The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-10-24
IRBY DRAWS THE LINE.
CLEVELAND DEMOCRATS AT A
DISCOUNT.

DSCoUNV.
The State Chairman Declares tha,
the Free Silver Advocates are the
Only True Democrats-He Will No,
Submit to Coercion and Threatens
Revolt Against Tariff Revision.
The following is the full text Of
Senator Irby's speech on the repeal OF
the purchasing clause of the Sherman
act:
Mr.. President, am the only farmer
In the Senate, the only member of this
body whose sole occupation is farming.
| represent the farming element OF
South Carolina but I can also say.
for feel, that represent the farming
and producing element of the entire
nation. l believe that it will not be
denied that the farmers of this country
nave deep, vital interest in the great
question now at issue before the Senate.
That interest Is not something new.
Their relations to the money.question,
while they have always been close, be-
came very prominent and came home
TO them in q most practical and sub
stantial manner when the demonetiza-
tlon OF silver was effected in 1873.
| That was to them a new era, not unlike
| that in many respects Of the new con-
ditions with which they were confront
ed at the close of the war. When the
war closed the soldier of the South re-
| turned to land which had lost every
thing. The difficulties with which he
was beset have often been described,
but l believe never with adequate
force or detail, nor shall attempt it
now.
could perhaps sum it all up in the
statement that he came out of the war
without money, without home and
without hope. He left ruin in his
track as he left his home, and he found
it there on his return. His fields were
abandoned for years, the soil had de-
Perforated, debts had accumulated, his
home was in ruins; there was utter
The returned farmer, and even those
who were not soldiers, began life
anew, opposed by obstacles such as
seldom fall to the lot of an industrious
people.
/ could draw picture of the mis-
fortunes, the terrible struggles made
by my people to restore their fallen
fortunes of the heroic sacrifices made,
of the long and patient endurance of
want, self-denial, and all the ills of
enforced poverty /; but, as l have said
that has all been vividly depicted in
the history, written and unwritten, of
wi SooAoiJ 'oo ooSh oil UudU
trying period our people remained, as
they were from the beginning, Demo
Gratis OF Democrats. Although bank
rupt in fortune, they clung with devo-
tion to their political heritage, and by
the indomitable courage which they
exhibited on the field of battle they
had to large extent recouped their
fortunes in the period from 1865 to
1873, when the Act destroying the
money Of the plain people was passed.
From that time to this the farmer
has grown poorer and poorer, but
through it all he has stood like an iron
doctrines of the Democratic party.
hoping through this agency to be
allowed to make an honest living and
get pay for his services as laborer, u
toiler and producer. His main reliance
for this end was the restoration of the
Democratic part to power in both
branches of Cong sss but it has been
vain, for now that we are in control we
are asked to yield to the forces which
always and persistently opposed us.
AS the representative of our people
/ would be derelict in my duty were
to fail at this time to voice their senti-
ments> and to utter in this presence
their solemn protest against what is
now threatened to be enacted. Our
people are Democrats from principle.
The Democratic party IS their party.
They do not propose to be driven out
OF 1t by the President or any of the self
constituted leaders of the Democratic
party of this nation. A party is what
the people who belong to 1t make it
and demand that it shall be. My people
were honestly opposed in the first place
to the nomination OF Mr.. Cleveland.
l am now opposed to the proposition
under discussion. I am opposed to it
because it is wrong and undemocratic.
| am opposed to it as q man, as u Sena-
tor and as Democrat.
This country is now supposed to have
| a Democratic majority in the House
and Senate and Democratic Execu-
tive, and | wish to say that no man in
this honorable body, or out of it, has
tried harder to reconcile his ideas Of
duty and responsibility with the wishes
of the Executive and his friends, who
now propose to coerce the Senate, than
| | have. come, sir, from the cradle
OF true Democracy. 1t has produced
| some Of the greatest and best Demo
cratic statesmen that ever lived. 1
believe as firmly in Democratic princi-
pies as l do in my Bible, and l always
will contend that the only way to steer
tho ship Of State clear of the shoals
and rocks of socialism and anarchy is
| by return to true Democratic princi-
| pies in the administration of affairs.
1t is this love and fealty bear to the
cause of Democracy that has prompted
mo to keep silent and strain every
nerve in an effort to conform, II posi-
BILE, to the wishes and policy OF the
powers that be in the Democratic
party but, sir, when see the mantle
of Democracy used to cover Republi-
can monopolists while they rob the
great common people, this same senti-
ment that has prompted me to silence
and obedience bids me imperatively to
call a halt and revolt against such an
imposition upon Democracy and justice
as is now proposed. | cannot keep my
seat and see the banner of Democracy
submerged in the cesspool of Wall
street greed, nor can | remain silent
and see it polluted to the basest uses
by the protected hand of monopolistic
avarice from New England.
Call it what you will, propose tc
stand for true Democracy, so true, IL
fact, that l will denounce those who
propose and follow Republican methods
while masquerading in Democratic
clothes, no matter who they may be-
even to the President himself. an
deeply grieved TO say this, but honesty
and truth compel me, and before
shall have finished my brief remarks
for shall only occupy few minutes
I propose to draw the line of demar
cation between the Democracy and the
Administration methods of to-day 81
plainly that never again in the history
OF this country need they be confounded