The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-08-08

mentS IN % state. 1t serves TO show
also what may seem paradoxical to
some, tina Governor Tfllman's worst
enemies have proven his best allies.
Now, It would seem useless and O
ish TO indulge I'm this review Of the
situation, The Reform movement, as
well as the extended criticism of both
sides, which / have endeavored to
make fairly, unless 1 had some object
or Interior purpose In view.
In recounting the essentials of the
reform movement and pointing out
errors that we as RefOrmers have
made or generally make /; In criticising
the actions of both sides, and of Cover.
nor Tillman as o public man, and In
pointing out h peculiarities and diff
ferences OF all parties to this political
contest, my object has been TO show
that there are now no radical differ
ences between the real conservatives
In the State, who have accepted all the
essentials Of the Reform movement,
and r willing to abide by them and
bury all political bitterness in the
the real Conservatives, who are in a
large majority in the State, can easily
unite upon a platform like this and re-
solve that the State shall be put upon
q high plane OF progressive develop
ment, and that all ~ecess bitter
ness shall be frowned down and shall
cease, and when political leaders and
the press, who are more largely re-
sponsible for the continuance Of bad
feeling than any n else, realize that
such is their determination, we shall
hear no more of it.
1t has become imperatively neces-
sary Tor the real conservatives of the
State to get together, because we are
on the eve of o Constitutional Conyen-
ton. and 1t is of the utmost importance
that 1t should be filled with our ablest
and best men and that none but real
Reformers and progressive men should
be elected thereto. They should be in
harmony with all of the essentials of
Inc reform movement, but at the same
Time Tree from prejudice and
partisan feeling. Our people cannot
be too strongly impressed with the i'm
portance of sending none but their
strongest and ablest men to the Con-
stitutional Convention, because it is a
sovereign body and may do a great
deal OF good or q great deal of harm to
the State. Besides the matters already
spoken OF for its consideration, it
might finally dispose of several ques-
tions, such as prohibition and the rail.
road questions, which persist in dis
turbing the peace and harmony of u
people.
In sending this waif, or in pouring
this oil out upon the troubled political
waters, let me say finally, that what we
really need in South Carolina is not
only the uniting of the real conserya-
tives,. but the formation of a more pro-
gresslve movement in the State. The
reform movement, with all of it's
essentials, can do us but little good un-
I'll we unite to put them int5 active
operation. Let the real reformer and
conservative Of the State move up on
this line. Let the towns treat the
country with mor consideration and
respect, and the country quit abusing
the towns. Let the newspapers cease
their perpetual and never ending de-
traction and fault-findiug with Cover
nor Tillman, and give him a chance to
be conservative, and then see If he does
NOT meet the great emergency and
prove equal to the responsibility. The
aaskelEtes may rage, and the Third
Partyites may oar, but no good can
come of any farther agitation and bit
terness, unless 1t be to put some un-
worthy demagogue in power, or drift
wood into the Constitutional Conyen-
tion, and this it is the highest duty of
every real refOrmer and real conserya-
tive to prevent. We may agitate, and
agitate, and we may talk reform as
much as we please, but as long as we
Keep up this bitterness and pickering,
our people are idle and dissatisfied,
and our interests and all industry is
languishing, while we play into IT,
hand OF the demagogue.
we may talk of reducing taxation
upon our people, but there is only one
way In which it can be done to any per-
ceptible degree. When we have
settled u differences and ceased II
quarreling ; when we have encouraged
capital to come into the State to help
In It's development when we have
doubled our hands in the factories. in
the shops and on the farms when wa
have twice the capital and twice the
people to bear the burden and the cost
OF supporting the State that We now
have, then we will realize that we
nave reduced Il own taxes and added
materially to the value of our own
property as we'll, but not until then.
In such q movement it would be but
right and natural, thai leading conser-
vative R~eformers, with Governor Till
man III he willy, should take the lead
and bring about what is now most need
ed and desired in the State. This is
the more incumbent upon him. and
them, since they are so largely re-
sponslble for our present condition,
and we hope he win move forward on
the line SO plainly marked out as the
natural result or sequel of the Reform
movement, and If he will not the re-
sponssbility' will be his, particularly if
he should receive the full assurance
that he will be supported by all of the
real reformers and real conservatives
of the State.
Let us have a "more progressive
movement" and let it's watchword be
Progressive Development"
AN OLD REFORMER.
The above article has already been
alluded to in my reply to Senator Irby.
In submitting it to the public, let me
say finally, that we have arrived at
that point or period in our history
when we must do something similar to |