The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-04-14
M'LAURIN's POSITION ENDORSED.
Letters Are Pouring In Endorsing
His Recent Speech.

To the Editor OF The Spartanburg Herald.
have noticed your kind comments upon
my recent speech on the tariff bill and de
sire to express my than<s for them. I have
received q great many letters from people In
every part of South Carollna endorsing the
position I have taken and saying they are
with me in that fight. enclose copy o.
one of the best of those letters. from prom
lnent gentleman Of Laurens county, and Will
be pleased If you will kindly publish It in
your paper. I have obtained Mr.. Smiths
have also forwarded copies to the State and
the News and Courier. Thanking you In ad'
vance, am, Yours truly,
Washington, April 7th.
Lisbon. Laurens Co., .. c., April ..
Hon. John l.. McLaurin
Dear Sir: l hope you will excuse me for In.
trudtng on your time, but have just finished
reading your speech on the tariff and feel 1t
my duty to express my thanks to you and 10
commend you for the stand you have taken
The southern members should have taken that
position long ago then, perhaps, we might
have been In q better condition financially To-
day. AT least,we wou Id have the satisfaction
OF knowing that we had stood up manfuly
for our rights and not tamely submitted TO
every demand that the north has exacted OF
us. Your speech Is the ablest exposition OF
the Internal deviltry or you Will pardon suc9
the descendants Of the Mayfower pilgrims
that 1t has every been my pleasure to read;
1t should be read by every man, woman and
be scattered ali over the United States.
1t will be one OF the best campaign
documents that could be asked for.
II IL does not open the. eyes OF every
which they are being fleeced TO enrich the
New England manufacturers, no argument
will. The North expressed great pathy
for France when Germany took Alsace and
Lorraine and demanded two billion franks as
a war indemnity; but when 1t comes home,
she has no sym pathy for the South. After
destroying the South's property, the North
has forced her to pay as pensions 10 the
northern soldiers far greater burden TO the
France; and added to that Is the tribute she
has exacted Of us under the guise OF protec-
tion. While the Southern members OF Con-
gress foolishly demand free raw material, the
helped to secure their wish; at the same time,
knowing where the profits were, they got the
manufactured article protected.
By placing everything the South produced
OH the free list. they have been able TO I'M
port the raw material free, or force the South
ern producers TO accept their prices for South
ern products. They then manufacture the
raw material, purchased at free trade prices,
and sell back TO the producers at protectlon
prices. No other people or country but South
ern people and the South, placed In the con-
dition they were by the war. could have sur
vived such drain. 1t is time for US TO call q
halt, and your speech is timely notlce tnat
the new South intends to make q departure
from old customs and will no longer quietly
submit to the unjust exactlons OF New Eng
land, but will demand equal rights to all ana
special privileges to no one section OF the
Union.
Not being one of your constituents, feel a
dellcacy In addressing you, but being South
Carolinian and In full sympathy with you IN
this. ia the only excuse have to offer. yours
respectfully, Alex j. Smith.