The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-08-15
M'LAURIN TO THE COMMITTEE.
Declines to Step Down and Out.
STRONG CHARGES AGAINST HIS COLLIE
The Junior Senator Attempts to Prove That His Votes
and Actions are Democratic and Says He Will Appeal
TO the People,

maps, nOuOT4DlC bankruptcy 10 ulS
honorable and unexplained wealth. LIZ
and have drawn tho same salaries, but
have found 1t impossible to sayo dol
lar from mine. have never, however,
trucklcd to corporations with tho fawn
ing of tanned spaniel made speeches
against them, then voted for them ana
accepted favors as he has done. have
never been the sole boss and buying
agent Of q newly created whiskcy trust
with it's rebates OF $50. 600 to $70,OOo Il
year. none Of which ever reached tho
State treasury. | have never had the
handling Of State bond rcfunding
scheme with $2S, 600 Of commissions
never yet accounted for or explained.
A year ago Senator Tillman went into
North Dakota and made speeches adyO
eating the reelection Of ~ Republican
Senator, Mr.. Pcttigrcw. Senator Till
man and this Senator were prominent
in preventing, by tilibustcring tactics, "
vote on tho subsidy bill. The ncwspa.
pcrs said that MIR. Hill, head of the
Northern Pacific lobby against tlc sub
sidy bill, gave Senator TiImnD's friend
and associate ~ "tip' which paid him
$3.50, 600 in the stock market. Birds Of
u feather, gentlemen Of the committee,
always Ilock together.
Has Senator Tillman, prosecuting at d.
torncy against my Democracy, ever
failed TO abuse Democrats and Demo.
CraCy? DO you know that in the last
two Democratic national conventions
he has supported the nomination Of Re
puDliCans? In 1896 he favored Senator
! Teller for Prcsldcnt--an old line Re
publican, and one Of the bittcrcst foes Of
tho South in reconstruction days lie
! had himself appeared before the Cuuvcn
! ton rs y competitor Of w. J. Bryan and
! been ignominiously showed under. In
1900 he was for Townc, also Republic
can, for vice president. Is he the ma,l
| to he supreme arbitrr and judge OF what
is Democracy in South Carolina?
In the Senate | have lahorcI, ~ the
records will show, to broaden the pros
pcrity Of the country, to promote the in.
tcrcstS OF my own people, to spread
civilization, to en- argc and increase op.
portunlty for our young men and stmu
late enterprise. His whole political
course and method have been to tear
down, to abuse and oppose, to blight
anG restrain, to bite where he dared and
fawn whore he feared or sought favor
| shall ask the people to contras, the
records and shall claim my right as "A
free man, born and reared Democrat
and ~ Senator from South Carolina, to
| do it regardless Of the orders Of twenty.
| one members Of the executive com
mittcc. ! shall ask the people TO dcriu,
| between the man who has tried to hcl,
cotton factories, open highways OF com
mcrCc and to So commend the Demo
cratic party rs to command for it tn,
confluence and respect Nf the business
and laborng elements, North and South
and that Of the man whose conduct an,
record has been 10 sink the party to dis
rcputc and impotence. | shall ask then
to say whether they prefer the Senate
who has tried to retain for South Caro-
lima the honor and dignity won by :
| long line OF illuStriouS sons and glorious
| deeds, or the Senator who has posturcd
as builoon and bully, and who pro.
claimed on the floor Of the Senate that
he represented a constituency Of ballot
box suffers anG murdcrcrs who wanted
their share Of the stcalagc.
He is now in Northern State hold
ing up our people rs negro murdercrs
and ballot box thieves.
You have undertaken to condemn and
eXpcl and ucprsc me, not only without
a hearing, but without evidence. Upon
what grounds are my good faith as y
Senator and my fidelity as Democrat
assailed? Is it on the tariff ? None of
you OF the committc can prove to tho
people that the Democratic party Is u
free trade party. 1t has proposed a
tariff for protection only, but as early as
1897 we had protective tariff, and We
have never in the l04 years since known
free trade. Gcn. Hancock, tho party
nominee for President in 1880, regarded
4 L. for ~; If oo a lnnn1
Randall, for years the party leader anC
Speaker Of tho House, was a protcc
ZIONIST. In every Congress where the
question has been presented numbers o,
Democrats have voted against an,
helped to kill FREQ trade. have con
tended that Southern products shoul,
be put on an equality with othors, ant
in 1897 fought TO have rice, pino lumb
or and cotton protected The cry O.
" Republican" WAS raised against III,
thon, but the people, before whom tn,
issue was squarcly put, endorsed me b,
an overwhelming vote. Arc you now
undertaking to reverse that verdict?
I have favored ship subsidies 1t is
great question, and one, | submit, Oh
which tho people of this State arc com
pctcnt to pass after hearing full argu
mcnt. The subject has never boon dis
cusscd before them, although it is 0
vast Importance to the prosperity 0
the State. The purpose Of the subsid,
Is to develop thcabuilding and operation
Of great fleets OF American ships L
touches the interest Of our sea ports
of our lumber industries, Of all ou
manufacturing enterprises and our grca
agricultural products. 1t is question
on which some Of tho ablcst Democrat
Of the House and Senate arc divided.
most humbly submit that it is not il
order for twcnty-onc members Of you
committee to rulo that the Democratic
masses OF South Carolina shall not Il
their campaign meetings hear this mat
ter Of vital interest to them discussed
and that the people OF tho scacons
cities, who would like to sec now tide
OF commerce brought to their harbors
and the lumbcrmon and owners 0
forest lands, who would bo glad to sol
material for more ships, arc to be throw
neck and heels out Of tho party because
they favor ship subsidies. Senator
Carlisle, Pugh and Morgan voted for
subsidy bill, which has been in forc'
ton years, and which has helped ou
Brazilian trade, in measure, at least
Are they not Democrats, according tt
the decision Of Senator Tillman an'
your committee?