The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-07-07
McLaurin and Irby Have a
Tilt That t'oreb BODIES a
Bitter Campaign.
McLaurin Appeals to the People
on His Record as Congressman
and Senator.
BIS TARIFF VIEWS EXPLAINED.
Irby starts the Fight ON Factlonal
Lines. Denounces Sumter Peo-
pie as Henchmen.
SAYS a'LaURIN IS a PoPULIsT AND
4 DISHONEST POLITlClAS.
sac Laursn Gals HIM Doa1a Says =.
Maas cua Call HIM Dishonest.

the others mentioned as probable candidates
did not materialiae. McLaurin aud Irby are
THE only candidates present
The meeting was called to order 10 the
Opera House as IL o'clock, with about $50
people prese&t, Clarendon and Marlboro
couotes having number of representatives.
E Senator McLanrin was the FIRST speaker.
sHe opeaed by paying q brief, but feeling,
tribute 10 his predecessor, Joseph q. Earle.
he declared bis purpose TO discuss measures
fhroarhout ths campaige, aud that if the
campaign was not conducted on e high plane.
without persooliities sud indecency 1t va1ad
not be his fault. he then stated positively
fhat heeane before the reoplesn snnpledeed and
indapensaeat. party touo coordination, and
shao only pledgea that would bind him would
he thosesEe would make TO the people He
iencnuSed ia a po7nted mannnst the author
of the reports of his connection with plots
and combinations, saying that those 81 no
made these charges should be drive0 back to
their dens of coneealmeat aud iaiquity where
scaemes aud plots we're hatched against the
people fcr the benefit Of the schemers-
He tben branehed out into q discussion OF
the tariff question, and explained bis posi-
Hion and his course in the House and Senate.
u
old noes hacks who have bad mutual ad-
-snirasion society for twenty years. They
have senatorial courtesy and dignity and lit
sle;else Those old fellows With moss behind
fbeir eare make the same old speeches year
after year, and the Others SIT around and nod
their heads, saying, That's SO, that's SO. 3
He told Of his 6gbtagains q discrimins-
8 i've tariff that benefited the North and OPP
pessed the South, going into the details OF
tie tariff 90 lumber which protected the tum-
bermen Of the North and permitted Canadian
lnmbeS 70 come in and drive ont The pine of
the Sonth, The tariff on rice which taxed the rice
nsed by ghe people at large and admitted free
millions Of pounds used by the brewers, the
tariff on cotton baggiug aud ties imposing
TAX Of millions anoually on the Southern
farmers aud the free bindiug twine for the
wheat pianiersof the North west. He de-
neunced the protective and discrjmDative tariff
{ law IS gigantic aud well laid conspiracy
10 Tax oDe section and benefit the other. The
more be studied the question the more firmly
became ais convicfioa that The South was
aot receiving the treatment shat common
honesty aud faieness entitled her to receive
and be could NOT SIT id,v by and not raise his
Yoice against the bbery
I'd conclnsion McLauriu EeIserated bis
statement that he was free from: ordinations
ard woold make a fair fight andF he left his
case 10 the hands Of the people.
At the conclusion of Six McLauriu's q
speech, Chairuan Purdy read a,-,telegrsm
from str. Nay field that be was too unwell to
be present.
Col .. L. NJ. Irby was then introduced
Nr. Irby received slight applause. Hebegan
By sayiCR that he sympathized with any man
who could talk as much about himself as
M McLaurin while the bell, which bad just
struck high twelve, had tolled the death knell
zof that man
Ut. NcLaurin rtjoioed: clark from the
tomb q doleful sound - The audience ap-
pianded uproariously aud the building was
isled with cries Of NcLan,in McLanriu
Col Irby attempted TO continue his speech
pithoat waiting for the applause 70 cease.
H4 seemed 10 become angesed. He said that
he understood the plan. II had all been
ixsd beforehand Sumter was well known
10 be the bot bed Of Haskellisr. Republican
ism and Independentsm. and the people who
we're trying 10 howl him down were a crowd
OF henchmen. He raised his voice to the
loudest pitch and shouted that be could not
q be howled down, aod that he would make
himself beard, and he would tell
:heua once for all that be would
beat their man out Of his boots. The ap-
p:ause was received with greater vigor and
McLanrin was cheered with yigor that re-
called the meetings Of 1890.
Chairman Purdy got uo and waved his
band TO the crowd and silence Vas restored
Or. Purdy requested the crowd to preserve
order and give the speaker respectful hear
ing Then turuinR to Col. Irby be said 81
wish you 10 have bearing, apd If you do
not il viii be ,nSough no fault of mine, bu,
sghe people Of Sumter and Sumter county are
rs respectable land brave people, and /
cannot si. by and hear or permit them to
be spoken Of as you have done" Col.
Irby asked what he objected to. Mr. Purcy
replied .ha, toe characterization of the peo-
Die as henchmen was the offensive term.
Col. I.by retor.ed that he was stranger aud
the guest Of the people and that be bad been
hrst irscIied, but that if those who had in.
suited him would 6rst apologize, be would
take pleasure 10 doing likewise. But he bad
expressed himself aud had 40 desire to re-
peat the term The people knew his views
He did not attack people hrst. but be would
not stand insults.
SIR Purdy agaio assured him Of his de-
sire 20 see all speakers receive hearing. and
II Col. Irby did not receive it, it would not
be ;be eharman's fault
oaiet being restored, Col. Irby resumed
his speech, saying that The Sumter people
SHOULD be his friends for be. had beer
the best friend the best man who
ever lived in Sumter had ever he'd. He bad
helped to make Earle Attorney General, and
when be vas against the people aod had been
made to walk The plank, he tIrby) bad help
ed 10 make him Judge and then Senator.
he would tell the people who were support
iog McLsuriu that if they expected 10 elec.
him by such tactics they would be disap-
pointed, for he had as many friends among
The Conservatives as McLaurin, and the Con-
servatives would eject him, too. The Conser
,ives, he said, do not hate ne; they have co
reason to 90 So He had never oppressed
Them and when others waited to rule tnen
out OF The primary on acWunt Of farticipa-
ting 10 bolt, be bad stood firm as tbeir
friend, aud had iovited them back into the