The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-07-04
SENATOR BuTLEIvs POSITION.
He is Working to Restore Harmony
and Good Feeling Among,the Demo-
Gratis OF South Carolina.

the spartanburg Herald will explain
itself:
EDa,> sLD, s. c., June 23.-Your
editorial copied in " The State" of the
I'D inst. gives me the opportunity that
| might otherwise not have had of re-
plying to criticisms made from time to
time, touching my action in regard to
the Federal appointments from this
state. You say among other things,
"If Senator Butler desires to give all
OF his favors to Tillmanites he should
recognize, those in good and regular
| standing" Again you say" SO far as
we can see Senator Butler does not
want the conservatives to support him.
He seems to be depending entirely
upon his ability to induce enough
men to desert his opponent"
assume, Of course, thatayou do not
want tosmisrepresent me, but the above
idicates very clearly that you are not
informed as to what I have done and
propose to do about the Federal APP
pointments. You will therefore be
good enough to allow me to state my
position for myself and in my own way.
In the first place, had but one ap-
pointment to make in my own right,
clerk OF the Interstate commerce COM
mittee. of which I am chairman. I
gave that TO Dial G. Roper, of Marl-
boro, who had been strongly recon-
mended to me by the Hon. G. S. Nc
Call and other friends, as q gentleman
OF high character and ability and fully
qualified for the duties of the position,
and am gratified to be able to say he
has measured fully up to the endorse
ments given him. Let me say in pass
Ing that since we have been allowed
secretaries, or clerks, have selected
young men IGh0 were struggling to
complete theif education and thereby
afford them the opportunity offered by
the business colleges and educational
Institutions in Washington.
They have opportunity to do this, by
availing themselves Of time outside of
the hours forstheir official duties. 1t
is a source of much qualification to me
to know that in this way have been
able to aid six very deserving young
men who availed themselves of the
privilege to study in the best schools
to which they would not have other
wise had access. Mr.. Roper is the
seventh, and he too intends taking a
course in business college, which Will
be OF much value to him when he has
completed 1t. So much for that, the
only. appointment 1 have at my dis
posal.
In regard to those appointments
where my province is only advising,
have sought to know three things of
applicants who have asked for my en-
dorsement
lst. Whether they are Democrats.
End, whether they are qualified, and
3rd, whether they are persons of good
character and standing.
In the absence of personal knowl-
egde we are sometimes misled as to
these qualifications, but have not yet
recommended man or waman, not
personally known to me, who has not
been strongly endorsed by friends and
neiSh hbors at home. If, therefore,
there shold be any mistake, the first
endorsers must be held responsible. 81
In making my recommendations I
have not stopped to inquire, and do
not expect in the future to stop and in
quire to what political faction in South
Carolina the applicants belong. 1t is
sufficient for me to know they are
Democrats, are qualified and of good
character. If you can inform me of
any case whore l have departed from
this rule shall be very much indebted,
and promise upon a satisfactory show
ing to withdraw my endorsements, but
/ can not do so upon vague and unde-
fined insinuations.
You say do not seem to want the
support OF the conservatives. / want
the support of every good man in
brlQNing about reconciliation and
better feeling among our people, but I
do not want the support of any man
who can not give it freely and concien-
tiously. Fit Is expected Of me, before I
can be reelected to the Senate, that I
fan the flames of bitterness and bicker-
ings which have brought so much
humiliation upon the State, I shall
have to disappoint those who expect
1t, and If the penalty is to be defeat,
shall take defeat.
| shall go ahead and do my duty to
all the people as see it, and if the
manner of It's performance is not ac-
ceptable to my friends, can only re-
gret 1t and take the consequences.
Neither my life nor happiness depends
upon my reelection to the Senate. In
due time shall give to the people who
sent me there, an account of my stew
ardship. 1 shall do this with frank
ness and without reserve, and If it Is
not satisfactory, the people can send
some ono to take my place. This Is not
only their right butotheir duty. The
Office does not belong to me, but to the
people, and they can and will make
s,a such disposition Of It as theyplease: My
to discharge my duty faithfully. I
don't know what other people may
think of it.
Our people are unhappily divided
into something like hostile camps.
Suspicion, misrepresentation, false
hood and selfshness have taken the
place of confidence, unity of purpose,
seH-denial and State pride. My efforts
shall be exerted to restore good feel
ing and confidence, to effect more
tolerant and forbearing spirit. No
people can ever enjoy religious, social
or political freedom with the spirit of
intolerance so rampant as that which
prevails among us. We must learn to
respect honest differences of opinion
we must settle those differences in the
forms OF reason rather than in the
spirit of vituperation and abuse; we
must throw off the thraldom of bossism,
secret political cabals, smuggling def
ance OF public sentiment and public
| law before we can reach that plane of
enlightened progress so essential to
our we'll being as people.
This contamination is of far more i'm
portance than my reelection or the
election of any man to the United
States Senate. The State can and will
survive my defeat, and so will I. But
she will not recover for generation
from the defeat of the efforts of good
men to bring about harmony and good
feeling and good order among our peo-
pie.
Some of my friends expect me to re-