The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-05-29

elect upon the people of the South
In March, 1897, made a speech in
which | embodied my views. I had
offered an amendment for duty of
tw" and one-haIf cents per pound on
cotton imports, and had made a fght
III the Committee fora proper schedule
on nee, pine lumber, turpentine, cot.
ton seed OIL, oil cake, iute- -bagging
cotton ties and the coarse grade Of
goods made in our Southern mills,
This is neither the time nor the place
to so into Il discussion of the tariff. |
can sum 1T up in the statement that
did not discuss the question from a
thccretic or philanthropic standpoint.
but merely claimed full share for the
South OF all the benefits to accrue from
| legislation. | recognized the fact that
on; revenues were to come from The
imposition of import duties, and as.
serted that this beng true, it was but
ialr to give each section and industry
share OF the benefits, as the burden
must be borne by ALL | attacked the
doctrine OF free raw material as a clam
desilne and unjust form Of protection.
L traced its history and showed that it
was !Gviscd and offered to the manu-
fact,'rers Of tho East by Mr.. Cleveland
~ his first race, as form of protec-
ton. In other words, Roger Q. Mills,
the chairman of The Ways and Means
Committee of the House, was sent up
into the New England States 10 ofrcl
them this lcft-handcd protection, :"
while free trade was talked i'm the
South and West. 1t was mere party
cXpcdicnt TO catch votes. | think that
no political party will ever attempt
again such monstrous injustice. 1t
means that the farmers in this country
shall be forced to buy IN Il restricted
market and then sell i'll of their pro-
ducts III competition with the paupcr
labor of the world. | made this linht
for Southern industries while mem
Der of the House, when | had no idea
IN the word Of going into the Senate.
You all remember what universal
chorus of approval there was. Scna-
tors Tillman, Bacon, Clay and others
took up the same line in the Senate.
The News and Courier, the Columbia
State and ninety per cent. of the pa
pcrs of the South commended my
course. | hazard little in saying had |
never been "a candidate for the Senate,
the wisdom of my course would never
have been questioned. was strongly
urged to run for the Senate in 1896.
but did not wish to leave the Wavs
and Means Committee, and besides l
VAS thoroughly disgustcd with the con-
diiion of affairs in South Carolina. l
could hear Of nothing but " charges of
c0rrupi!on," Z" bond deals" " whiskcy
rcbatcs," etc. | did not wish to be
mixed up in such an affair however
il might cventuatc, Il man could moi
but feel lowered aud degraded by COM
ing in contact with such filth. felt
reasonably sure at that time that
could have been elected to The Senate.
[ was assured, by one authorized to
speak, that Judge Earle would not be
ii candidate If | ran but | concluded
to go on III a modest, quiet way and
work out my destiny in the House.
This vas not to be, however. Ii was
not intended that my lines should fall
in easy places. That pure man, chiv-
alrous gentleman and upright Judge,
'"' ''i''h"'i thu my pICucCcSSOT,
lived but a few short weeks. Governor
Ellcrbc rendered me the nomination.
| realized the radical nature of some of
my utteranccs and votes, and while |
could not fOrcsec what has hpppencd
| knew my nature well enough to feel
certain that having once enlisted in
the fight l would never turn back
while life lasted. /, Therefore, refused
to accept the appointment at the hands
Of Governor Ellerbc unless he would
guarantee that the Executive Commit.
tee would order I. primary and permit
the people to pass upon the issues
which | had raised.
| CAMPAIGN OF 1897,
1t is unneccs airy for me to refer tt
that bitter fight. You all remcmbc
the meeting in Grcenvillc, where wa
insultcd, bullicd and bailcd like SOM
wild beast it was sample of some O
the rest. For myself am willing /,
"Lct the Gead past bury its dead"
have no ill-fccling towards any one o.
account of it. | spoke, | believe, !
in every couc'v in the State outside c
my Congressional District a.cept thre,
| advocated my views not Only on I'll,
tariff but on what | considered the re;
line of policy to be pursued by Soutl
ern Representatives. carried abol
i eighty per cent. of the vote cast al
$ every county except three, which we