The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-06-02

pending, involving large sum and
the bank and railroad tax cases that
have since become so noted, finally
ending in the supreme court OF TIE
United States. AL OF these case were
of the utmost Importance to the Stste.
His record as attorney general was
! coed
During the campaign of 1892 Gov
ernCr Ti.lran was opposed By ex-Gov-
ernor John c. Sheppard The main
fight upon TiIlmau was made by Col.
Ioumans, who was a candidate for
secretary OF ate. He vas very elo
quent, 1laent and forcihie speaker.
There vere personal differences be-
tween Ioumans and TiIlman, and
TilIman refused to debate or recognize
MIN IN the campaign st all,
which threw the fight, so
far IS Youmars was concerned, upon
McLaurin. Rarely has such a debate
ever taken place in any campaign ~
this State. 1t was of such character
as 10 excite the keerest public interest,
yet the Two men came out Of It the
best OF friends personally. The result
created such q wave of public favor
for Nr. McLadrin that when Mr.
SGackhoIse died IN June, 1892 moth
ing could prevent the people Of Mr.
McLaurin's district from electing him
to Congress IN November following.
He was seated when the t'ittysec
ond congress convened in 1892, IL
the month of December. Mr. dc
Lauriu's first utterances upon the floor
drew great attention to MIN sll over
country. It was his remarkable euloey
on his deceased predecessor. 1t was
unusual and drew many comments
IRON the press. He went back to give
a sketch OF the history of slavery in
the south, showing lis influence in the
formation of the character Of the men
of his State. Then he proceeded to
connect it With this new Reform
movement wi b which Mr. Stsckhouse
had had so much to do in launching.
He came to congress about the time
that Bailey, Bryan, Sioley and others
| OF equal note made their entrance upon
the congressional stage and immedi
ately began to attract attention to him
self as debater. His first 6ght was
on the repeal Of the purchasing clause
CT the Sherman act. His speech was
one of the very first attacks upon Gro
yer Cleveland's policy. 1t was sarcss.
tic and pungent and claimed wide
spread attention both al home and in
the country at large. Then, during
the panic of 1928, when because OF
the scarcity CT money the banks had
to form a clearing house association
and issue certificates in order to move
the cotton crop, Mr.. AcLaurin was
| the very first man in either branch of
congress to see the point and propose
a remedy. He got some of the certih,
Gates and went before the banking
and currency committee with a pro.
position to issue S125, 900, 600 of
United States notes, which were to be
deposited with the banks TO take the
place OF these certificates He showed
that the law prohibited the retirement
CT these notes below S346, 900, 900, and
that as matter OF fact they had been
retired far below this amount. He
made strong fight against the imposi
ton of the 10 per cent. tax that the
treasury department proposed to place
upon these certificates. THIS speech
was very extensively printed in the
papers OF the west and south.
Mr. McLaurin also took promin-
ent part in the debates to repeal the
10 per cent. tax on State banks He
made number of other speeches on
the financial question, ali CT which
have attracted attention. In the Or
ganization of the Fifty-fourth con
gress, Speaker Reed placed Mr.. Nc
Lauin upon the ways and means COM
mittee. Since that time he has de.
voted himself to the study ofthe tariff
question. In Il speech delivered on
March %, last, he attracted the asten
ton Of the whole country with his
speech upon the Dingley bill. He
boldly proclaimed the doctrine that il
policy Of protection was to obtain
that the south should have her share !;
that all or nothing should be protected.
He offered an amendment in the COM
mittee room asking for duty OF q
c-nts upon all cotton imported into
the I aited States. He was vigorous
" attacked on the floor from all quar-
ters, but met every assault with that
tact and coolness and fully sustained
his reputation as debater. Theu
there was his last speech advertising
Columbia and the south IN a way as
to attract the notice of the entire coun-
! try. Mr.. McLsurin has been elected
,hrice in his district.
One Of his admirers yesterday had
this to say about him: He is very
broad man in politics. During fac
tional fight there was no man that
fought harder, but as soon as the battle
ended he took the position that be was
representative of the whole people,
and that he did not have the right 10
mold Democrat responsible or ques
ton his right to vote against him II
the primary election. He was the
first Reform leader to come out open
ly and bodily IN favor OF peace and
unity. At one time i: seemed certain
that the leaders OF mis- own faction
would defeat him, but when they
would get man out aud McLaurin
would soon the stump, the first speech
would dis3ipate all opposition. Mr..
McLaurin's friends, and many Of his
enemies, politically, also consider
that he has done as much if not more
towards the breaking down OF faction
al lines in this State SIS any other
man. In TACT, Mr.. McLsurin IS not
thought CT as being member Of either
faction.
On Thursday Mr.. McLaurin fled
with the governor his letter Of accept
ance Of the position. The letter is
considered timely and very much 10
the point. Mr.. McLaurin, as was ex-
pected, takes occasion to urge the
State executive committee to call a
primary election for the purpose OF
~.