The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, August 21, 1896, Image 2
TOWNSHIP I
GOVERNMENT.
?I'SCLK (>K()K<iK " TILLMAN'S
Sl'l-Kni AT KKI> IJ AX''
On tho Occasion of tlic Laying of the
Corner-Stone of the StuteV
Ilaby County.
*
Below is the second installment ot
"Uncle George" Tillman's speech on
Township Government, which was do- [
liverod at lied Bank, on tho occasion
of the laying of the eoruer-stoue |
of the State's baby county?Saluda:
"1 have named about live thousand
county ollieials who have far more to
do with promoting or refunding the
liberty, intt lligeuee, prosperity aud
happiness of the people than all the
?i\ or eight elective otlicers in each
county. ->i the !'J <>r 1"? elective State
oftieera or the bin mouthers of belli
brain In > of the State legislature, 111 ;
other word*. le.-s than live hundred
ollieets are ? lected *?y the people out
of about M\ that c oi.-titiit the i
? "t?it :uvi rniiirn', although the live j
thotis-in 1 who arc appoint!d l?v th?
govern for by tin* county commis- |
sioucis control sulVragc by regulating
rcgistraio. :i. control elections l.y appointing
managers of election anil
counting tiie v??tes, control )>u 1 > 1 iu !
schools by selecting school trusties,
control taxation by as-cssing property
for tuxes an 1 actually collect anil disburse
more taxes than the legislature, i
control laying out new roaihs or shutting
up ohl ones as well as working ex- i
isting mails ami establishing ferries or ]
building bridges, control the paupers \
and lunatics aud can make or mar j ]
good government hi innumerable ways. (
Yet none of these thousands of impor- i j
taut ollieials are elected by the people. | I
The controlling leudi rs of the last i
Democratic State convention must t
have mu;'.-. I at tin-igiiorauco and guiia- I
bility . ; the human race when thev i
made it pass a resolution declaring | i
that 'every iVinocrat may vote di- t
rectly for th.c man id' his ehoice lor ' t
all ollices from the highest to the 1
lowest." i 1
Caund the people of a township [
make out a better poll list of the local i
voters w'n should exercise the right of i
sutlYage than strangers appointed by t
the (b v. rnot V Cannot the voters i
in each township select a better set of t
managers of election more capable mid | i
nccej t.ii'Ie to the peopb than luuuug- , s
ers nppo.nied by the commissioni : of \
clcctim.. who in turn are theinsi Ivis ,
appointed by the Governor? Cannot t
the patrons of a public school choose a i
i i - .r. -.
uixii'i < ! li'iiiu'i'it in<;i"?* .sawsiacion.y l>>
nil concerned than tin* eounty rchool |
coojuiishinuor citu appoint? 'I lie hoard ;
ot oiiuniT c<?Niuiis>ioneiH ami tlio ;
rouuty ojiialii'iition ?us w? 11 uh ' 1
as the towushtp ami State equalization |
hoards are ali ehoseii from the tow 1
ship eosti!ii.s->ioiier- w ln? are up; nin4. <1
by the C> vcrnor. \t>w who is l.io ly ?
to sen ' tile three fittest Inell for t t , n t
ship conn ;s ioi;. , tie (I v? riu?r or
the township voters*' Surely .! tin !
people n i iv Minn t < !.> 0;:h and vii t.;ou \
enough to tift the tiovernor thev \
ought to he ColliJ etent to Seleet eiijaihle i
township eoinuiissioiiers. t
A flee people always select in st of ?
their ollicers, Inn in a desputi-m like 1
Russia ir China the otllecrs arc up e
pointed as is the rase with eleven- 1
twelfths of the civil ollicers of South 1
Carolina today. W hat a commentary a
is this ot. the loud-mouthed, vulgar ii
tougucil ehampioiis of "a government e
of tile people, for the pi ?plo and hv (
the peoj-le. s
I'nforP.inntely lo re in South Caroli- a
na we liave only eoimty goveimuent e
with all it- im llieieiiey < \truviigaiiee .
and > | j i? - -1 n. Rut up North wlo-ie t
tow Usui; : . VernilO tit c\it- tile peo- I
pie real .;.' rule t !;etll>.!\ i l y fleeting ;
ail their own local olli.vrs *ueh as t
superv of r -l-trat; u, managers
oteh.a tru-t< > - of pahiie .schools, v
township e >11111.ls-t ?l;e s, etc There, 1
also, i wt". citi n tal.es | art ill j -ublic
atfaii's, :.u 1 has 11:i:;earri* d on t>? ' j,
mi11 hit :-< ami itcighiiots. II. knows t
what i- ' ;':g on aiui 1. > * it is going 1:
on, but dov.u here tin Work ofgovern- V
m.'iit i-. i'!.r'.>.! i.n i..i 11. . . .i
-v "" I" 'V'". >'
llllt !l>r t) JHOj'ie iiy ItJ Jioilltl' I oil;- t
cor* co-u ty ?v.-riini?*:jt u hu'.uri', t
aluitV' ii i? n failure ti!.1 i?!weV-.
will lie !i :;.111;r , 1 t ciiii-i' it i- too remote
ir. : tin- g??Vfn>f?l, who hnvo tm
o)>j ?>rt :!.i:v to ?. ??:i>? tit to mum roiss
olV:?-i.ii act-, nI; 1 coi;si ul i>i the 1,11V- <>
<T!ii*il .x :In i oiiiir-t' iii* ot liberty. !.
