1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/South Carolina

SOUTH CAROLINA (see ). The pop. of the state in 1920 was 1,683,724, an increase of 11.1% over the previous decade, as compared with 13.1% and 16.4% during the two preceding decades. During the decade 1910-20 negroes increased from 679,161 to 818,538, or from 44.8% of the total pop. to 48.6%. The density was 55.2 per sq. mile. The urban pop. was 17.5% of the whole, as compared with 14.8% in 1910. The pop. of Charleston was 67,957 an d the decennial increase 15.5%, the white increase being 28.3% and the negro 4%. The white pop., increased by war industries, was 52.4% of the whole,

a majority for the first time in about 200 years. The pop. and decennial increase for the other leading cities were as follows:&mdash;

Political History.&mdash;The class feeling that has always been strong in South Carolina politics found violent manifestation during the governorship of Coleman L. Blease, who served two terms from 1911 to 1915. Blease's political tactics were calculated to appeal to the lower and less literate elements of the state; he quarrelled with the state Supreme Court, with the General Assembly, with other state officers and with the U.S. authorities. The Legislature was at all times controlled by his opponents, and probably more measures were passed over his veto than had been so passed in the case of all former governors combined. He startled a congress of governors at Richmond, Va., in 1912 by an open advocacy of lynching, and while governor he pardoned or paroled more than 1,500 criminals. At the time of his resignation (a few days before his term expired in 1915) he had freed all but 150 convicts, the number then said to be remaining in the institutions of the state. Almost his last official act was an order disbanding the state militia; this was promptly countermanded by his successor. Resigning without giving any explanation, he was succeeded for five days by Lt.-Gov. C. A. Smith. In 1918 Mr. Blease made a campaign for election to the U.S. Senate, taking extreme ground against the country's entering the war. He was overwhelmingly defeated. A progressive period began with the election of Gov. Richard I. Manning in 1914. A significant feature of the campaign was the support given to Prof. John G. Clinkscales in his advocacy of compulsory education. Gov. Manning's two administrations were marked by constructive legislation and effective coöperation with the national Government. Gov. Robert A. Cooper was elected in 1918 on a platform that made education its chief plank and frankly announced that as the result of progressive legislation taxes would be higher. He was reëlected without opposition in 1920. His chief measures were the strengthening of the public schools, the creation of a budget system and the consolidation of management of charitable and correctional institutions. The Australian ballot was put in force (1921) in primaries, though not in the general election, the latter being merely a formal ratification of the former as the Democratic nomination is equivalent to election.

The World War.&mdash;Of the total of 78 Congressional Medals of Honour awarded, South Carolina received six. The total number of men sent by South Carolina into the war was 54,254, not including those who had enlisted before the Unites States declared war. The amount of Liberty and Victory loans and other Government securities bought was $94,211,244, and $3,027,740 was contributed to Red Cross and similar appeals.

(D. D. W.)