The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-09-22
GEN. BUTLER in REPLY.
HIS REMARKS WE'RE 70 Or.
STOKES.

STOKES.
Hs Denies EmphaticalIv that He Applied
Abusive Epithets to tho "Cotton Plant"
-"rh worlds" AshevIIe Interview
was Correct.
EDGEFIELD, s.. c., Sept. 8.-As was
intimated In today's World Senator But
Ter yesterday sent DR.. Stokes the follow
Ing letter In reply to the editorial in last
weeks issue of The Cotton Plant:
SENATOR BUTLER's LETTER.
EDaEFIELE, s. G., Sept. 7, 1891.
Or. j. w. Stokes, 2rangeburg, s.. C..
DEAR SIR have received your two
letters Of tho Goth ult. and 4th inst.
Also by the last mall a copy of The
Cotton Plant of the 5th inst, contain
ing my letter to you of the 28th ult. In
reply to your first letter, 1 will say that
I did not intend to say IN my interview
with the reporter of The State at Ashe-
vile, that 1 had requested you to pub
lish my letter in The State. 1 glanced
h%urriedly over the interview after it APP
peared In the paper, and was not attract
ed by such q statement. Not having it
before me I cannot verify your version
oft, or otherwise l am quite sure 1
could not have made such a statement,
because 1 did not request you to publish
the letter in The State. However, that
is not at all material. AS I now recall
the interview, it was in the main cor
rectlY reported.
In reply to the inquiries in yours OF
the 9TH inst, in regard to my interview
IN The World and News and Courier,
the one in Asheville and the other here,
/ will say they are correctly reported,
and represent just what L didsay.
AND now a word as to your editorial
criticism of my letter, in The Cotton
Plant of the 9Th INST; just n point,
because / cannot follow you through the
mazes of evasion and %quibbling which
pervade Its entire length of nearly two
columns.
You say, near the top of the first
column: I'm view ofthe abusive epithets
the senator is reported TO have INDUCED
in reference to this paper, (The Cotton
Plant) in his recent Asheville and Edge
field interviews, 1 might justly consider
that the senator had placed the whole
matter beyond the pale of courteous
reply, Or even uOClCc.'
Now, my dear sir, you must know
there is not an atom of truth in this
statement. No honest man can find any
thing in either of the interviews to iusti-
tY 1T. Whatever of epithets that may be
found in these interviews were addressed
to you personally, not the newspaper
you edit. l nave two much regard for
the liberty and freedom OF the
nrouo IN foLo onannn Of anu Eoir
criticism by the press of my conduct. 1t
newspaper to c~rlticise freely and fear
lessly the acts and conduct of public
men and question whenever and wher-
ave they are ammenable to criticism.
L have been the subject of criticism by
the newspapers over and often, some-
times adversely sometimes otherwise,
and I have never complained of it. 1t
will be a bad day for the country when
tho papeis fail, from any cause, to hold
UP to the public the acts of public Off.
Gals. But neither have you or any
other editor the right to make the press
the vehicle of private, personal resent
ment. and claim immunity under
of the freedom of the press. 10 honor
able editor will so abuse the high station
an. he occupies:
T have been somewhat surprised at
the sens,tiyeness which you and some of
your sub-treasury orators have exhibited
ut the legitimate newspaper criticisms
of your public acts. The ~"boycott,"I
believe. has been indulged in by some Of
Won to punish certain newspapers for
daring to give the public information
IA to YOUR transactions. Let me admon-
ish YOU. and those who adopt you
methods and tactics, that they will not
win. The light will be turned on, and
Won will not be permitted to ply your so
called .scampaign o! education" behind
barred doors, and indulge in calumnies
and manufactured Misrepresentation.
The Alliance, as originally organized,
was q most excelbnt institution, calcul-
ated 70 work In caculable benefits to the
agricultural classs. Many of the best
men in the county Joined and sustained
II. with this end i view; but a few self
seekIng politicians got control of Its
machinery and ar trying to convert it
into a secret potical organization, to
he operated for teir own selfish ends.
All secret polital organizations are
jnimical to freetm of thought and
action, and to thebertles of the people.
I trust you will OF succeed in your
efforts to make IL Alliance a political
machine, but that will move forward
on the lines origiily intended by its
founders and stanan invincible obsti.
Gle between the intests of the farmers
and those who wot either Cypress or
mislead them.
No, Sir. I ha' not INDUCED in
abusive epithets wards The Cotton
Plant. I was m the first contribu-
tors to that paper fore it fell into the
hands of those sonof whom at least
are prostituting its dmns to unworthy
purposes. / wish he Cotton Plant
every SUCCESS, but mot withhold my
expressions OF contpt for the uses to
which j. Is being 4ated. Very re-
yyo Your &C. BUTLER.
Driven to Desf,tion.
LONDON Sept. 9.-FI, Keief com,s
the account of a horriblt tragedy. A
jew named Kaptan, drive To desnera.
ton byan order to leave Ruiz no hov