Why !! ! t t!.< > i.fu to\\n<i.:|i ,1
*?? V<-1 ti i '..xi-|vf nil I -elect tin If 1
own 1 iKi'i ix Why ?'o!ii].t I tli- in to 1o(i
to ro'.iit Iii": -! 1 1 >-i-( their |county
- in- . ?'i :i::nix-io:ii r to cLoomi ),
their lie.;. 1 iii 1 i:i* soil m! tru-teis?
WliV I r.' tiielil to h ive to i'o t > Co w
111III'Ill ! a - U tliC I AeOUtlVe to m | I I i 11
their x iji, rvinir.s of nyixt rntxoti. tl
their ii.oii ioi i t of 1 lection f ir
the:.' t ? i.xhij* ro:!;::?-;n;ii r- - Itet ,
ter hu%" i.ui'e rn'.i.t:- lii.e oil
'.X--.1 t I 1 III. 1 Ill i: i(ijl 1 ^
lowi.siiij' \. r:> II. lii -*..?! 1 nnn M
tics ww . i.i' 1 v\ 11>i.* i? c.>\t rniiii :ii. N
Turtow. :m> tin r, ,
Usually si'lji o! i. . ,sc 11 :ir tlic j.
ccnti ? t: t ?\vii~!s;;- : ti.c Mil cry. j,
th. .- ii . . ':
citi.'cli- :.. !.cic t:. \ I ?" . I
parlcii. !. y 1 iw :i- i- \ \ ?
ins r:i.t- i.i .1 his . s i.\ . >. j.1. . j,
Wei! ii- ! \ pi. "cj-t. I--. < : 11: i. -i c v. ,
st ilt \.f W Isc-t itli'i !... ! 1!Illstl it 1 t|>i>lit
it-ui [ I:;!' !: i fr< ii ii' : -.i i \>ii ? <
litis i \ * r \ i ?.;;r li >r? -? It. . ! y ,
And write in out our American iustitu* j
turns was Alexis rocijuoviUc, ami in t.
Li- won.li rf:; 1 l oci. ' I > rnncnirv in ?
An.i ri<M, anti'.y/ii " o'.tr y *. i-rnrm-r.t,
awiiriis 1'ic | >i! in <> ' in my to tl.c ,
tuMii-i;ij s> .-.{cm < ! v. i.i '!1111< 1 a i j]
Jiettij ir 1 est lu-.'.itut: jL the kev ' v
stone to iho urch of our grand political
structure Ami I have never seen a
mull familiar with tho operutious of
township government at tho North who
docs uot agree with him. During au<l
since 1117 boyhood I have attended a
half dozen or more public township
meetings at the North and each one
was a revelation of aouiethiug new, interesting
and instructive. I theu and
there learned how and by what means
the Yankee is tuught his most striking
churactcrestics-huhits of curiosity,selfconfidence,
thiift, economy and public
spirit, especially the latter, for the
genuine Yankee is alv a s planning or
trying to plan something for the public
good as well as his own good. At all
of those township meetings everyone
Look a deep interest in public uflairs
and.everybody wauted to know what
had gone or would go with everv dol
lar i?f public funds. No jobs passed j
unchallenged. No little live-dollar j
bridge over u gulhy cost the township i
S'Jo. No i:nj roper accounts were paid
lor eiihcr mileage or serving papers or
for t ratispot ting or dieting prisoners,
paupers, or lunatics, or for doing any
other public service. There wiro no j
disciusinus ubmit defaultilur county '
treasurers or dishonest county com- 1
mi.-sioners. because the duties of these '
otli n i s devolved on township ollieials. I
< >:i the contrary, the public business >
was completed as well in every particular
us private business if not better, |
which is a great deal more than can bo 1
said of county gnvermm ut anywhere, i
Well 1 .Mowing the inestimable value
of township government I tried hard i
la^t fall to have incorporab d in our
new constitutsoti a provision making it
mandatory on the legislature to estab- i
l.sh a system of elective township gov- !
eminent, but I could not get it done J
for the reason that sonic ] ? tsous, v.ho j
style themselves "chatnptons of the f
people," opposed it. I o He red the j
1 11 - . . : . i
n'lmniii^- proposition wnicn, am r a |
l"Ug, hot and libit' debate, was voted j
ilowu: "Tho <piulif 1 *.*<I voters of each j
township shall elect at such times and j
[or such terms of oOicc as mav l>c preictibed
by law, township clerk and
treasurer al.-o three discreet persons to
l)e known as the hoard of township direetors,
who shall provide for the euro
>f ail paupers ami lunatics in tho '
lownship, assess all property in the |
township for taxation and who shall !
