The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-07-20
A RED HOT TIME IN OLD EDGEFIELD.
LARGEST MEETING OF THE SEN.
ATORIAL CAMPAIGN.

McLaurin and Irby Have a Liyel,
Timc-Evans Says There's a Lie
Out-NIayiield Declares That Eel
lcrbc Wants n New Party.
The largest and livelicst meeting OF
the campaign was held at Edgetield
Between 400 and 500 people were pres.
ent. The usual routine was broken
when Senator McLaurin, following
Colonel lrby, went for the latter's
career in the Senate. McLaurin, arm
ed with the Congressional Records OF
the Fifty second and Fifty-third Con
crosses, frequently brought Irby to his
leet to make explanations.
Colonel lrby, the first speaker, was
greeted with some applause. lie was
In Edgeti field for the first time since
1890, said he, to see the reception of
the peoples great tribune, Ben. Till.
man. He was here then lighting con
biuations and was here now fighting
the State House gang" which was at
tempting TO parcel out the Offices OF
this State from Senator down to coro-
ner; Il am running as asDemocrat,"
declared lrhy. 81 am the only origi-
nal package in the lOt' McLaurin had
patented his speech. At Beaufort he
wanted protection on rice, at Charles
ton on rice and long staple cotton, and
so for eve"y county, but he didn't think
he had patented protection speech
for Edgetield. McLaurin had the peo-
pie fooled. He is not on the same plat
form rs Illiman. Tillman had declared
he wasn't.
Proceeding on nov tack, he de-
clared that McLaurin had gotten Con
zales for his political daddy and the
world can't beat him. He then declared
that he and Tillman were political
daddies OF all of the cand didates, but
thought they were treating him with
dlsrespect by opposing him.
He bad been politica ly assassinated
ana thrown out for dead because he re-
sisted the great cons piracy last wear
against the Democratic party. He was
a Democrat, always had been and could
be nothing else, because he was for the
interest of the people.
Colonel Irby theh attacked McLau-
rims tariff views, declaring that Till
man bad said they were iniquitous,
and VI know will believe him if you
won't me. You people here love him
and believe what he says"
Colonel Irby attacked the newspa-
pers. He declared that Mr.. Gonzales
had prevented a Conservative from en-
Lering this race. Mr.. Gonzales had
called him q liar in to-day's paper.
which was unparliamentary no one
usually called him that when close to
him, however. He attacked the Forty
movement. He believed that every
white man should be allowed to vote
and therefore disapproved of the CON
stitutional suffrage clause.
colonel lrby made the assertion that
he and not Tillman had made Evans
Governor. He, with Tillman, he de-
clared, had had Saluda made into a
county and left Edgefeld Conservative
with Sheppard to run it.
Reviewing past political history, Irby
asserted that last year he could have
gone to the Chicago convention as a
delegate. CAN'T, said he, came to him
at 2 o'clock a. m. and said that the
State convention had left place open
for him. He sent word back that he
would not accept because he was unal-
terabiy opposed to the declared boiling
policy Of the party.
Editor Ball next came In for praise
for coming out against the newspaper
combination at Columbia. The EIlerbe-
Watts episode was repeated, bu, elici-
ted no applause. He declared that he
could prove that the State House
clique" were going to turn out McIver
anu that Tlllman know they were plot
ting against him.
He concluded by reviewing his re-
cord and declaring that he had always
been with the people. Col. Irby was
wildly applauded when he took his seat
He kept the crowd in a good humor and
they listened attcntively.
Senator McLaurin began by review
Ing his record as q Seformer. The Re-
form movement, he declared, did not
depend on the life OF any man, not even
on that OF Tillman. He jumped on I..by
for aging that he made Tlllman sup
port Evans for Governor. He thought
it time for Rsformer to- step in when
man like Jrby boasted that he made
the Governor. Who ought to make
the Governors Of South Carolina, the
white voters or John Irby 20
Irby, from his seat" The white vo-
ters.'
But you said just now that you
made Evans Governor"
Irby: "Well, helped" Uaughter.)
McLaurin attacked him for devising
the Colleton plan in order to foist
Evans on the people when they didn't
want him. Senator McLaurin caused
much merriment by paraphrasing
Henry ", substituting 1rby for Fai.
stall, Evans for Prince III al and Larry
CAN'T for Pistol in the scene where
Prince Hal becomes king and ignores
Balstatf.
He had no political daddy he de-
clared, but he did not know before that
Editor Ball was acting in that capacity
for Col. Irby.
Mr.. Ball hotly interrupted, saying
that he was the political daddy OF no
man and was opposed to Irby.
Wei, you are not for me-"
That's true, too," rejoined Mr..
Ball.
Senator McLaurin then proceeded
to severely attack Irby's record while
in the Senate. Before beginning he
explaine d the terms paired and "vote
Called
Irby's record for the first session of
the Fifty. second Congress was as fol-
lows: Votes taken, 80, Irby voted l3
times, paired 10 times, not paired G6.
The first session OF the Fifty third
Congress, he said, was called to re-
peal the purchasing clause of the Sher.
man act Senator Irby's love for silver
should be seen iE his record during
this session. There were 40 votes
taken {; Irby voted 10 times and did not
vote 30; was not paired % times did
not answer to call Of Senate II calls.
Col. 1rby's record for this Congress
was gone into further.
Senator McLaurin then declared
I" am sick looking up such record.
Here was life and death struggle for
silver and absolute indifference as TO
70 fafa ~