Birmingham state herald., 1897-07-07
T WAS QUITE DIFFERENT lrby and MCLaurin More Re-
 spectful In Address ANE PLEASANT TO HEAR
 s B e3ts Thrown With Lavish Hand By Each < of the WouId-Be United States Sena- z tors-Elerbee's Named Cheered.
E PLEASANT TO HEAR

.
 ~ Moncks Corner, s. C.. July 6.-The sec ond of the H.natorial campaign meet ings was pitched on a very different plane from the gathering at Sumter. To- day, as yesterday, there were only two speakers, Senator McLaurin and Former senator Irby The three other cand.dat 8, Former Gov. Evans, State Senator May field and MT. John T. Duncan, were not present. Col. Irby was quite indisposed on account of the heat of " yesterday, and spoke quite briefly MT. McLaurn spoke for over an hour, wrh the approval of the audience There were absolutely no of fensive personali.i-s between the two candidates. What there was of criticism Was practical and acceptable.
 Col. Irby said that there had been no change in his political sentiment since 1896 and that now, as then, he was a. true blue reformer." He wapled it un- derstood that he proposed conducting hls campaign as he saw best. He spoke at length of his services 70 the reform move- ment, and urEld that he has always been the friend of the poor and toiling masses. He had always taken the position that no man with white face should be dis franchised by the constitutional conven- tion of which he was a member His views wen- an. agoniZed by others and brought him opposition. Later on he was abused because he refused to go as a possible "bolter' 10 the na.ional demo- cratic convention. Although offere1 a po- sition, he refus's d to consent to act as national independent by placing himself in position 10 bolt under any circum- stances. He did not run for reelection to the senn te for the fear of 1t disorgan- izing and running the structure h. had helped to build, but thought it best to fold .hiS arms and wait until he should be understood He said in the Earle Evans race he did not vote in either pri- mary.
 He went on to explicitly explain why he entered the senatorial race, which, when analysed was that he had been invited to make the fight as a true re- fornJsr and democrat, and as no one else was apparently going to make such a. fight, he felt it his duty in response to a general appeal to make such a race. He never favored strife. although al- ways reformer and did not now do SO, but he was opposed to any combinations. He felt that such danger now threat ened the people, and that he was aiways on hand in crisis of the people. and he was going to show the dangers ahead He said he would Tot have entered the race except for solicitation, and when at Sumter he looked in vain for Talbot Latimer, Wilson or Strait, all of whom he regarded as true opponents of reform and the peoples interests. Without dis respect to any one, and none to his oppo- nent, he said it was unsafe to trust poI- ticians long. They had been numerously tested and he would trust only about 2 per cent of the best politicians, and the people should watch them He looked 10 the people and not to the politicians for votes. This e2fcited much applause. He said he did not believe the conserva- tives were going to back up Editor Con gales for strangling the will of the peaple by fixing things before the primaries The people have ths right to suspect any re- former MT. Gonzales chaperones. and he said Mr Gonzales had never seen any good in reform and had fought Tillman and himself and would continue so to do.
 MT. McLaurin was regarded by this editor as an available candidate" ard he argued at length that the democrats had had enough of supporting republi- cans as "available candidates'' He called upon McLaurin to repudiate sup port as an available candidate" He gain referred to what he regards as the weak policy of Governor Ellerbee. His speech was several times applauded.
 When Senator McLaurin got up to speak, Col. 1rby asked to be excused. but MT McLaurin asked him to remain a moment and then MT. McLaurin said he was delighted to meet Col. Irby on the plane of today's speech ard if they could keep 1t up and he would do his part there would be interest and benefit in the car1- paign He aid he would be the last man
 
 reform and the people, but the fight now was on other and national issues and he thought he was right on this issue and Col lrby thought he was right in his opinion. He had also done his share TOT reform when 1t took fighting He was today as staunch a reformer as ever. but this did not prevent him from say ing good things about others and asso- ciating with other true and honest men. His work in Washington had thrown him with national and lnPa1 n1 he said he knew rothing of combinations. He avowed that he had never suggested combine with MT. Gonzales or anyone else, and as MT. Gonzales is an honest man he would have resented such a prop osition He said MT. Gonzales had lauded the speech of Tillman Dn the arr nor plate fraud and gave credit where deserved. The Greenville News favored Col. Irby more than my other candidate and 1t was time for Col. Irby to repudiate the assistance of Gold Bug Editor Ball. Mr. McLaurin said he had repudiated Editor Balls support and called him a ball of envy and vitriol." When Tillman ran he would have to go before the peo- pie as he did. It seemed strarge to hear of people talking about him fighting Till man when the defeat of bis tariff views meant the undoing of him.
 The feature of McLaurin's speech was in his exposition of tariff views and he took it up in pocketbook manner, which was deeply ira the interest of his fight for a duty on yellow pine, cross ties and rice
 MT. McLaurin made magnificent statement of his views which he said were at the use and in the pocketbook of the country. He said his appointment to the senate was unsolicited and while Gov Ellerbee might make mistakes there was no more incorruptible man in South Carolina than Gov. Ellerbee. (Applause.)
 MT. McLaurin was throughout exhaus- tive in his discussion of the duties on cot ton and said::
 Egyptian cotton was used in his home cotton mill His tariff fight was for equality and again section al lines. MT. McLauiins tariff views as expounded took well and brought him much ap- plause. The audience did not number quite hundred, but was quite enthusias- tic. There was absolutely no reference