iave charge of of the township roads, j
tridges ami ferries, public schools, tip- |
>oint . he managers of all federal, State, |
ounty and township elections, shall '
agister all ipialilicd voters of the
ownsliip and shall discharge such oth- ,
r duties and ree? ive such coinpeus.u- j
ion for their services as tlio leglalatuiu |
nay presenile." I or tlio above a suit- I
tltute agreed Upon by the foXV leaders !
vns adopted i:i the fellowing words:
"F.iich t l the several townships of |
his State w;ih names and boundaries j
is now es.' ib'.ishe I by law shall eonsti- '
nte ? !m> ly politic, but this shall not j
mi "ent the general assembly from or- i
:>>!ii/.iog other townships or changing j
,^:t t>.lindanes of those already estab- I
idied, an the general a-sembly may '
rovi.le s\ tein of township govern
11 "itt its :! shall think proper."
' iiis i . course was ami H but an ;
Hi| ty platitude, a frami, a l.ain. iut
iob <1 to deceive by pju t n ling to do
iueti.il. for local ndf-gov rnmei.t,
?;.t in n ?iity to tio untiling, f??r tin; ,
\ 'Ml > x' "iMui ii<-i-!,tl !y v.itiy |?r? :
nil* nf'i hy-t< :u < : ti?.vrifliiji *^"ViTi:- i
in-lit n- it .-.'mil I'niiilv | it.j? r," art- hut i
liC Mi'.ilii'ili;^ hruss a hrutillii fill- j
ii !: us tin' ;t? in ml nsHi-iuhlv cntihl ;
itivi- t-.-tuhii-lif.l a systrm of township i
;o\iriiiini.t i-voii if the constitution .
m>l sui'l n..thing nhoiit it. The boss |
t.-mliTs kiu'W it. Vi-t ai tiny were |
friiiil to t:??lit hoi'ie rule openly tln-y
It-ti'riiiiiii-tl to ilo it iiitliri'i'tlv uiitl
overtly; mi thov gut Mr. Ihirtoti of t
tr?-. 11 vi!l?> t > olVt-r tin' tul i to tin- to v. n- ,
!ii|i whale which was finally ailnptt-il, '
ii.I which 11k:it to t'ln St .I. J>e:uo> j
ruti*' I'onvi nti.-ii resolution. "that
very i Vino -rut limy vote ilireetlv lor
In- man ot In-, i i'.'i.- :t?r all otiii-i-s |
rotn tin* hi;.;; st t tii-- Itiin st." \\"Ii ?t 1
tii-- i -.1 truth of tin- iniitti-r. -imply
hut nil 5 'V.i r itivarinii'iv -t !;> it- ow:i ;
i,. rt ii-.- hot!; in tin- j?!i%" ?:i -s!t i:i n!
mriil. i la- liovf'inr hi Soiitii ("nroilM
lit till-. tlllM- Ills Il.Oll' Ifl.ltlVf
mtfoliage, :i;i>ri o'.'.i-t t i in-stow, mi 1 i
i.oi'- l i t! olh.-iai | o\\t r -iti I itiilu nee ,
o i-\.-r.-ssi- in ]>ro|iortion to tin- i>. |>it- i
itio!i :? ..! Wtiiltii t!. >tuti- over
.ho ii Ii- jTi-i It - tiiuii t-i !'r -i ! nt
f tin- I iiiti-il -t it. . or tl uii tin- i-hti-f i
\t i-iit 1\ of any i ;I-i free t-n:iutr\ iti
h?- woriil.
. I
l.t t . .i.f a r.lj'i-i g.uin'e nt -.?:;itf
the Governor's patronage Ilo up*
t ints ut tin- pn -t r.t uin- louniit- : nn i
: ;i.t -ti;u-r\i oj s f i -^r: t itiosi. . i !?
t whom *?t ta n:i itnit-in 1 s -i-iry f '
ir ll.D ur time i:. :i 111 a : Ii l vo.-h.
ii.I 11*t r tli - yi'iii w ... } ' ! i J i'i-r
ntn.m : r lining al.i. -t nothing that '
. i oi-tt ring i.,-w t-ojii itovs who
.o il tin ir n.a, . t , n . i la j'i'i an
si if,'.-tr i*i11t.ia.i-: i in - o:.j 1
iititlri'.i iiint t i.'iit it -tr..tit?n ntlii'i's. j
it:i inmi-oia.- i av ami ! .t 'tilth- In ih.
iv lunch ?j:1 jt n:;. r mi>1 tin tv,Msi:
i:: 11 v. t r-. in t!v -a M it. \v: 11 ,
t I ? wild) . -h 1. i ,V!i-):. j O lit 1(1 i
i r it^own \ ?t r- in ii -in,.lr .lay ,
til" Yiar illlil lit I V ?t rM'i'f.iilli,' !
