The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-09-14
MCLAJ Rim.
What The Senator Did Say to
President Mckinley.
COL. JONES' VERSION OF IT.
He Objects to the Headlines of
The News and Courier, and
Thinks Unjust Criticism
Has Been Made.
Has Been Made.

C0l. w lie Jones, VINO WAS llIeSeHl d.
the interview between Senator Nc
Laurin and the Washington corrcspon-
dent of The News and Courier, Wcdncs-
day handed the following prepared
statement to The State. with the re-
quest that it be published:
so much unjust criticism has been
made of Senator McLaurin on account
of dispatch Seut the News and Cou-
rier' b.: its Washington correspondent,
that l feel impellcd in the interest Of
justice to appear in public print.
Il was present when the interview
between the Senator and the reporter,
saw and heard everything that passed,
and there is no room whatever for the
charge that Senator McLaurin said a
word unbecoming Democrat. The
report sent by the reporter is very
meagre and only purports to give one
or two sentences of the conversation
that lasted nearly an hour. Even this.
however. would not have occasioned
any cristicism if it were not for the
headlines of that wonderful artist who
presides over this department Of the
News and Courier Nor do think
the reporter intended 10 do the sena-
tor an injustice, and | an sure he Will
agree with what I shall say.
Senator McLaurin, Ccl. Thompson
and myself had passed u very busy day
at the war department and wound up
with a call on the President. There
is no doubt all of US were feeling good,
for we had succeeded beyond our fond
est hopes saving our beloved State
from the indelible disgrace Of being
the only one il the Union that failed
to respond to the call to arms. 1t was
a very hot day and at O'CLOCK. IN the
afternoon the senator and myself re-
tired to my room at the Metropolitan
and in true Democratic style had taken
off our coats and collars to cool. Mr..
Larner called and desired to know what
We had accomplished and all about our
mission. We proceeded to tell him
and from the account Of our trip to the
White House the conversation drlfted
on to the war and the war policy of the
President. Senator McLaurin spoke
frankly and intelligeptly on this sub
ject and agreed to give Mr.. Larner an
interview. He made some notes and
handing them to Mr. Larner told him
to write the interview out on the lines
we we're talking. He said in substance
vi It he dispatch states, but in differ.
ent connection entirely: and with no
such intention as some Of his critics
have sought to make appear. | cannot
undertake to recall all that was said,
but this is the substance: That the
President had displayed great wisdom
in the conduct Of the war. He earnest
ly sought to avoid war. but when it was
forced on him, eminent success had
followed, which, with his nonsectional
policy, made him the most popular
President since the days Of Andrew
Jackson. That it was a great mistake
for Democratic leaders to antagonize
the war policy Of the President: because
the real issue between the parties was
the money question, and when You
emphasized the war issue YOU obscured
the money question and destroyed all
hope of success. He said that if the
war issue were the only question and
the election were to come right now,
Mckinley would be renominated and
elected by acclamation.
This is about the substance Of what
occurred, and there was nothing un-
democratic or wrong in anything that |
saw or heard. II the correspondent
had given all that was said the most
fastidious democratic palate in the
country would not have rejected it. |
am chirman of the Democratic party Of
South Carolina and certainly if | had
heard one of our senators say something
not in consonance with our principles,
l would have noted it.
willie Jones.