The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-08-24

ne must Go SO rs lEeII SCI 't'-4. ~
must recognize them to be the mas
ters.
In ny political career have always
3ealt candidly; I have never assum-
ID ''fence-straddling' position. I
have never failed to make known my
views and whether l was right or
wrong l always showed my haad-in
other words, I have never resorted to
deception, SO COMMON among politi-
clans. When factional feeling ran
high, many things were said which
we're harmful, but l am not here to
those who differed with me,
nor TO apologize-both sides are now
acting with cooler heads.
] supported with all my might the
policy mapped out by that great
leader, John McLaurin, who was the
first to speak out in favor Of Peace
and Unity and, aided by the present
Governor, ". H. Ellerbe, and Ben
iamiu r. Tillman, a constitutional
convention was called made up OF the
brain Of the State, without regard to
faction; they gave to US a fundamen-
tai law for the whole people and not
for faction OF the people. I recos-
nize the fact that we have gone
through revelation and Of necessity
there must be backward swing ci
the pendulum in order to restore
equilibrium I am not ashamed OF
the part I took in this revelation:
such movement had to come and
anu thankful 10 say that the patriot
ism and conservatism of our people
have enabled US to pass through the
trying ordeal without permanent dl-
vision among us.
Today South Carolina stands as
the leader and pioneer among South.
ern States in tie preservation 0;
white supremacy; her white people
are united as never before, and polltl-
cal conditions were never more
heaithful. Winthrop and Clemson
are among the States jewels which
shine brilliantly in her crown Of
glory, but the most brilliant gem OF
all, is a constitution which insures to
us and to our children a ''white
mans" government. Go into the
States Of North Carolina, Alabama
and Georgia and you find negro OIL
cials, while in South Carolina SC
strong is our position that our repre-
seutatives in Congress, in o large
measure, even preserve the federal
Offices for white men. There is nc
important federal Office in the State
held by negro, be it said to the
credit Of Tillman and &icLaurin and
the members of the lower house OF
Congress.
Let no one say the Reform move
ment has failed in the accomplish
ment Of good, for the things I have
mentioned have been, through the
divine providence of merciful God,
some OF the results of the Reform
movement, and IN these fruits all Of
US can take Just pride.
There is now only one question
which is dividing the attention Of oui
people and 7 am glad to say this di'
vision is not upon factional lines-it
is simply a difference of opinion as tc
the best way to handle liquor. There
is DO more yezed question than the
liquor question. The wisest and bes:
of the nation have taken counsel, as
20 how best to solve it, and they are
still! at work on the problem, appar-
entity no nearer to the end thar when
they begun. This State, for cen,
tury, has been noted for the aggress'
i've leadership OF her public men. Il
began il the early days OF our Re,
public when Pincknev and Lownde;
were prominent in the formation q
the government itself, in the consti,
tutional convention, at Philadelphia
Later Calhoun's great intellect dom
mated Southern thought and Sc
shaped it that the climaxw was reached
in the greatest war OF modern times
Calhoun in his day prevented the
moDstrous doctrine of "free raw ma.
terial" and protected manufactured
goods from being fastened on oul
people. In the dark days following
reconstruction, when the heel OF the
oppressor was on the neck of the
South, this doctrine obtained as one
Of Mr.. Cleveland's pet heresies, unit
our own AicLaurin as member oi
the "Ways and Means" Committee
exploded it in speech that astound'
ed the nation and opened wide the
eyes Of the political economists 0.
Europe. That one speech was wortt
millions of dollars to the South, fox il
advertised her resources TO the world
It is wonderful to trace the effect
that South Carolina has had in mopi.
ding thought and shaping the desti
MES OF this nation. massachusetts,
Virginia AID South Carolina have
made the nation what it Is. Pinck
ney, Lowndes,, Calhoun and Hayne
in their day held the attention of The
nation, and today Tillman and Nc
Laurin are intellects that Will make
an impress in any age.
It is not wonderful then, that Soutl
Carolina should present solution O.
the liquor question. Now, fellow-cit'
liens, let US lay aside all prejudice
and examine fairly the much ''cussed'
and discussed dispensary law, let Us
not approach it as partisans; it is nc
longer factio0al question; some o.
the strongest advocates today were
among It's bitterest foes.
The dispensarv law is all evolu.
st t. l:l 50 -, -