.I<.:i:.it j ;s{ wi ll >iii ! j.rnl> li.ly .
a iv 'itint'iirt ry tlma tip- tlmv vnvr- !
iv .r", :in>! n. < !.- t!i \ .t I 1' -v- hi*
i vi-t iut ti.-1.1 t :.< < . . . ii-'ly .
ii:. in.nth r \wth?. .t t 'it- > >. i ti . )
t < ir I. i!! 1 i uiiv t< t
itir(h<?!iM>. ;?. r ii . ihII
i<>.. I i. rli iMl !.. > i ] .ilil ii
. i.::.l 11::*? < ! .. . ;ii i >i )?
. ujty .i| ; >it)t till' ';: mi r I'M mill
11 . . ut i-vi r". % " i i ia t:
.ill/. V hvil I'll I It . I ;:.'!l U^t'I'.s Ilil! '
ti )<:ii 1 ii i iifin i ! -ntiiiv :n nriv ;
: i . 1
,? : . a'.tl.otirr!i ii'it l.tt'.i- y utl s i
i tln.ii. 1 :i > <?.el r 1:..i'\\ i- iij>- I
nit.t tlir11 t..v. ii .hi|? . !
m*or?iin>rc of whutn net u- inctul i-r.- nt .
'n- r- '.lily, t ii ' lis Ii |i Ml . Mnti1 1 ?.i 1 !
I V i'l.i .C t'. V, li.l iU'.'K VI K'Ti U"U".V
nig some pay, mileage or per ttiem. or
or both, anil although the compensation
is small individually 'yet it is
large iu the aggregate ami the position
of commissioner is one of both dignity
ami authority and is nnuch coveted.
The total number of such/commissionnets
iu the whole State Ainouut likewise
to about 1,51)0 tuii^o appointees
of the Governor. Cruvjfug for oflicial
rank is almost universal aud irresistible.
When Caesar iu passing through
a village| remarked Jfo a companion
that he would rather bo first uiau iu
that place than second man in Rome,
he only em pressed a sentiment comtnou
to mankind, and each of ?tho
many thousand pe tty officers appointed
by the executive of South Curoliua
feels grateful for the place holds. All
men love to exercise power over their
fellow meu and /hey desire ollico not
only for the/ reason that it confers
social dignity in the neighborhood
but because it flutters
i lid r mini) /HIKI ClOlllCH tUOTll With
substantial authority. A man that fan
determine '/ho may vote or that can
raise or lovyvr tax assessments or that
call build or not build a bridge, lay
out or eloKe a public road, or that can
do any of the lneuy things that th<
thousands of ollicials appointed by out
Governor ean uo is not an insignificant
personage ami the a .'grcgute power ot
sueh oflioers in South Carolina is immenstj,
in fact predominant for a tinu
at Ieufrt, as the oiiiciul mass is inclince
to o/n y its creator ami is a sort ol
bod/ politic actuated by an esprit do
coh|?s to sustain one another right ot
\\Ubng, ami vote for one another right
oy wrong, and vote for one of their set
</ ring against any outsider. Lt is only
when sueh a ring falls out nmong
4heiuseJves as they invariably do boou
' or late, either from ehngriu at being
defeated for ollice or disgust at general
rascality, that the Macedonian phalanx
of the ring can bo broken. The monster
political faction of New York
known us Tammany Hall society is organized
and held together by a hordt
of appointed ollice holders, umonf,
whom the greed for ollice, bribery ami
peculation is so rife that they periodi
eally begtt sueh corruption as cries t<
heaven for correction; ami as loug ut
South Carolina polities shsll coutiuuc
to be run upon the same low plane o)
concentrating till power nml patronage
in Ihe hands ot but u few men, 01
rather one man, tne fame perioilical
upheaval must throw ??It' the eorruptior.
ami rottenness that awaits us. 1 |
might say, in truth, already upon us.
Today charges are being made against j
the chief executive of our State?witL
or without foundation I cannot say? !
but the tlovernor of South Caroline
should be like Ciesar's wife?without
crime and above suspicion.
Although the primary is lauded in
this State as the best method and
present method ot nominating candidates
for otliee, yet it is continually
and grossly violated by appointing as
niauy public ollicers as possible and
permitting the people neither to nominate
nor elect except the members of
the Legislature and four or live county
otlicers, aud the travelling circus of
eight or ten candidates, mostly buffoons
seeking Stato ollicers, who are >
expected to amuse and delude the people
with the idea that they govern
themselves, while the appointing power
does the aetuul governing. Thingi
are so circumstanced in',South Carolina
now that the "heud chief" or "real'
appoii ting power has only to intimate
whom he wants chosen to any ollice and
his will is done with a Tammany obodience.
