The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-05-24
THE CONDITIONS IN SOUTH
CAROLINA.

CAROLINA.
Mr.. W. E. Curtis, the able CORE
spondent of the Chicago Record-Her-
aid is in the south, and sends excel
lent and entertaining communications.
A recent n from Charleston gives a
carefully prepared account of matters
and things in South Carolina. He
says hat McLaurin will not do, is too
weak. is not able to lead-that he pos
sesses neither the health nor the abil-
ity necessary to lead the bolt from the
grand old democracy-that he has
made serious plumbers and has lost in
uence and cast. He writes that 'he
has created a situation, but ne cannot
handle it. He is recognized as a man
Of integrity and good intentions, but
of only moderate ability, and his vacil-
lating disposition. as shown by his past
record, does not inspire faith as to his
present tenacity Of purpose. His health
is poor and his physical strength is no
greater than his intellectual force. He
has no individuality. He is conspicu-
Gus for nothing" A strong man like
Senator Tillman" is needed for the re-
volt. The probable leader of kicking
democrats will be Mr.. J. L.. Orr, a rich
prosperous manufacturer. H a the
respect and confidence of everybody"
is of a notable family, and has merit. AS
to General Butler he is not in it He
lives in Washington. HE has taken
little interest in local politics, and is
merely a "reminiscences. so far as the
people in South Carolina are concerned.
He was a major general of volunteers
during the Spanish war, and his nephew
Thomas Boutwell, Butler, has been OR
will be appointed assistant United
States district attorney. which fact
destroys what little influence they
might have exerted. John c.. Capers
and two or three other young demo
Gratis have been appointed to federal
offices, and are expected to assist in
the organization Of the new party
1t is plain that a few rich manufacture
ers and a few ofice-seeking, hungry
democrats cannot destroy the demo-
cratic party in South Carolina and
binding it hand and foot bring back
the rotten republican party to boss
the true democracy Of that state.
Mr.. Curtis says the effort to try to
bride General Hampton was bad. The
bad motives are seen and the ex-Con-
federates are aroused no doubt. 1t is
in the hill country that McLaurin gets
his chief support. Mr.. Curtis writes
that lone Of the most prominent men
in this movement is Ellison Smyth,
who, / am told, owns the largest mill
in South Carolina. Mr.. Orr. to whom
I have referred. is another of the same
sort. All of these cotton manufacturers
are republicans at heart, and support
ed Mckinley. They were protection
lists, expansionists. believe in a single
j gold standard, subsidies and all the
principles of the Republican party, but
lave voted the democratic ticket. There
is no further ostracism in. South Caro-
lima for political reasons. A man can
o be a republican and retain his So
cial position, something he could not
do a few years ago.
I'm Charleston many business men
favor a new party in opposition to what
they call Tillmanism. and some are out
spoken in their support of republican
ideas. Most of them were formerly
Cleveland democrats and are now
known as Mckinley democrats, but
they have no organization" They were
in fact. democrats. but simply
affiliated for the time from selfish con-
siderations, from policy. Bankers.
merchants, a lawyer here and there,
constitute the recruits for the black
republican thing, that one SO cursed
and blasted South Carolina. Mr.. Cur
tbs names some, and adds "They are
however. without popular following.
Large numbers of other men are sup
psed to sympathize with them who do
not care to commit themselves to a
new movement until they are assured
of success" They will show their col
ors there is a strong leader"
ound. Even the able Greenvine News
sometimes redicules McLaurin. Re
Gently while belaboring and ~ridiculing
the real democrats it put it to its some
times ally in this wise:
$50 John McLaurin has quit the
party. Under ordinary circumstance
this would have caused a sensation,
but quitting the party has got to be
quite the thing during the past four
years. Pretty nearly everybody quit ii
] before he last election. leaving the