The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-04-25
SENATOR M'LAURIN
FIRES FIRST GUN.
A Defence of His Political Course -
His Conception of the Souths

oAS NOACSpthOh oA e~>> S|"'NA
Duty.
The Manufacturers Club of Char
lotto, N. c., had an eventful day in it,
history when the Chinese minister
Mr.. WI Ting Fang, was the guest o.
honor, and next in rank among the
prominent men present was Senator
John l.. McLaurin, of South Carolina,
who read declaration of his position
in politics, and while the address was
entitled "Our Present Condition in
the South and Our Duty for the Flu
ture," it was IN reality the first gun in
his campaign for reelection to the
Senate. He indicates the lines along
which he will fight. He has left The
"ruts," he says, and for 50 doing dc.
fends himself, and indicates the line in
politics he thinks the South should fol-
low. Mr.. McLaurn spoke as follows
Mr.. Toastmaker and Gentlemen:
/ desire to make a statement of
somewhat personal nature before
proceeding with this speech, which l
intend to deliver tonight. a certain
newspaper correspondent in the city
of Washington has persistently spread
the report that l was coming to Char
lotte to make a speech which would
launch new party in the South. The
report is absolutely false. f l had
any such intention good taste would
prevent me from taking advantage Of
an opportunity of this kind. l am con-
tent to advocate within Democratic
lines the policies which l believe to be
best for the South, and when l can no
longer do this l am ready to retire to
private life.
In the South we are today realizing
some Of the dreams of its far-reaching
statesmen and business men of fifty
years ago. With prophetic eye, they
saw the industrial and commercial pos
sibilitics of our highly favored south
land.
With an advance of thought that is
really surprising, they suggested en-
terprises of wonderful magnitude for
it's upbuilding and commercial domi-
nance. From 1888 to 1860, conven-
tions we're held to voice the demands
of deepscated public sentiment for
industrial progress. The story of these
movements is chronicled in South
Carolina publication, which, under the
name OIL Debow's Review, did for the
old South what the Manufacturers Rec
ord is doing for the South today.
The same spirit which enabled our
fathers to leave the field of defeat with
nothing but their courage and their
characters left, still lives in the South,
and inspires you today in your great
undertaking.
The plans of the grea: Southern
business men and statesmen of fifty
years ago are no longer idle dreams.
Postponed by a cruel war which de-
stroyed our social and industrial sys-
tenn, and which for years reached CO.
operation in national undertakings al
most impossible, such men as l meet
here tonight are making these dreams
actual living realities.
Talk about the "New South,' the
name is a misnomer. 1t is the same
old spirit revived which sixty years ago
made the South the dominant power
in this nation, position Of which
nothing but war could have robbed
her. What we need now to again at
tain that proud eminence is the same
broad conception and the same COM
prehensive grasp of the true situation.
The last twenty years have wrought an
industrial revolution III the South,
which must find expression in our So
cial and political life.
The time is past for the discussion
as to whether this government is to be
one consolidated IN it's structure or q
loose aggregation of (so-called) sover
eign States. The civil war settled
that. 1t is useless TO discuss the ques-
tiOn of whether this is to be q purely
theoretical Democratic government or
an expanding ana giant Republic. The
Spanish war settled that. Why not
then accept conditions as they are and
make the most Of themo
The agitation Of such issues only
serves to sidetrack broad American
doctrines and should not be made party
questions because they grow out of
actual political and economic condi-
tions, which it is beyond the power of
either party to change. I care not of
what political faith the occupant of the
White House might have been; for, if
a true American, mindful Of the honor
and dignity of the nation, the results
of the Spanish war could not be widely
different from what they are today.
Why should our people be the only
ones to close their eyes TO what is
going on? Why should we move
along IN the same old ruts and insist
that political policies and old traditions,
long since dead, are vital living issues
and depend upon them for the saliva.
ton of the South.
The triumphant re. election of Mr.
Mckinley in the last campaign is full
of Significance. 1t is stubborn fact
confronting the Democratic party TO-
day, suggestive of reproachful remem
brances and fearful menaces. What q
reflection that this new Democrac,
did not carry State where the issues
were discussed and judgment passed
by the people upon them on theil
merits. Nt course with us it has beer