Oiliciul appintees are ever
eager to obev their masters to prevent
removal, ami what makes any appointive
despotism so powerful aud the
opposition so weak is that the former ;
is as thoroughly organized ?h the lutter
is a scattered rabble. So irresistible
and effective is organization that a
Spanish maxim truly says: "Three
men organized against an unorganized ,
town can 1111 u it." The members of I
any mere political faction of oftieehunters
always stand by each other,
right or wrong, until, as before remarked,
disgust at the rascality of
nu n unsocial! S, or CllUgl'lll at toe I
many being .I? 11 at ?i lor office, pro- |
duecs division. < >i 1'oiir.se, a ring may i
ruu a riotor.s career a good while unless
tin: o]>|'i>iiti"U can furnish a i
strong rallying force to meet it. This
ran I f i!ou? in South Carolina l>v
denouncing increase of taxation
through increase of assessed valim of
property, although lower taxes were
promised: it can l>e done also 1 ?y expomirr
n! the flcmsou College extrnvugai.ee
ami mismanagement; l?v showing
up the dispensary iy ranuy ami rotten- I
lies-1; by denouncing the consolidation
ot | >wer m the iuimlsof the executive,
le t only i.y denying the j eojdo tlio
right ol i e.il i eltgo\eminent in tho i
eotistit.it. iiial eoii\t*ii11<*n, hut also by |
t iking away from them the eleetiou o? J
eotinty e n.ttiis-imiers, ami then ]?reventing
them from electing either j
County rn|:: tuissleliers or township,
eoiniue>ioiier>, or having any local !
government e\ei pt through appointed 1
officers. Witeu certain men were engaged
hi th'-ir wild hunt for ollieo in
I s.e one of the charges against the old
legiine was that it er? ated m w offices
to eat out tin substance of the people,
_\et these same inell have tlieinsclvea
er< ute?l many m-w ollices, including
ai oiit ' eonioeti 1 with the dispensary
a'.oin , an 1 i.ii these ollices are j
tilled by It-It i.i:.'Iii.-Tit, Dot by election
.tie1 ; ; I hi y consist of t he
>tati oai i ei litiol, e.-iiiitv boards
e i.tiol, ili-j i !.: i ;assistant ?lis
1 . l . i; ei iit ndent, I oohkeeper*,
-i.. 1 ; r . b tth t -. hil? r- rs, etc., thir*
; \ III 1 i \ :ili- > lilt I ilmlalilr*, k]?|I'S i
i ::.t i i ( ?>v?Tix>r Scott's |
,s I'. lic:il lm?. I li<- |i|'t-li'\t
! >i ? . .i-ii.i./ Hp ilis|>ci)sury was t(? j
i -.i *i lor tin Stall-, | nunoU- tin:
:: in ? : I?.- | ?? titi.i it:i)-r?>\? tiit>it* I
; !. il i i i,t:i Iiy siijiiilvin^ tin-in with
ci i i..i. i v ji..ii liijunr. Tht) liquor, ,
. i. ; - : i n:. i m\ limit nil i-\)irriciii-o ami |
ii'i - -vati i!.. l- inferior, lit tlio prico
ohargoJ, to that formerly furnished
by the Imrkeepera. Iu place of the
morals of tbe people being better tbey
are decidedly worse, because mnnv of
them have lost tbe manly independeiice
they oueo possessed ami have
learned to smuggle, to bide, to lie, to
play apv and informer, a Leak behind a
door to take a drink, and to do many
other mean contemptible thing* that
South Carolinians once scorned. Then,
too, the Dispeusury constables are too
busy dabbling in politics and watching
the few blind tigers of the hutod
towns to pay any attention to tho contraband
whiskey that is daily peddled
all over tlio country un?l sold at alracst
ovory Negro church where religious
services are held. As to getting auy
revenue foi the State, that is not
worth considering, since there are too
many opportunities to steal, too many
doubtful characters who know their
opportunity. "Always ready for ud
tlition, division and silence." is a tit
translation of the J.atin motto on their
bottles. However, the heavy expense
of the huge, ill-th vised, impractical,
unwise scheme would forever prevent
the Stub- making any money out of it.
Every well-governed State in the
' world derives much, if not most of its
! revenue from a tax on stimulants?
either a tax on their manufacture or
I xn heavy license on their sale, l ither
i the State, the counties or the towns of
I South Carolina formerly got not much
| short of $lOO,bO;> revenue from the
i '?alo of liquors, but that sort of thing
I is all gone and shall stay gone as long
, ii? 11ji I'lm-ju i 'ispensnry humbug is
I attempted to bo enforced. No doubt
! the barkeepers would readily pay
! South Carolina :?ino,oiiO for a mouop!
olv of the privilege to sell whiskey
.throughout tIn* State 11s now provided
^n the new Constitution, and each bnrI
'keeper would be bis own spy or hire
his own constables. The State would
then be at no expense, as was the case
when she received a revenue from
whiskey before the dispensary farce
was inaugurated. The license fees she
theu charged were all clear profit, but j
there is no profit now?there can be
none. Yet the statesmen who estab- !
lished the dispensary and still chain* j
pion it promised the people that the |
profit should be so great that it would j
almost prevent the necessity of collect- |
ing any taxes; that it would biing 111 j
a revenue of about iJoOO.OOl).
It is deplorable that a once legitimate I
business?not the most reputable, it is ;
true, but still recognized as legitimate ,
?has been confiscated and inouopo- '
li/.ed by the State in the confident ex- '
pectation of deriving a big revenue '
l'roui it: yet alter three or four years' j
trial it has proven a failure, as all the |
I profits of 11 business inclndiug re- j
bates, except what made be stolen l>_? .
employees auil their partners, go to
pay an army of about three hundred
idle drones to carry elections, harry
the people as well as shoot them down
if they indignantly resist oppression.
