The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-04-19
REFORMERS INDEED.
Some Very Eulogistic Remarks About
Our Reform COngressmen..-The
Alliance Organ Seems Anxious to
Take Care Of Them.
National Economist.

Among the members of the Fifty-third
Congress there are none ahler or brighter
than John l.. McLaurin. DR.. r. j. Strait and
4. G.. I.atimer, from the State OF South Caro-
lima. Mr.. McLaurin was q member OF the
| Finy-second Congress, elected to fl the un
expired term caused by The death Gen. Stack
house. MeSsrs. Latimer and Strait are new
members. These gentlemen went home after
the inaugural and waited a couple OF weeks
| for the new Admini>tration toget settled In
Office, and for the crowd Of oftice-seekers Ia
tsperse. before pressing their claims for the
patronage belonging to their respective dis
tricts. When the Fourth-Assistant Postmas.
ter General was appointed and commenced
! tn get down to business with his axe, making
R-pub lican heads fly rights and left, these
members Of Congress returned with the pur-
pose of getting as many of their Democratic
constituents appointed to office as possible.
About the 9th ultimo, Mr.. Latimer and DR..
Strait. called upon Fourth Assistant Postmas-
Ter General Maxwell for the purpose OF max
| ing his acqual ntance and presenting their
Maxwell addressed DR.. Strait as Senator. and
inviting them 10 step inside, he procured bis
list of the Fifty-third Congress and told them
lie wanted some in formation in regard to the
Peoples party Congressman from South Car
olina, whose names he had marked upon the
list. They looked. and behold the names OF
John l. McLaurin. A. Z. Lalimer and T.. J.
Strait bore the fatal mark. They saw at a
Strait for some Senator and had exposed to
them a plot tn rot them OF the patronage to
which they are justly entitled. They were
indgnan at the outrage and made the air
hum in true South Carolina style. Mr.. Lat
inner informed Mr.. Maxwell that he was Lati-
mer and that his companion was DR.. Strait,
utterly false, and demanded the author.
This Mr.. Maxwell refused TO give. They i'm
Ipediately laid the matter before their col
leagues from SOUTH carolina, senator ~ iroy,
Shell. who are members OF the Alliance, and
are also Democrats. Then followed a call
upon the Presidents and the mem bers OF the
Cabinet, anu the heads OF the various depart
ments, and the Democracy of these men is
so we'll established that 1t cannot again be
questioned and should the Administration
refuse to giant them the patronage TO which
they are entitled, IL will have to give some
other excuse.
Our reporter did not get direct interview
from these three men but gathered the fol-
lowing notes from general conversation had
with them:
1t was learned that Congressman Latimer.
Strait. and McLaurin, of South Carolina, had
been black listed at the Postoff1ce Department.
Postmaster.Genern that these gentlemen
were third partyites. 1t Is hard TO under
stand how anyone could be so utterly lost TO
truth and honor to make such statements.
All of these gentltmen are Democrats, nomi-
mated In u fair fight at the Democratic pritna-
ries, and had Republican nominees opposing
them at the general election. South Carolina
Is an Alliance State, but she Is Democratic to
the core, - nd the only bolt from Democracy
was In 1890, when the Haskell element tried
to combine with the Republicans and defeat
the regular Democratic nominees Messrs.
Latimer and Strait are members of the ALI
ance and Mr.. McLaurin was Attorney-Gene-
raj of the State at the time OF his election as
successor to Mr.. Stack house, and all OF them
openly and boldly proclaimed their faith IN
the aims, principles and doctrines OF the AL
lance, and If men OF this kind are to be pro-
scribed and placed In the third party, then
South Carolina, and most of the Southern
and Western States, are there.
Mr. Latimer said:
The mission OF the Alliance Is not parti-
san 1t is entirely independent or third par
IS, Republican, or Democrat; every member
Is lett Tree to work In his own particular par
ty for the demands of the Alliance. We are
determined represen .atives Of our people,
and will be true TO principle. This injustice
peope 10 Sho@ 6s Es The
people should mark and never forget the
slanderers who linger here around Washing.
ton. after having been repudiated by the pep
ple TO spread poison and endeavor to break
down the influence OF the men who over
whelmingly defeated them In Democratic
primary"
making II the scapegoat Of the third party ?
The Economist knows nothing of the local
fight and conditions which prevail In South
Carolina. but it has abundant evidence to
Justify the conclusion that these three men
are able and sincere men, thoroughly devoted
10 the cause OF the people, and that they
showed more devotion to the Democratic par
ty than any other class Of men, because they
believe In the Alliance demands and have
them engrafted into their State Democratic
platform, and have full set of State officers
elected upon that platform, and yet, when
the National Democratic convention refused
they stood by the party and took the field
and fought for Cleveland and against third
party Tenderness in South Carolina, and II was
like them, that the mem bership of the ALL
ance Of South Carolina diu not 20 into the
Peoples party. Alliancemen may question
the good policy of their course, but no DEM
ocrat can ever question their Democracy.
Hon. John b. McLaurin is q lawyer OIL
marked ability. and although young had
achieved the remarkable distinction OF being
Democrat before he took position In favor Of
the absolute justice and fairness OF the ALI
ance demands. He has never changed or
wavered In his Democracy, but he has made
enemies Of those Democrats who oppose the
Alliance. His crime is in the eyes of the
aristocracy that would fatteu without effort
with one hand In the prblic crio. or by class
privileges and iavors, and he may we'll ex-
pect their opposition.
DR.. Il. j. Strait is q man of strong character
liberal education and remarkable judgment
and Discrimination. He, TOO, has committed
q crime In the eyes OF certain class. He
j. Hemphill, who was Chairman OF the Cum:
mittee on the District OF Columbia, who had
represented this district in Congress for ten
years. DIR. Strait beat him after thorough
Joint canvass OF the District, speaking to the
people face 10 face. Dr. Strait ID q patriot
and will discharge the trust reposed In him
with oonscentio care and fidelity, and
those who expect class favors and dlscrini:
nations know that they will have to wait till
he quits Congress or h.ht him, and they are
commencing the fight early,
Hon. A. G. Latimer Is q young man of rare
ability and great .torce OF character. He Is
destined TO make good record and accom-
plish much good In Congress, and he enjoys
The confidence and esteem of his constituents
In high degree. He possesses those sterling
qualities which enables man to master men,
and qualities him in high degree to lead.
lie hos Q contingent, however, that opposes
him bitterly on account Of his great prom-
nence in getting q successful cooperative
business established, whereby the farmers In
his section have saved thousands OF dollars
upon their purchases. He did not work to
ahtagonize merchants or TO iDjure their bust.
pesss, but assisted the farmer to help him=
SELF
The Economist Is fortunately able to pre-
sent its readers with picture and short
personal description OF these three remarka-
Bile men against whom dirty piece OF politt'
cal fraud was directed.