizens could get lot more
Information and enlightenment from
attending Friday evenings school
debating society meeting than from
II STATE campaign meeting, and would
.uOi have to sift lot Of rot and fol.