Unless judgment has tied to brutish
beast and men have lo>t their reason, I
our people will some day tear with indignant
hand from the statute book the
page that is stuiucd with such a law.
The essence and th<> test of civil liberty
in its last analysis is consent of |
the governed, an I what more shamelees,
vulgar tyinn iy could be indicted j
than to force a ? ispensary w hiskey shop !
upoll a prohibit on community. Think |
of how deeply ihe principle of self- J
government is w< muled by establish- j
ing a retail dispel sii'V in a town or
county which has lor years refused to
license the sale of li<|tu>r.
Local option cannot bo improved
upon ami as communities are like individuals
iu having tluir sober spells
and drinking humors, better let them
alternate between license and no li- I
cense, thereby going to hell or "heaven i
in their own way and as long as they ;
tread on nobody else's too it is no- j
uuu; n umiui^N unc ineir own nnu
their (foil's. Hence the present com- j
pulsory dispensary ought to be iibolislieil
because it forces the siile of
liquor on tin; whole State, whereas
every separate municipality should be
allowed to govern itself in its own way 1
not only as regards liquor but us re
gards everything else.
Let us hope that we shall have real j
true-blue genuine reform at no distant j
day. The most hopeful sign in sight
is that every white man in the State 1
seems t<> be registering, apparently tic- |
tcrmined to vote at the next or the :
succeeding (lection and appears re- i
Solved to have his vote correctly ;
counted or know the reason why. The
best plan to break up ring In re and
have holiest elections once more, with i
a fair count ami a higher class of sue- !
eosftful candidates for ollice is to ratal)- i
lish township elective government like j
they have at the North in lieu of our
appointive local government. Wo once ;
had ami elective county government
by three county commissioners, chosen !
by a popular vote, but our reform
leaders in order to strengthen their ,
ring organization, abolished that ami
established the present mixed system
of local county ami township govern
incut, controlled not by election but
by appointment. Changing from
nominating candidates for otiice by j
the ninny liiiin power through ti priinary
election to the otie-niun appointing
powi r by the governor or school ,
commissioner is going buckwnnl from
I >einocr acy not towards it. Some til'
the result*, are the dispensary tyranny,
t iie State constabulary, the i:n tropolitilli
police, I ho government by injiiiietioii
ami otl'. r om man power high
jinks in tin- State,
It is an open <p'.estion wiiieh is the
better plan o| nominating **nt <ti?1 ?*t
lor olliee by primary or convention
of delegates but cither i- incomparably
superior to thcom mamlietatoria!
ring mentioneil of appointing men to
ofiice. I in people of South Carolina
have little or no local s? il'-gov? rnmcnt,
but are riih ! by r.pt>omtcd o'dicer) ar- j
cording to the discretion of those of- ,
tieers ami no man is free who hohls
Lib rights subject to the discretion ol
another, since nil rights should be pro
tcctod and secured l\v Inw.
It took 40 years vigorous ngitntioc
and hard work to get your new county
anil I advise you to ugitnto 40 luore il
necessary to secure elective townshij
government, for I believe it would bi
of more value to you than even thai
which you have just attained, lleuct
I urge you to always press *ho question
ou your county candidates for the
legislature and ou all the candidate!
for State oHices when they comi
among you. I will suggest to you n
question which you ought ask and
make them answer fully: "Do you 01
not favor a system of local townshi);
self-government in which the ollicert
shall be elected by the voters of till
i township and not appointed by any
superior authority; and if elected will
! you advocate the same?" Saluda
I ought to take the lead in lighting foi
j elective township government. Then
i would be something oi poetic pro|
pricty in her doing so. As the youngj
est county in the State she is one ol
' all others, that, having suffered long
j iKi lor mo want ot self-government
! nuil must fool keenest the great wroug
i that was done her ami cau therefore
j better champion the eaiiHe of elective
| township hone rule,
i I am no anxious to see township
; liovernment established in South Can ?
| gtia that 1 v.ill close by saving if any
of you feel that you owe me something
for my long ami earnest eilbrts in be!
half of your new county, all 1 ask n
j that you shall light ami fori ver eon!
tinue to light for this form of government
until you get it.
Fellow-citizens, T am done, ami
j would I could have done better. I
have tried to speak the truth according
to mv honest, best judgment, as I
always do, without regard to the fear
| or favor of anybody. I thank you sin;
cerelv for the kind aa-l patient attention
you have given me. Above all I
; thank you from the eeutcr of my heart
and with my whole heart for the uniform.
zealous and generous support
yoUjhftvc always extended to my aspirations
in life. No constituency ever
stooi\ by a representative more loyally
than you have stood by me, and 1 bei.
? * ;.. - - ? * -
a ia mmh I111U in Villi 1*1111 Miy,
"George Tillmau deserved it, because
he never deceived the Saluda jieojile?
never Wed to them?never betrayed
their trust and always tried to do his
duty faithfully as he saw it."
