People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1897-09-17

coed the thought comes that the early
settlers went there before the days o.
the railroads, and you forgive them
it must have been easier then; aftel
you reach the pretty little town in the
Pee Dee valley, after you have gazeC
out upon the prosperous farms which
surround the town on all sides anc
view the many evidences of peace ant
prosperity, you wonder why mai
would give this up even for life a
Washington.
A member of the Georgia Legislature
who spent a day or two at Marietta
last year came back to Atlanta anc
gave utterance to the remark: INC
wonder those Cobb county fellows &C
into politics the lands SO poor UT
there that nobody could make living
farming and they have to do something
else" To square myself with Chuck
Anderson, Dick Dobbs, Charley vii
bingham and the rest - the boys,
want to declare right here that never
have agreed with that member of the
legislature regard Marietta as the
most delightful place to live in in Geor-
gia and believe that fellow was only
jealous. The story is not new, but
tell it here because my impressions OF
Bennettsville were so different
CRIMINAL LAW AND POLITICS.
By December of that year Johnny
McLaurin had as much practice as any
of the older lawyers. He was known
as Johnny" then, and he is known as
Johnny" or "John L." all over the
sixth congressional district now. He
was successful in all branches of his
profession, but made a specially OF
criminal law, and there was not case
of note in that section of the state in
which he did not figure. Seven OF
eight years ago-I haven't the date
he was elected attorney general by
the legislature and had held that Office
but short time when he was given
the nomination for congress in his
district.
McLaurin's entrance into politics
came as a result of his study of econom
ic questions. He is man who loves
his library and one who uses it to good
purpose. / have had many talks with
him in Washington and from the first
he impressed me as being the possessol
of greater fund of information thar
most men many years older. There is
something in his head. At time
when the younger men in public life
were devoting their study TO the tariff
question, he had seen that the cause O.
depression lay deeper-that the blow
which has been given industry by the
decentralization of silver was just be
ginning to bring it's harvest. Things
were getting hot in the Palmetto State
The reform movement was on and the
lawyers from the cities were rushing
to the front condemning it. McLaurir
saw that there was much of right an(
| justice in the movement, and that thu
restoration of the free coinage of silve
which the farmers were demanding
was true democratic doctrine. And b.
said so. 1t was one of the first speeche
on that line which had been made il
( South Carolina. Opposition paper
jumped him, opposition critics Gale,
him ''populist" and all that, and yol
know how Scot will fight for his con
victions. The criticisms drove him t.
the defense of his convictions, and tina
means politics.
THE SUCCESS THAT DELIGHTS HIM MOST
McLaurin has had uniform success
in the field of politics. He has grow
stronger and stronger, not only in hi
district, but throughout the state. No
only has he looked after the welfar
of the people of his district, but man
have been the requests made of him b
people of other districts, and with tn
courtesy that is natural to the mar
these have always met prompt after
: ton Men who have chad no use" fc
others who supported the reform move
| mept have felt that McLaurin, thong
perhaps disagreeing with them wis
regard to policies and politics, woul
: represent their interests at Washing
ton. This he has done. He is broad
brainy and a gentleman.
= Strangely enough, though be hs
, had success enough in his professio
8 and in politics to turn the head of an
3 young man, it is not of this success
: that he talks with greater pride. E
1 is prouder far of his success as ia
: mer. He has couple of large plant
e tions in Marlsboro county, one of the
= the place of his McLaurin ancestor