The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-08-21


perience which has enabled you, fellow
citizens, to stand here as representa-
tives OF pure Democracy, demanding
that the will of the majority, whei
fearlessly and honestly expressed
must govern.
Any man who attempts to put the
Reform movement of South Carolinu
upon narrow minded basis, who at,
tempts to array class against class
who attempts to say that the Reform
principles of South Carolina are found
ed upon animosity and prejudice, in
my nomination you have q contradic-
tion OF such a perversion of its princi-
pies. The Reform movement is a
movement OF the people and one Of its
fundamental principles is that the ma
jority must govern, giving due re-
spect to the minority when honestly
expressed. (Cheers.)
Now, gentlemen of the Convention, |
take it that it will be improper for me
at this time to outline to you the policy
which shall govern me- in the future
| take it that the people of South Caro-
lima have spoken through you to the
world, and take it thai the people of
South Carolina through their endorse
ment OF me have endorsed the admin
istration which has preceded me. Our
past administration has been conduct
ed with ability and fairness that should
satisfy the most hypercritical, and has
set the pace for our sister States of
the South and West, which must fin
ally result in the disenthralment of our
people from the oppression, from the
money power of the East. shall en-
deavor in my administration to bring
about this contamination SO devoutly
to be wished for. I say to you and to
the world that the Reform administra-
tion shall have but one object and that
is the happiness and prosperity of the
people. This, l am sure, is the senti-
ment which has been expressed by the
Refomers and which has resulted in
my nomination.
There has been one law which has
been fought more strenuously than any
other in the history of our legislation,
that is the Dispensary law. The over
whelming sentiment of the people of
South Carolina is that that law has in
view the happiness of the whole peo-
pie, and the vote of the people must
be carried out, let the consequences be
what they may. (Cheers.) The peo-
pie have spoken by their representa-
tives, and 81 per cent. OF the honest
white men of South Carolina have
spoken in favor of it. Gentlemen, that
voice shall be needed by me; the en-
~. o.cohOho vi GudG law Sndll DC my
prime object, and believe have be-
hind me the honest men, the virtuous
women and even the little children of
South Carolina. (Cheers.)
| shall not attempt to outline my
policy. That will be given later, when
shall have the pleasure of addressing
the people of South Carolina as unit.
Let me say that while peace and har-
mony are the great objects to be de-
sired and to be obtained by all civili-
zed governments, yet you must re-
cognize that in South Carolina, where
there has been but one party, such an
idea is an ideal conception. There can
be no such thing as unity in the midst
of political dissensions. Our principle
is that the majority of the white citi-
zens must rule and the minority must
submit. Gentlemen, that is the only
cause of dissension today in the politics
of South Carolina.
What are the principles of Reform
! shall not enter into them. You know
them too we'll. You know have tried
to be the exponent of them. You know
| have loved those principles. You
know have voted for those principles
The only opposition in South Carolina
today to the principles of the Reform
movement Is based on prejudice. No
| reasonable man, especially no reason
able white citizen, carr object to the
principles of the Reform movement in
South Carolina. They cannot (Cheers)
Those principles are laid down even by
our own statesman, John G. Calhoun,
as the grandest to perpetuate popular
government and embodied in the Farm
ers Alliance principles upon which,
prosperity of the agricultural people.
| (Cheers.) Can there be any objection
to that? Can there be any objections
to those interests upon which we are
| dependent? We are dependent upon
the agricultural interests and must re-
cognize the principle upon which de-
| pends the life Of popular government
in this Union. a combination of the
| South and West alone will save popu-
lar government in this Union and that
| will be expressed in 1896, IL my judg-
The combination of the power of wealth
against the agricultural interests and
laboring interests is today concentrated
in the East; that concentration can
only be defeated by the solidity and
unanimity of the South and West, ex-
pressed through their organization,
which is the mouthpiece and which
speaks for the bone and sinew in our
land. (Cheers.) And when hear my
countrymen oppose it feel like saying
to them, God pity them; they know
not what they DO"
Now, fellow citizens, united in our
ranks, we are confronted today by op-
position which has not reason behind
it, an opposition that cannot succeed
under the laws OF God nor under the
laws of man, because that opposition is
founded upon basis which can never
succeed. Your principles must prevail,
because they are far removed from
sectional and class privileges, and you
say we want q man who has the nervo
and ability to stand by them, and that
man shall be the man to represent us.
| (Cheers.) This is the voice of South
Carolina, which will prevail next No
vember in spite Of, you might say, the
assiduous attempt to array one class
against another class or one people
against another people. But we are
united. We have canvassed the entire
State of South Carolina. There Is no
dissension In our ranks, but our op-
ponents are alert, they are anxious to
make it appear that there are dissen-
sions. When look before me and SEQ
my fathers old soldiers; when look
and see before me lawyers, doctors,
merchants, farmers and laboring men !;
when | sec before me the bone and
sinew Of popular government, think
1t is q rebuke to our opponents when
they say that the Reform movement
OF South Carolina is composed of any
particnlar class.