The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1901-06-14
MCLAURIN'S RECORD,
why Ho Ia IL Republican-An Interesting
Resolution Ho Introduced.
New York Evening Post.

Senators NIcLaurin and Tillman Of
South Carolina, which resulted in
both mon Oh Saturday rcsigning their
Offices to 60 before tho people for
re- election through primaries, is par.
ticularly comical. 1t is less than ten
years since McLaurin was known
throughout his State by tho nick
namo "Curly- headed Johnnic," which
had boon fastened upon him in alice
ton by Tillman, with whom he was
then great favorito. Tho split
camo about five years later, when
McLaurin announced himself as ga
roformer, but not Tillmanito."
Tillman opposed his appointment to
the vacancy in tho senate caused by
tho death of Mr.. Earle in 1897, aud
mado an 'suo Of it before tho pooplo.
According to tho federal constitution
the Legislature of State elects its
senator's; but in State with only
one political party, like South Caro-
lima, it was doomed tho part Of OK
pediency to test tho popular feeling
-thas is, find out whom q majority
of the dominant party wished the
legislature to elect. SO the Domo.
cratic State executive committee
issued call for IN election Of United
States senators; all tho paraphernalia
of an ordinary campaign were brought
into requisition; each candidate for
the senatorship got his friends out to
speak for him; there wero joint do
bates and personal encounters, and
the thousand other features Of "freo
popular choice" which delights the
hearts and preserves tho favorite ira
ditions Of the Carolinians. When
the returns came in, they showed
McLaurin the victor by neat ma
jority, the legislature played fair
and sent him to Washington in regu-
lar form.
| MIR. McLaurin is very busy now
adays explaining how one 80 recently
an advocate Of free silver coinage can
swallow Ropublicanism and.tho sin
gle gold standard at ono gulp. But
he has a record Of much more radi-
cal sort than as a silverito. He was
one of the self appointed physicians
| who offered prescriptions-suro cures,
in every case-for the financial ills
which beset the country in 1893. He
particularly distinguished himself by
introducing tho following joint reso-
luton:
"Whereas, Failures, bankruptcy,
and business distress are Witnessed
throughout every section of the
United States in consequence Of an
inadequate volume of currency to
maintain eqitablo prices and mako
reasonable exchanges; and
"Whereas, Under the present stat
ute laws tho secretary Of the treas
ury has ample authority to issue
United States notes in sufficient
quantities to relieve the present fl
nancial stringency; therefore be it
"Rosolved, First, That $25, 100000
Of United States notes, issued under
the several acts Of 18G2-G3, be and
tho same arc hereby declared lost or
destroyed, and tho secretary of the
treasury is directed to credit tho ro-
demption fund with said amount:
"Second, That tho secretary Of the
treasury cause to be presented, signod,
and delivered to the treasurer of the
United States 1925, 900, 900 of United
States notes as authorized by the
acts of 1S02~03, the same to bo
credited to the general fund, and to
pay current expenses"
/ McLaurin was thoroughly in earn
est. He appeared before the house
committee on banking and currency
to urge favorable action on his reso.
} luton, arguing that tho money strin-
gency was due to the sale Of United
} States securities hold abroad. This
proved in his judgment that it was
unwise and dangerous for the United
States to invite investment of foreign
capital, placed the foreign bond
holders upon the same basis as q
Chnaman, against whom it is charged
that he does not seek to become q
part of tho American people, but,
having accumulated competence in
, this country, carries il awav wIth