The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1901-06-05
M'LAURIN'S REPLY
Statements Made Necessary by
TilImans Charges.
HE CHARGES FALsEHooDs
Against tho Senior Senator. Rp-
peal to the People to
HsIp Relegate Ben
-

vile Thursday gives Senator Mo
Laurin's reply to Senator Tillmsn's ad-
dress to the people of the State for pub
lication.
To My Fellow Citizens:
The address of Senator Tillman TO
you rendered it necessary thst | should
say something in explanation OF my
motives and actions. | sincerely regrau
that you are to be subjected to the OK
pepse and excitement Of 8 senatorial
primary this year, but feel that | am
not responsible. Had it net been for
Senator Tillmau's intrusion upon the
Gatfney meeting there would hsve bee n
DO necessity fer it. A joint debate was
rreciPitated by him contrary to my
wishes and OF the gentlemen who in
Vited nc. He forced himself upon the
meeting by his own admission. No
other honorable course was left TO me
but to accept his proposition or lay
myself open TO the chsrge OF coward
ice. 1t is too late now t. consider
whether it was wise or unwise and
The people must judge between US.
desire TO announce my candidacy in
opposition to the senior senator for
the uoexpired long term, and will dis
cuss with him in fair and reputable
msnner the national issues Of the cay
and leave 1t to you to ju &c VINO can
the more honestly and houorably"
represent you in the United States
senate. ln 1897 WAS elected to the
senate as Democrat and | am still a
Democrat
In every thing have said and done
l have had the good of my people at
heart, to them / am ready to render an
account Of my stewardship, but not to
the senior senator; perhaps in this lies
my chief sin.
IN my recent speech at Greenyille |
gave the people the reason for my off
cisl action since 1899 L. is useless f,-1
mo to reiter,te what said n AZ
speech, as it has been extensively pub.
lished ana I presume generally read.
We're 1t not for charges made in the
address of the senior senator, it would
be unnecessary for mo to say more.
But l cannot allow him to assail me
and my Democracy without saving
something In my vindication. He
charges that, after the adjournment of
congress in March last, with the aid
of my friends, commenced in the
State an sctive propsgsnds of my new
doctrines, which are clai ned to be
Democratic but are nothing but Re-
publicsnism in Disguise" He AFRO
gates to himself the power to decide for
the people as to the righteousness of
my course and views, and is not will
ing for them to hear and JUDGE for
themselves. His indecent intrusion
upon the Gatfney meeting illustrates
his methods Of ''bossism" and his de-
sire to rule or ruin" After my re-
turn home in April last received in
vitations from citizens of GreenvilIe.
York, Cherokee, Newberry and Spar,
tanburg counties to address the peopIe
on the national issues of the day. As
their public servant, | could not dlsre-
gard their imperative calls, and | &C.
cepted the invitations. Had | not done
SO, my political opponent would have
charged that | could not meet my CON
stituents face to face and explsin nv
political action. 1t was not my pur
pose IN accepting those invitations to
lnauguate my campaign for reelection
more than year in advance of the
primary, but to attempt to enlighteu
the people and remove false imprss
sions produced upon the public mind
by the senior senator and his sympa-
thizers. L had been persistently ma
llgned and misrepresented and the only
means afforded me for my vindioation
was to get the ear of the people. This
was my only object In masking speeches
where L was invited to 90, and had it
not been for these invitations | should
have remained silent.
Have We reached the point whore a
number OF private citizens cannot in
Vlte one of their representatives. to
address them, without Including tho
senior senator or first obtaining his
peTmissionr The senior senator. il
seems, willed that | should not be
heard at that time aud determined that
should visit for his bidding to GO.
before the people. The senator also
charges that l am a Republican and
WAS organizing Repub ican party
here. If he believed this charge, why
did he consent TO run with meln a
Democratic primary ] denounce the
ohargs AS an infamous falsehood and
the senior senator knows what he ssys
IS untrue. In his reokicssness the
senior senator further charges that the
dispensing of the public patronage has
been placed at nay disposal and 'uu
limited money is furnished mo by the
Republicans to aid in the schcme of
the organization of new party. |
denounce tins as a malicious falselood
In my GTeonville speech explaiDl d
why had been consulted about tbc
federal patronage and at G.fFaoy de-
nouncod, In his presence, both Of these
charges as wiItully false and yet he
Teiterates them in his address. HIS
purpose In repeating what he knows 10
be slsnders must be evident to all.
The senior senator undertakes in his
address to throw the whole rcsponsi.
bility Of the present situation In the
state upon me. After defining my
Democracy and branding mo as a
traitor to the party, he meekly SAYS
that he and his Democracy wero as
sailed by me, and it was iDcumben,
upon him to crush me and my influence
In this State. The senior senator has
undertaken q herculean task, for truth
crushed to earth will rise again" The
senator foTgets that he insidiously and
msliclously as;siled me last summer.
whom | was unable to defend myself.
and after my Charlotte sheech. in an
interview, made false and slandorou.
charges against me. did in my Char
lotto and Greonville speeches criticiz,
his Populistic Democracy, and l have
nothing to retract. He impugns the