The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31


open discussion, he would never have gath.
cred the executive committee together and
coerced them into hrading McLaurin as re.
publican.
DIFFERENT VIEWS
OF the Action OF the TiIlman Com.
mittee.
many cases, OF what ia proper loyalty 70
political party is q very diffiult matter.
Whenever those In control OF q party under
take to deprive man OF freedom OF thought
and freedom of speaking, that moment they
are not demanding loyalty, but subserviency.
The Democratic executive com mtttee IN
South Carolina In voting to exclude mr. NC
mary have adopted a policy that will allen ate
many q man who loves freedom OF thougbt
and q fair deal The Kansas City platform
1900 and 1t lost the presidency to the Demo-
cratic party. The fight for which II was
made being long since finished, 1t ehonld De
now entirely proper for Democrats to discuss I tss
freely It's faults and endeavor to nnd the
, means Of 30 improving its features by the
| time 1t is necessary to reconstruct IL for The
next campaign as to make success possible.
Free discussion in the interim is the best
means in the world for the development OF
the sentiments and views of the people and
for the promotion Of correct principles.
II Mr.. McLaurin wants to test the popular,
ity of his views before the people he should
have the right to do 80 In the Democratic
party. There ia no reason In attempting 10
! force upon him an alternative to swallow the
party. Except by freedom OF thought, free
dom OF speech and ample discussion how
could the faults OF any set OF principles ever
be eliminated?
Instead OF en- forcing loyalty to party the
action Of the South Carolina State executive
mmittee is in the nature OF political tyran'
ny. 1t should be the whole people. and not
committee, who should pass upon Mr. McLan.
rims Democracy and he should have the
right TO 20 before the people for the decision.
The people Of South Carolina are loyal TO me
party but they they VIII barely i0s
committee is guilty OF.
News and Courier: We do not think that
think that the committee was very happy 10
the expression OF the resolution adopted by
1t. II the committee had asked McLaurin TO
resign because he had been un faithful to the
Democratic party which bad honored MN
with It's support, untrue because he had voted
with the republicans on every question OF re-
publican policy, there could have been no
question Of the right and duty OF the COM
that he should resign "fron the standpoint
OF honesty and sslfrespect" Afforded him q
chance OF escape from the condemnation OF
ths MI r. upon tSe % resouton
from the standpoint OF honesty and self
respect" He has claimed all along that he ia
honest; and as II is hia selfrespect that Ia In
volved IN The resolution, not the integrity OF
the democratic party. he will say that DIS
"sense and conviction" upon the two points
presented by the com mlttee do not agree
with the "sense and conviction" OF the CON-
mittee, and there you are.
Ashville Gazette: Tiliman was probably
right in concluding that II he were ever going
to use his pitchfork on McLaurin now was the
time. Tiliman's recent uncertainty what to
do has been one OF the strongest evidences OF
the strength of"McLaurinism" In South Car.
olipa. and his con clusion that 1t would not DO
10 allow McLaurin to operate within the par
ty leaves no doubt that the wielder OF the
pitch fork Is badly frightened.
Columbia Record Tillman, OF course. has
too much sense to think for a moment that
McLaurin will pay any attention to the res.
outions which he had the committee to adopt,
but Tillman had another object In view. He
wanted the resolutions adopted for what he
supposes will be their effects upon the general
public. He hopes that the committees adop.
tion OF the resolutions will create prejudice
AGAINST bis colleague and hamper Dim IN hls
efforts TO secure the endorsement OF reelection.
The record thinks the action ofthe com mitee
will have the other effect and Will make
friends for McLaurin; Tiliman showed mis-
dent. He whipped some weak.kneed politio
ians on the committee line There are mem
bers of the committee who voted against Nc
Laurin who have been talking just the other
way. They seemed not to have the manhood
10 stand out against Tillman. Possibly they
feared his frown would be fatal to their pollt-
ical aspirations.
Greenville News: Senator Tillnan demon.
strated on Thursday night that, after al, his
eagerness to crush McLanrin is not sutcient
to make him stand and fight the junior sem
In getting his machine, the State democrat
ic executive committee 10 try 10 pull on Mo
Laurin, Senator Tillman fell upon bis
own pitch fork and the escape OF gas Is verit
The magnificent front he put up in the be.
ginning OF the fight has collapsed. bis valiant
declarations OF what he would do With the
Junior senator and has repeatedly and almost
tearfuly expressed desire for q chance to set
at him are now laughed at. He made the
be suddenly realized that McLsurin was not
only In the ring for fight but that bis friends
had rallied to him and were going to back
him 10 the last blow.
The Baltimore American says: Early In
June, while a staff correspondent Of the
American was in South Carolina studying the
political situation on which the eyes or the
nation had been forced by the Tillman.Mc-
Laurin resignation episode, Senator Ti!lman
declared his purpose OF getting rid OF McLau-
rim by having him read out OF the democratic
party. This course, "Pitchfork'. Ben declared,
would forever settle the question OF McLau-
rinism, as 1t would effectually prevent Nc
Laurin from participating IN the next sena-
torial contest. When Tillman's purpose was
communicated to McLaurin the sturdy young
cham pion OF an intelligent Southern democ-
man resort to such tactics the democracy in
South Carolina would split wide open.
TIllman has carried out his program TO tn
letter. At meeting OF the democratic State
executive committee he championed reso
luton reading McLaurin out OF the democrat
10 party. The crime for which McLaurln is
thus decorated with censure OF Tillman1sm
consists In his having refused to stand with
his party in the senate ON great national
questions, and also In having rejected the
national and State democratic platforms. He
is said TO have mlsrepresented his constltnen'
oy. and 1t is declared that he should resign
now remains for Mr.. McLaurin 10 make good
bis promise TO split the democracy VI South
Carolina from top tO bottom. We douot not
that he will execute his purpose. ae is
newer sentiments In the South, and his 1ol-
lowers are many. That he will tamely sub.
NIT TO be scourged from the democracy is
thought not to be entertained. The only Ell.
feet, therefore, OF the resolution that has been
adopted is to forearm him for the night ana |
start II earlier than would otherwise have
been the case.
In this matter Senator Tillman has acted
very much like poltroon. He II was who
goaued McLaurin In to challenging the retire |
ment OF both and a resort ofthe people. Then |
Tilman sent his emissarles 10 Governor NC |
Sweeney. and Influenced the governor to ASK
that designations be withdrawn. When this
uua dona TIlIman in order 10 carry out his |