It may he I shall never have the op
portunity to address you again, ami in
bidding you good-bv permit me to express
the hope that Saluda county may
always tlourish like a green bay tree,
ami that every man, woman and child
in the county may enjoy the choicest
blessings of God in this world and the
I'AbMIOTTO 1'KXCIL I'OIXTS.
Frank Mursneils. a State convict employed
at Lipscoiub-Xeal brick yard,
near Columbia, committed suicide by
jumping between a belt and pulley.
A commission has been granted to
.7. . Gentry, Ij. M. Gentry, U. C.
Correll and T. 11. Thnekston as corporators
of tho Spartanburg Knitting
Mills, whose capital stock will be 81",0U0
in 100 shares of 8-~> each.
The requirements for anyone to tako
part in the primary election thismonth
is the following, which is taken from
the rules governing the Democratic
party: "No person shall he permitted
to vote unless lie has been unrolled on
1L club list lit ll'Mst fivii duvu !.?>
.. . v, -1 1/V.iUlt bUU
anid primary election."
The contract for the erection of a
College Home at Krskine College, Due
West, has been awarded to Mr. J. V.
Orders, of Charlotte, X. C., tho lowest
bidder, for Work will begin
at once and the building will be
completed by December 15. Bond
i??.000.
A strange woman went to Seneca tho
other day ami stopped at a boarding
house, and iuter she was discovered in
an out house with a ropo around her
neck trying to hang herself and she
fought desperately those who tried to
prevent her rash act. She was afterwards
lodged in the guard house but
continued to try to kill herself with
whatever she could get hold of. She
is a white woman about do years old.
Ialter ir: the day it was discovered
that her name was Scott and that she
was a lunatic escaped from tho county
poor-house.
TIIK :s t'A I ! ; f (>N V l-.NTM >N
Of I he Sunday Schools of Soul li Carolina
Postponed I he llcason Why.
The following circular in regard to
the annual State Sunday School convention
is of special interest to the
Sunday School people of lie Slat.
"Scleral id' the State Sunday School
conventions arranged !. hold their
meeting.* this year the last week m
Angle t. I his made it impos.-ibio for
i'riiit'HMtr (111 iniiI, tin* representative oi"
the international convention, to met I
with tin-Hi all.
"Mr. Jacobs, chairman of the inter
national executive cemmittee, r?-?|nt-nti
d ns, ll ) o>r-il>|e, to change tin- tiino
ol on molting, so that I'rof. Hainill
could la- with :i i.
"I poii it*vi stii.'atioii it seemed ipiito
pruc'irahlc and coiivt xiii-nt I r us to do
so. and lh< date for our meeting has
la en clinti ;ed t o Septelnher 'J, if and I.
ilist-a 1 of August g'i and 'J7, and
i ro'. .i Kauiill, of Illinois, one of
tin- I. aiillio- Sund.iV School t "111 h I s of
' in ma. and ant ho I' o ( tin- "legion of
lioiior NoMual i'-ii-n' and 1 ruining
lit'NSolls," will I'O | I'l'SI'Ilt.
"! i' ; a!ri a-'\ '.<-li Know n to a greet
,'iianv < I tin Sunday ""ohml ]>i oph> of
t:.i- at -. and !.:- in- m*. i- Millici -nt
p .11 a r.t i- t fin t t lir in "it sii;* will lii> olio
ot great n,t, |, s; and profit
I. t no p: tor or Sunday School
woil;. . v. h" can attend. miss the treat
ir t oi' tor lis lit I'lori'ticc, S.
Sept. and !. S. If. Iaiii.i,,
t h .inn an I i\i i'. i: \ i < 'om to it to.
PALMETTO
:! POINTERS.
1 | *
j "L'NCLK GKOIUiK" OX IIKVAX.
He Thinks Ho Will bo the Next President.
}
Hon. Georgo D. Tillmnu bus gpven
; the Augusta Chronicle bis opinion of
I tbo Democratio nominee. Col.. Till;
man is not a man to go wild over false
^ i lights, but is a good judgo of human
. | nature, besides being a statesman hiw.
self. Ho savs: )
, j "During my career in Congress I
' ! spent sixteen winters in Washington,
, | where I ciuuo in euntaet more oA leas
I i with nearly nil tho grout men of .this
| country, nutl,with innny from foreign
\ j countries; ami while serving two years **
' ! in Congress with Dryan, lie always imj
pressed me as being the greatest matt
| I over met, and as being just as good
: ! as he was great. As an orator 1 have
1 never heard but three men who could
. j be compared with him. They were
' ; lien Mill, lilaine and illaekburn.
He either knows everything or has
such a facility of reference to
books that he cau quickly get \
any information ho wants. llis I
' memory is simply marvelous, and ho '
" j lnu such an intimate knowledge of 1
men that he can read their characters
at a glance, lie is always at work
i seeking knowlc dge, by readiug, eou;
versatiou or reilcetion, and scenic to
j look upon idleness as a crime. If ho
, has even any small vice?chewing,
| emoking, drinking, gaming, cursing,
[ etc., 1 never discovered it during two
; years personal and olliciul intercourse
| with him. In fact, the man always npJ
pcured to be conscientiously inspired
j with enthusiasm to do good for others.
