Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-07-10
THE SITUATION.
Prot. N. W. Macaulay Says "Let the Senatos
Como Before the People,"

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McLaurin and Tillman and are
speculating as to the result. One is
seldom encountered who fearlessly
comes out and declares in favor Of
either, and, when views are extorted
they are given at low breath and
with fear and trembling, due regard
being given to the probable cost of
taking step that may land him in
the camp of the minority.
Office holders are public servants
only; the differences of the Senators
must DO settled by the voters who
arc the masters, and at the proper
timo they will settle them, and in
order to settle them intclligently and
fairly both sides must be heard and
duly considered. Let the question
come fairly and squarely before the
people without evasion, and instead
OF attempting to muzzle McLaurin
he should be called from county to
county that his views may be heard,
after which the people should calmly
and deliberately decide who is right
and vote as they would pray. No
individual has a RIGHT to an opinion
without first studying the question
at issue, and no prudent man, even
when solicited, will GIVE an opinion
without this precaution. Snap judg-
ment is fault too common in our
fallen nature and especially 30 among
voters, who too often follow sbcll-
wcther" and count mistakes and
repent of hasty acts afterward.
1t is the duty of every citizen to
gain all information possible. No one
can afford to be ignorant, and, when
conscience dictates the right, he
should use his intelligence to tho
best interests of his country, forget
ting self, friends and party, other
wise hc is not good citizen, and
the world will be no better for his
having lived. Life is no play thing.
1t carries with it responsibilities no
man can shirk. We must face them
in a prayerful attitude, Bible in one
hand and weapon in the other
"Life is real Life is earnest!
And tho grave is not it's goal
Dust thou art, to dust roturncSt,
Was not spoken Of tho soul"
Parties are founded upon certain
principles of public policy presumed
to be in the interest of majority.
Party changes and often becomes
corrupt-principlcs never; hence
party is vascillating and like the
individuals that constitute it, is full
OF errors so much so that it keeps
fairly intelligent man on the watch,
and sober, to know "whcre he is at"
No man can be true to himself and
country and view the word party in
tho abstract.
The question every one should ask
himself is: What docs this policy
promise my country? Not where or
10y whom did it originate. We
should learn to accept a good thing
at the hands of the devil, if we have
reason to believe the Lord sent it.
While 1 believe Carolinians, in
point of intelligence, honor, patriot
ism and charity, are second to the
citizens of no State in the Union,
yet their experience from 1865 to '76
has made them jealous as to the
safeguards of their liberty, and they
are ever ready to resist the encroach-
ments of feint semblance of a like
ordeal. When we think of the trials
Of '76 we can overlook the strict
construction advocated by some of
our citizens and excuse their impetu-
osity. 1t took this to win then. But
we should remember that these disa-
bilities no longer exist. Peace,
white winged peace, rcigns and sec
tional strife is fast being obliterated
and may God hasten the day when
there shall be no North, no South,
no East and no West; only com.
mon country, our country, loved and
revcred by all. Providence, in His
appointed time gave us Henry Grady,
whose gifted pen and silver tongue
did more to blot out sectional feeling
than all the statesmen who have
figured since the late war. No other
could have accomplished what he
did, yet his pen and voice would
have been powerless had he been
United States Senator. But his
wisdom and patriotism kept him
where he could best serve his coun-
trymen. He was above his party
and many years in advance of it, yet
Grady was frequently denounced
privately for leaning to the Rcpubli-
cans. Had his mission reached it's
climax decade earlier he would
have been denounced more bitterly,
because time, the healer Of ali
wounds and mollificr of all strife,
had not time to get in its work.
Crises develop leaders. There
was never crisis that did not.
"Night comes on and brings out the
stars" When the cry goes out that
"Ulyses has gonc wandering and
there is none left in Ithaca strong
enough to bend his bow" circum.
stances call out some little David to
meet the giant. McLaurin is com.
missioned to meet the giant, and
when | say giant, mean no indi-
vidual. 1t is error that he will have
to combat and "Thricc armed is he
who hath his quarrel just"
From tho beginning his political
career has shown him to be conscrya.
tive, wise and unsclfsh, as is cvi-
dcnced by his prestige. No reformcr
has acted more in accord with
tho sentiment and spirit of the re-
formers "In things essential unity.