The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-06-15
SENATOR M'LAURIN STATES HIS POSITION
HE BELIEVES IN FAIR PLAY.

MOI IL irOt CCtiOntSt eftcr the RCpub
lican Pattcrn--NC Sectional Dis
crimination in the Tarin Should
be Allowed The South Should
Have it's Share of Good Things.
The Washington correspondent OF
the Atlanta Constitution SAYS there
seems to bo something peculiarly ap-
prOpriate in the elevation to the Senate.
right in the midst of the tarin debate,
OF the man whose tariff speech in the
House created more comment than that
OF any other Democrat.
'Equaiity in the burdens and euuali-
ty In the benefits, as Senator Bacon so
tersely put it, was the underlying prin-
clplc OF the speech Of Hon. John l..
McLaurin as member OF the House 4:
and rs member Of the committee of
ways and means, and as Senator he is
active and at all times watchful of
| Southern interests.
Some Of the Republicans, with whom,
perhaps, the wish is father to the
thought, have had a good deal to say
about the Southern prOtectionistsn
who have been developed by this tariff
light. Senator McLlurin Is one OF
these.
as | have said, Senator McLauriu's
| speech in the House attractcd'much at
| tentiOn. If was because Of his bold de-
! ciarations against sectional tariff.
! Today found him at his pleasant home
on street, whore he was busy with
his mail-an article Of which every
Senator gets Il goodly quantity. In the
! lot on his desk there were many letters
! OF congratulation from different parts
OF the country, for in his service in the
House the gentleman from South Caro-
| linn has made very many frinn1s
| asked him if he expected to make
Il tariif speech in the Senate.
II shall make no set speech" said he,
since my views are we'll known
through my speech 10 the House Be-
sides this, my party in the Senate has
already decided on IA line OF action and
had begun the debate before my ap-
pointment. 1T would appear discOurte-
Gus, II not worse, for me to presume too
Tar with my opinions. However, | shall
briefly point out the sectional features
OF the measure and make Il demand for
fair play for the South"
"G on consider then, tho bill framed
on sectional lines ?'
Indeed do. What else can he in
Ierrcd when we find in its provision
free binding twinc for the Northern
farmer and taxed bagging and ties for
the Southern planter The bill is ii He'd
with such sectional discrimi tions. AS
member OF the ways and means com
mlttec Of the House | had an excellent
oppo, tunity OF Judging the motives and
Influences which controlled The prcpa-
ration OF the bill. The motives were
as Il rule sectional, and the Influences
came almost entirely from the North
ana East. The committee room was
tiled and the corridors of the capitol
packed with manufacturers and other
businessmen from that section, anXiuus
and persist NJ to have their lines OF in
dustry well cared for"
WAS the South represented ?"
mo. Outside Of the sugar industry
one would naruly have suspected that
the South was in any manner Interest,"
cd in the character Of the taritf bill
"AS stated on the floor of the House,
the material interests Of the South have
been neg lected by Congress. They are
being neglected row, and in my opin-
ion will continue to be neglected until
the wealth producers OF the South,
through their Representative demand
equal and exact Justice. am greatly
pleased with your two Senators from
Georgia, Messrs. Bacon and Clay. They
both made excellent and telling
speeches, which were listened to with
marked attention. They both came out
squarely in defense Of the material in
terests of the South and indorscd my
position fully. They are both good
men, in whom the people of Georgia
can safely rely
Some one has said that the quickest
way to repeal bad laws is to rigidly en-
force the moro Objectionable features.
So believe one elective plan OF deal
ing with Nav England when others
have failed, is to give her large dose
OF her own medicine"
u notice, Senator, that you are
charged with being protectionist'?"
'G cs, few newspapers arc circula-
ting that absurd dea but it has failed
to cut any figure, since the people are
not SO easily fooled as in times past.
believe that in the near future these
charges Will return to torment the in
ventors. The Northern papers are
making the charge with hope of Gre
ating diSsensions in the Democratic
ranks and drawing attention from the
damaging statements made in my
speech.
Almost at the beginning of my
speech | quoted an able article from
The Charleston News and Courier, in
which demand was made for duty on
,, long staple cotton. Immediately after
this quotation | made the following,
! which | will clip from the speech it.
self for your use
Mr.. Chairman, what this article de-
mands for cotton should be demanded
for every industry, agricultural or man
featuring, in the South. | say this not
rs a protectiOnist (since | believe in the
practical application OF a revenue tariff
but as Il matter Of justice and fair play
among all the people, Of all the sec
tions OF our common country. AT this
point propose 10 give some facts and
statistics concerning the different sec
tions OF the country with reference to
the increase OF wealth, the accumula-
tion Of wealth, the distribution of capi-
tai and wealth. | expect to disclose
such an unequal distribution in favor
OF New England and the North as to
force inquiry as to its cause and it's
remedy from all who love equity and
| despise favoritism.
81 followed this declaration with q
statement and table from The Consti-
tuition which proved my contention be-
yond question OF doubt. In fact, !
repeated many tip es in my speech
that | was not a prOtectionist, that
did not approve OF that doctrine, but
il we are to live under it's laundering
system protest against the So ith be-
ing it's only victim. | disclosed so com
pletely the pluDdering system of pro.
lection and the sections of the country
that were being plundered that SO far