Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-05-25
VIII Not He Driven.


alton, to give all of the credit to the
Gentleman from Mexico"
VIII Not He Driven.
I have just one or two more things
to say on the first question I am dis
cussing. My intimate friends know
that it has been my desire to retire
from public life. I had determined
never again to undertake the canvass
of this state, and were 1t not that
felt that I owed 1t to the people OF
South Carolina to discuss these issues
and enable them to act intelligently by
placing themselves in touch with the
best thought Of the age. would not
be here today. The people of this state
gave me the grandest chance that any
young man has had since the war, and
I fully realize the opportunity and
duty. I never doubted for one mo-
ment but If allowed to present my case
fairly to the people, would be re-elect-
ed to the senate. I have not made a
vote that can be successfully assailed
save upon narrow partisan grounds.
had, however. determined not to run on
account of my health. The campaign
Of 1897 left me physical and mental
wreck. My physician has repeatedly
said that could not stand either men,
tally or physically the strain Of such
another campaign. Within the ten
months past, however, my health has
been wonderfully improved and I am
ready for the fray. I desire here and
now to tell the Bosses" Tin and out OF
the state) who have decreed my polit-
ical death, that defy them. The only
way they can defeat me Is to rule me
out of the primary and thus prevent
the people from expressing themselves
Let them. If they dare, prevent white
men from passing judgment at the bal
lot box upon these great national is
sues. One thing more on the question,
Am I honest? Those who know me
and are my friends will never believe
anything else. To those who are fair
and unprejudiced, T say, give me an
impartial hearing, and If you are not
convinced, vote against. Then we
will still respect each other. For my
enemies, those who would condemn me
unheard, the GROWERS and winners,
care not red cent what they think, SO
long as I know that I am honest.
Am 1 Mistaken
I desire now to take up some of my
votes and speeches, and address my
self to the question, Am I mistaken
When I was placed on the ways and
means committee Of the house, began
systematic course Of reading on the
tariff question with reference to Its
effect upon the people of the South. In
March, 1897, I made a speech in which
embodied my views. I had offered
an amendment for a duty Of two and
one-half cents per pound on cotton i'm
ports, and had made a fight in the
committee for a proper schedule on
rice, pine lumber, turpentine, cotton
seed oil, oil cake, jute bagging. cotton
ties and the coarse grade Of goods
made in our Southern mills. This is
neither the time nor the place to go in
to a discussion Of the tariff. I can sum
it up in the statement that I did not
discuss the question from theoretic
or philanthropic standpoint, but merely
claimed q full share for the South OF
all the benefits to accrue from legisla-
tion. recognized the fact that our
revenues were to come from the impo-
that this being true it was but fair to
give each section and industry a share
Of the benefits, as the burden must be
borne by all. l attacked the doctrine
of free raw material as clandestine
and unjust form Of protection. / trac-
ed it's history and showed that it was
devised and offered to the manufactu-
rers Of the East by Mr.. Cleveland in
his first race, as a form Of protection.
In other words, Roger Q. Mills, the
chairman of the ways and means COM
mittee of the house, was sent up into
the New England states to offer them
this cleft handed protection" while
free trade was talked in the South and
West. It was a mere party expedient
to catch votes. I think that no politi-
cal party will ever attempt again such
monstrous injustice. It means that
the farmers in this country shall be
forced to buy in restricted market
and then sell all of their products In
competition with the pauper labor OF
the world. I made this fight for South
ern industries while member OF the
house, when I had no idea in the world
Of going into the senate. You all re-
member what universal chorus of ap-
proval there was. Senators 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 papers of the
South commended my course. I haz-
ard little in saying had never been a
candidate for the senate, the wisdom OF
my course would never have been ques-
toned. I was strongly urged to run
for the senate in 1896, but did not
wish to leave the ways and means COM
mittee and besides I was thoroughly
disgusted with the condition of affairs
in South Carolina. I could hear of
nothing but charges of corruption" "
bond DEALS" whisky rebates" etc. I
did not wish to be mixed up in such an
affair. However it might eventuate, a
man could not but feel lowered
and degraded by coming in contact
with such filth. felt reasonably sure
at that time that I could have been
elected to the senate. I was assured by
one authorized to speak, that Judge
Earle would not be a candidate II l
ran; but I concluded to go on In a
modest, quiet way and work out my
destiny in the house. This was not to
be-, however. 1t was not intended that
my lines should fall in easy places.
That pure man, chivalrous gentleman
and upright judge, your townsman and
my predecessor, lived but a few short
weeks. Governor Ellerbe rendered me
the nomination. I realized the radical
nature of some my utterances and
votes. and while I could not foresee
what has happened, I knew my nature
we'll enough to feel certain that having
once enlisted in the fight would never
turn back while life lasted. I, there
fore. refused to accept the appoint
ment at the hands of Governor Ellerbe
unless he would guarantee that the ex-
ecutive committee would order pr1-
mary and permit the people to pass up
on the issues which had raised.
Campaign Of 1907.
1t is unnecessary for me to refer to
that bitter fight. You all remember
the meeting in Greenville. where L was
insulted, bullied and baited like some
wild beast. 1t was a sample of some of
the rest. For myself I am willing to
Let the dead past bury it's dead l
have no ill-feeling towards anyone on
account of it. I spoke, I believe, In ev-
cry county in the state outside or my
congressional district except three. l
advocated my views not only on the
tariff button what I considered the