The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-12-11
Non-Se.tional Statesnianship.
Senator McLaurin made


splendid speech at. the conven-
ton of cotton spinners in Atlanta
on Thursday. His subject was
the extension Of our foreign
trade. He made a plea for the
extension of the American mer-
chant marine and the develop
ment of greater strength on the
sea as a Shield against disasters
both in times of peace and war.
Americans invest in ships that
fly a foreign flag in order to reap
the benefits that other nations
give to their ships. In time Of
war these vessels, although own
ed by Americans could only. be
used against US. He made a
strong plea in favor of the 18th
mian canal, desiring that it
should be more than a foreign
highway OF commerce-it should
be an American highway for an
American merchant marine, for
the accommodation of ships fly
ing the American flag. Under
such conditions the South will
be the immediate BENEFICIARY.
The concluding sentence of
Senator McLaurin's talk is es-
pecially well timed. He said:
"What We need in this country
today is non-sectional patriotism
and craftsmanship more devoted
to the building up OF our country
then the achievement Of party
success. ..
"Great national and business
questions involving the glory of
our republic made the property
of our people should not be draft
ed into mere party questions"
In so far as Senator McLaurin
shows disposition to rise above
mere party questions when the
welfare of any part of this couu-
try is involved we commend him
most heartily. The time has in
deed come for ''non-sectional
patriotism ami craftsmanship" :"
In making a plea for a states
manship more devoted to the up
building of the country than the
achievement of party success it
is not necessary tnat all of the
principles of the minority party
should be surrendered. Not
everything that is put forward
for the good of the country is
worthy of support. The great
trust organizers contend that
they are working IN the interest
of the masses in buying up com
petition. The Standard Oil Com
pany raising the price of oil ar
bitraily with every rumor of a
wave of prosperity claims to be
working in the interest of the
people. ;zs
There never will be a time
when the affairs of this govern,
ment will be administered other
wise than by and through pollti-
cal parties. But there is no rea-
son why sectionalism should en-
ter, and we commend Senator
McLaurin for his efforts to over
come this bane of southern pro-.
gress. By proving to the north
that he has no sectional hatred
himself, Senator McLaurin has
gained a hearing that has beer
accorded to a few Southern rep
resentatives and has been in a
position to be of great service.
He has been bold enough to defy
the narrow partisans at home
who would have him follow in
the old ruts of contracted Sec
tionalism and hate. He boldly
accepted that which he believes
to be for the best interest of the
country regardless of whether it
was of democratic or republican
origin, and in this way has exer-
cised considerable influence in
shaping legislation.
While we do hot believe that
the obliteration of party lines is
possible or desirable yet, the de-
cadence of partisanship founded
on prejudice and hate must be
hailed as a step forward in states