The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-05-19
B3aDIkM HITS BACK. d.
ae Makes His Last Reply to Congressman
Stokes.
Msnnine S G.. May 13. 1897.


Hon. J. W. Stokes, Washington, D c.. !:
Dear Sir-Were it not for the charge
that I took undue advantage OF you
IN publishing your letter, would not
reply to yours of recent date at sll, as
your effort is a complete reply to your
speech and first letter to me.
You have been compelled to forsake
that high moral plane where you pos
ed in your speech. You have CON
pletely abandoned your position, aud
in spite OF your sneering slluslon to
my Ill temper" have no wish to
press YOU to the wall. For this reason
| I will content myself by calling al
tention to the fact that your first posi-
ton was that it was wrong for US to
accept a duty upon cotton, because
we were opposed to the principle OF
protection, and this irrespective OF
whether it would benefit US or not
OF course, you had to abandon such
an untena5le position.
You now oppose the duty
First-Because it won't do Us any
good.
Second-Because it will only help
the long staple cotton, and you repIe
sent no one except the growers CT
short staple
This is sel6shnsss personiGed. In
effect, you say, I represent no long
staple cotton; the people Of Orange
burg will not BE bene6tted. hence |
will oppose the people OF Beaufort,
Charleston, Georgetown or Horny re-
ceivipg any benefit. II this dog in
the marger" policy is your ideal of
craftsmanship, I nave nothing furtnet
TO say.
Nov, then. to business:
You say. in reference to the publ
cation of our letter: Mt having as
certaineo my willingness beforehand
will not take away from the transac-
ton the suggestion Of bad fai!h, nor
Lift the flavor Of sharp practice. Fur
: ther on you plainly intimate that you
consider me an aspirant for congress
Taking all together, I cannot but con-
struct this into an insinuatlon that l
published you letter with view OF
promoting my political Interests. |
can best retute this SANDER by stain
frankly what my reasons were toE
publishing your letter. l regret the
necessity, but there is no alternative,
| for I do not propose for you to adopt
the tactics now being employed Ia
certain quarters of deceiving the pub,
lie, by cr7iug, "S.ep thief.
MIR. McLaurin had made what l con
sidered one OF the greatest speeches
for the south in many years. You
were one of Mr.. McLaurin's S colleagues,
and happen to know that ne consld,
cred you a strong personal and politi
cal friend. The place for you to have
replied to McLaurin was IN the Con.
gressional Record, where he would
hove had an opportunity to answer. !
suspected what your motives were, and
1.-The insinuation III your last letter
about nv going to congress confirms
my su oi,ion and completely gives
! you AVA. You thought the con
gressional bee' was buzzing in my
bonnet. Here is the way your mind
ran: Bradham wants to go to con
gress; McLauriu is getting too proml-
nent mere if can't beat him, I'll Stir
iup some trodble for him and give him
something to do at home, and then Re
won't have time to be making speeches
here and throwing me in the shade.
sI'll give Bradham the cue of how to
fight him, and let him understand that
II will assist him. OF course, Brad
ham can't beat McLaurin, but III
make it uncomfortable for Mac.
| Amt that about it? Hence that msan
sneer about Republicanism.
Now my dear doctor, you underrate
me mentally and morally. Youc
insult to my intelligence gave
me the liberty to resent it IL
whatever method I caose. II
this connection, let me disabuse
your mind. l have never had con-
gressional aspirations, and jus: as long
as McLaurin continues IL the line ne
has for six years. I will continue u
support him with tongue and pen
would say more, but have no desire t.
continue a controversy that has as
Isumed Sucn a personal tone thatlt CAR
be productive O. 10 good to the State
l will, therefore, doctor, bid you isre
well, only suggesting thatin thefu!ure
selection of ''decoy ducks and s:ool
pigeons" you will De more careful as
| to material. 1t will De u0tOrtuG 4te
!for you to run up sgaias: another
brad swl.
Yours respectfully,
DAN'L II. BRADHAM