Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-08-28
McLAURIN SPEAKS AGAIN.
Through the Press Sends a Letter to the
People.

People.
The daily papers Of yesterday contained
the following open letter from Senator
McLaurin:
Fellow Citizens: At Yorkville was
stricken with sudden and severe attack
of illness. To my great disappointment,
found myself unable to make another
speech during the present campaign,
NV record is before you, and by 1t am
willing to stand or fall. During the can
vass felt that preferred to succeed by
relying upon this record, rather than by
attacks upon the record or character, how
ever vulnerable, of my opponents. The
attempts to peryert my record ana 70
charge me with being Protectionist, be,
cause I demanded for the south equal
rights and with other sections, is an IN
suit to the voters of South Carolina.
On June 18th, in the senate, while dis
cussing the Dingley bill, 1 said "Mr.
President, am not Protectionist, have
never given a vote in support OF that
principle nor uttered word in defense OF
that doctrine. I look upon the doctrine
of protection as potent factor in BUILDING
up and maintaining trusts and monopo-
lies. Certain newspapers IN the nortn, ln-
stead of answering my argument against
a Protectionist because demanded equal
ity before the law"
I stand squarely upon the tariff plank
of the Chicago platform, and my votes
were given in defense of the people whom
/ represent, and to compel the Republican
party to place the south upon an equal
footing with the balance Of the country.
We were convened last March in extraor-
binary session, and the Republicans pre-
sented us with the most unfair and sec
tional tariff bill ever framed: 1t had free
binding twine for the northern farmer.
and taxed cotton ties and Jute bagglng
for the southern planter. The northern
prod ucts, wheat, corn, barley and rye,
were protected, and cotton left to shift for
itself, trust in northern railroad ties and
white pine at the expense OF southern
nine and tie timber. The classifications
in the rice schedule were so arranged as
to place high duties upon the rice used for
food, while the grade used in manufact-
uring beer were admitted almost duty
free.
In manufactured products, certain
grades manufactured in the south were
Disseminated against in favor of other
grades in similar lines manufactured in
the north. An analysis of the coal, iron
and other great industries would show
how eastern monopolists arranged their
intricate schedule for the purpose Of plum
dering the south.
I was on the ways and means commit
tee, and saw from the beginning the bold
attempt of the Republican party to liqui-
date it's political obligations by means of
a tariff bill which should levy tribute
upon the Democratic south for the bene-
fit of the Republican north.
Before the bill left our committee room
it had degenerated into contest over
schedules, while by the time we were
through hammering it in the senate, it
represented no fixed or particular econo-
mic theory, but was mixture of them
all, and only Republican conference
committee saved it from destruction.
Every practical man realized from the
beginning that sooner or later the Dingley
bill would become law. 1t was simply
a question of better or worse. Whatever
might be ones opinion Oh the subject Of
protection, here we were in extra session
considering, not a Democratic revenue
bill, but a Republican measure, whose
avowed object was protection. 1t seems
to me under such circumstances the trst
duty of representative is to oppose the
passage of such bill, but in the commit
tee and elsewhere, by offering amend
ments and otherwise, to secure as far as
possible fair play and justice for the
industries of the section which he repre-
sents. If he fails to do this. does not he
abandon to those believing in protection
all the benefits which arise from the I'M
position of tariff duties? Does he not
fail to compensate neglected interests for
the burden cast upon them by the policy
of protection? With 100000 900 to raise
annually by custom duties, how can you
destroy protection except by equalizing
burdens and benefits? 1t is idle to talk
of direct tax such an idea lives only Ill
the minds of cranks and socialists.
The essence of protection lies in the
tribute that one class is permitted to levy
upon another, and the moment that
equality exists protection is gone. Sena-
tors Cannon and Tillman advocated an
expert bounty on wheat and cotton 10
eaualize the burdens and benefits OF the
protective system. / have no harsh crit
icism for my colleagues in the house or
senate who differed with me. acted al
ter careful thought according to the die
tates Of my judgment, and 1 give It as
my deliberate opinion that had all thoSe
who were opposed to the Dingley bill
fought it out as intelligently and as per.
sistently on the lines indicated, instead OF
repeating the hackneyed old speeches that
have been made biennially for the last 5O
years, the Dingley bill would have been
defeated or a full measure OF justice Sc
cured. .,
Actuated by love for my section, with
a.