! Vet he is a most devoted father, and
: uc-is more into a lover iiiuu a uusnauu
; towards his wife. Iu a few words,
morally speaking, he is so well balI
aueed that he eouhl not intentionally
, I do a wrong thing if he were to try, and
uis intellect is so clear and strong that
1 he always avoids evil as near as it is
human to do so. Therefore, I think
Bryan will be President, becuuso
lie ought to be; because he was born
1 great, and becuuso not oveu the l'resi5
deiicy could confer greatness upon
i him."
1
PRKPARINti FOR TilK PRIMARY.
i The Tickets Rave tleen Printed and
I)Ist rlbiitcd.
I Chairman 1). II. Tompkins, of tho
| State Democratic Executive Commitj
tee, is making preparations for holdi
ing the primary in the State on the
j 2.">th inst. The tickets have ull been
I printed and are being distributed iu
the various counties. Chairman
Tompkins had 20.*,< 0 ) tickets printed.
lie addressed a circular letter to
each of the county chairman and ascertained
about how many tickets would
bo needed in bis county, and most of
tho replies have been received. The
' names of all the candidates for United
j States Senator, the candidates for State
J oOiccs uud the one candidate for rnilI
road commissioner, Mr. !.('. Wilboru,
' arc on the ticket. At the bottom of
i the ticket appears the following: "linn
i a pen or pencil mark through tho
names of those for whom you do not
wish to vote." The rules of the party
require the county Jexecutive commit
too id' each county to appoint three
managers of election at least two weeks
before the election and to publish the
i names of the managers in two or more
papers of tho county.
-4??Wariitng
to County Otllcbils.
Comptroller < iouorul Norton says tho
law with reference to settlement of
county olliciuls w ill be as rigidly enforced
this year us ever. The Comptroller
has to have in all the reports
I of county otlieers in the State iu time
: t<> presents his annual report to tho
I (iencrul Assembly. Of cotirso tho
meeting of that body is some titno off,
J tint the Comptroller desires to remind
! county offends of the fact that tiicy
| must lie on time. Tho county treasJ
uref iitid iiinlitor of each county got
up the i* |u?rt of tlie State taxes in
j their respective counties and the set!
tlement is made in the presence of tho
! Comptroller t(ciicral or his represent'
j ative, the county supervis ?r, foreman
j of the grant! jury ami the county
| school commissioner, each of whom
! certifies us to the signing of the ro|
port hy the officers, who submit tho
! ui'itters to tlie Comptroller. Tho
I school tux'cs arc reported to the conni
ty school commissioner-', who makes
up his report and submits it to tho
Comptroller (icncral. .Mr. Norton
j says tiiat he will not settle with a sinvie
olliccr until tie- r< porta are rcgtii
larh gotten up and eel tilled to. Tho
books, etc., have >11 r< :i<I\ be-n sent to
. the county officials.
Mr. I'dackwildcr, while lishing on
tlie farther f-ide of the ('atnwlia river
recently, found tin liodv of a newlv
%f ? " ~ tf
horn, white mult; eliihl. It Im< 1 hei'U
; ni tho water iihoiit t!in ? dayn and \vh?
; enelosed in two oiiniio Hacks with a
w> if_r 111 attached. No elite to the horrihlu
deed.
It is rumored that the Iloplihli
eai.i inti lid to eid! a - ate ('onveuttou
; and consider tin- outlook lor n State
t if!-. -I to le |>ut :n the iichl this year.
Knelt iiml Kl?iires Alton! I he Ileal.
'i!i f 11 \vi11iii-i' Mini" hi il!" extremely
I .K'li teinei rutin i r -j.nrte.S >.t the Weather
li irei.n st iti'.i.s, in lilT<*rer;t sis'tiiina of tiio
e. u;itry:
Si: i;.v N r ..I!., tts; Washington, H8; Ok In*
I i. st. !. .ui?. '.<s |'a!< -1iiii*. !'S; Kansas
i a . Wilialin.'l riiil.'elelfrliia, '.itij
.I.i't.- .|,\iile. 'I. Mie.!i*..:11 TV, Cinoiantili,
i I' '.r at, .'l: Nurili 1'iaile, 02; Haveni
?!. ''j i ! i i;iIMltnhurg, 03; Huston,
'.'J. \'laii'.a, ''J, Ni-w York, 0(1.
j M i|e!:o li..i. >i ;n:I. Idle lioil'/e City, 100;
| S ; .aiili:; I, le-as Cilv, OS; Montgomery,
I ' '. I; -ten, Norfolk, or.; Wn-hlnKton, 04;
| Willi i: II, i. Allnntn, HI; I'liilai|el|ihia,
0J; St, 1, jiils, ( iie'iunati, 0J; Chicago, HI).