Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-02-27
SENATOR McLAURlN FAVORED.
Louis AppeIt, Editor Of Tho Manning Times,
Defends Our Junior Senator.
[Letter in News and Courier. |

Letter in News and Courier.
There appeared an article in the
Sunday News, of 18th instant,
credited to the Manning Times,
which does the editor of the Times
an injustice, because it represents
him as being in sympathy with those
who are misleading the people by
misrepresenting Senator John l..
McLaurin. 1t is we'll known that
Senator McLaurin and myself are
personal friends, and even if l should
not be able to agree with him in all
Of his views give him credit and
admire his manhood in standing up
for his convictions, without regard
to the clamor of politicians, who are
inventing all manner of schemes to
discredit him with the masses. The
article referred to and head-l lined
"Anti- McLaurin Bomb," did not
appear in the Times, and crediting
it so prompts me to force myself
upon your readers.
Senator McLaurin is in position
to study the interests of the country,
and his advocacy of measures that
are now up for national legislation
shows that he is not chained to anti
quated ideas, but that he belongs to
progressive school of statesman
ship. The ship subsidy measure,
now under discussion and advocated
by him, has the endorsement of the
leading business men of the South
men who are developing the re-
sources of the South and bringing
her grand possibilities conspicuously
TO the front. l confess my knowl-
edge of political economy is not
sufficient to grasp the effect of the
pending question, so strennously
opposed by politicians who are seek
ing to discredit Senator McI.aurin,
but when read the approving
words of men who are not in politics
and are competent judges of such
questions | must think they would
not give their endorsements unless
they believe the vast interests they
represent will be benefited
If the ship subsidy measure is to
develop our American shipping and
float the American flag upon the
high seas, where that grand emblem
is now comparative stranger, why
should VIC of the South complain?
Our manufacturing, mining and
agricultural interests have reached
competitive stage, and easy access,
with cheap transportation, to foreign
ports arc necessary to their fuller
development. If this is the purpose
of ship subsidy legislation it strikes
me that the people of the South
will be greatly benefited. If the
product of this section can by this
measure be carried into ports of the
world cheaper the cotton producer
is likely to get better price and
the iron manufacturer wider
market. If this measure means the
unlocking of market gates which
have heretofore been closed to our
products it also means more ex-
tended market for the produce of
the farmer, miner and manufactures,
making the demand greater and the
supply more remuncrativc to the
producer.
The attempt to poison the minds
of the people against McLaurin by
charging him with "Rcpublican ten
denotes" is done with malice afore-
thought; done for purpose to make
votes for politicians wanting job.
If they can work upon the prcju-
diccs Of the masses ~ planting III
their minds that McLaurin is advo-
eating Republican measures they
will be able to shake faith in him,
SO that when he comes before them
for re- election he will not be listened
at, even if he has an argument
which is convincing, that his course
has been directly in their interests.
This class of politicians do not
want the people to become informed
they dare not risk tho consequences
If the people have chance to study
the questions. Hence they hoist
over Mcl4aurin the black flag of Re-
publicanism and resort to all manner
of devices to keep the people from
getting the true information. The
term "Repubican" in this State
carries with it the obnoxious recol-
lection of reconstruction days and it
is being used in connection with
McLaurin to fire up prcjndicc, but
we are living in an age and have
reached that stage of intellectual
advancement where the people, il
put in possession Of the facts, can
reason and solve public questions
upon their merits.