The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
TILLMAN BADLY. SCARED.
Outrageous Action Of the State Democratic Executive Com
mitee-EHorts to Stile Free Speech-T .Aan Strikes
McLaurin Below the Belt
(Spartanburg Herald.)

(Spartanburg Herald)
The Executive Com mlttee OF the Sou tn Car
olina democracy composed OF one man from
each county In this state, met In Columbi
for Urinary election 10 ali the vacancy in
Congressman Stokes district caused by his
death.
mittee went further, and passed the following
resolutions:
"Whereas, The Hon. John L. McLaurin. jul
nior senator elected TO represent the State OF
South Carolina In the national congress. has
by his affiliations and votes In that body ig.
pored the national democratic platform and
thereby misrepresented bis state and his
::THerefore' be it resolved: That it is the
sense and conviction OF the State Democratic
Executive Committee that Senator j. l.. Nc:
Laurin, from the standpoint OF honesty and
self-respect, should tender his unqualified
resignation Immediately"
This is possibly the most important step
that has been TAX en- In the State In years. IL
shows to what extent the DEMOCRACY OF Of south
1t shows thai his presence In the senate has
not broadened his views; that he is as deep
dyed In maevolence and hate, that be is as
leopard has not changed his spots.
This outrageous action OF the committee
places the democracy OF Sou tn Carolina In a
false light. II men are not allowed TO present
their honest convictions to the white people
Of this state, and are forced to subscribe 10
doctrines which they do not believe. 1t Will
surely breed hypocrisy, 1t will dwarf the par
~ and ultimately create division among
the white people which cannot be healed.
Free men who think and act upon their hon.
est judgment cannot be coerced or c1rcu M
ed by one man: Heretofore the primary cleo.
tion has been the sa fety OF the South. II has
been look ed upon as family affair In which
white mon participate In order 10 determine
/ I<~ff fhn tNriNr frnF m
South Carolina democracy into close corpo-
ration to subserve the spite Of a few indlvi-
duals is q step that will lead TO serious conse-
quences.
Let us look for a moment and see what Sem
ator McLaurin has done to call forth this ex-
tra-judicial action by the executive COM
mittee.
The junior Senator from South Carolina
the resolution with aff1liating and voting
with the republicans and ignoring the dem
ocratic platform. The first criticism against
McLaurin was caused by his speech In the
house on the tariff, when he laid down the
doctrine that inasmuch as protection was the
fixed policy Of the government that the South
should have her share. This caused his enc
mss to charge That hs place on 6 tne ssr on
however, when Senator Tillman saw an op.
portunity to tickle comm antilles, be called
for slice Of protection also Bnt tn is cannot
Senator McLaurin was overwhelmingly en-
dorsed by the people Of South Carolina after
that speech and sent to the senate. He was
chosen over Senator Irby, whose record was
that he saved the Wilson bill.
1t cannot be that Senator McLaurin's lean.
Ing towards the ship ubsidy bill is the occas-
lon for this extraordinary action. NO vote
has ever been taken on this measure, nor
has 1t ever been discussed before the voters OF
th In state.
We come then to the Issues mentioned by
Senator Tillman in his speech before the com.
mittee. Senator Tillman In the course OF his
bitter speech said:
HAS McLaurin, has this man, cast bis vote
in the United States senate in accordance
with the will and desire OF the people OF this
state? Who will and dare stand up here and
say that he has done 30? But know some
thing about It! He has voted on important
treaty with Spain was ratified by his vote. Is
this what you call Democracy? And is that
what you call democrat?"
This then is the ground upon which Senator
McLaurin's resignation is demanded, that he
voted for that he voted. for the ratification Of
the Paris Peace Treaty. And yet 80 great
democrat, so profound a statesman, 80 pure q
patriot, as William j. Bryan advised the DEM
It has been argued by McLaurin's enemies
that be changed front on this question, hav-
ing few weeks before the final vote made
speech against ratification. In this, too, he
the recognize1 leader OF the democracy, hav-
ing ad dvised the acceptance ofthe Paris treaty,
has been denoun cling II ever since.
No greater calamity could befall the South
politically than to send men TO congress who
have not the brains the conscience and the
courage TO vote as they think. We want no
mere automatons. Mr.. Bryan coming home
the memory of the hardships the young men
of this country were enduring and the cruel
treatment they were inficting; believing that
Hn@ ,raI hNFn IN ln
terms of peace, advised the ratification OF the
treaty agreed upon. Senator McLaurin took
the same view. Neither OF these men can be
held respops sible for the bad faith OF the ad-
min istration since. Having voted for treaty
which ceded territory to the United States, 1t
would have been unreasonable not TO have
supported the appropriations for an army
strong enough TO hold the territory. we 40
the republicans except on measures growing
out ofthe Paris treaty.
Think of Andrew Jackson being tied to the
Sas? SaP?'0SW was samaeI a TiIden democPat He
kick ell the currency plank out OF bis platform
and was elected. Take Randall, Tooms, Ste
phens, Pendleton and long line OF Illus.
trious men who have exerted influence and
moulded thought. Think OF having these
men resign the Offices at the behest Of com.
mittee that could be led around by the nose
by one individual.
But the most marvellous feature OF the
whole bad business is that the Columbi state
has endorsed this narrow policy OF Indirect
thrusts and spite. The State says:
The dem ocratic organization OF the State is
committed against Senator McLaurin be.
cause 1t regards him as q deserter from the
moral value OF this declaration is great The
issue is now officially made: Democracy
against McLaurinism.
Does the State newspaper recall the time
,har, hn 1of fOrr ~ "a 6ann0nrQtiN
South Carolina endorsed the Ocala platform
In toto? II we remember correctly, the state
was not in sympathy with Ocalism and by
the yard stick which Tlllmsn has cut and The
State is using. The State was at that time
outside OF the democratic party.
Why this sudden virtuous demand for q
strict construction of the platform, and slav.
ish obedience to the executive committee?
Why has The State not long ago demanded
the resig nation OF Col. VIM. Elliott from Con.
gress because he could never swallow !6 TO |?
Surely IL Is grester oense h tnaa dycs az tbe
chosen democratic leader. The State is q
stickler for consistency. Let IT explain It's
failure to call for ElliStt,s resignation; Nan ana
land, who engineered the opposition TO the
ratification of the Paris Treaty ia better
democrat than MoLaurin. who voted for 1t.
German has always been protectionist, and
he has never been in sympathy with either
the Chicago or Kansas City platforms. He
actually voted against the Wilson bill. And
yet because that man VINO deserted tne Ieau-
Ing measure of a democratic administration
at q critical time and engineered q revolt
against the advice OF the democratic candi-
date for president, did not secure McIIaurin's
aid. McLaurin is called traitor and reneg.
ade, and German is In good democratic stand.
ing. McLaurin voted with Morgan Of Ala
bama. IL he democrat?
II we remember correctly, at the time when
South Carolina was overwhelmingly com.
mitted TO the sub-treasury plan, Senator B.R.
Tillman did not endorse II. He spoke against
1t and urged that 1t be dropped. but when the
alliance put the thumb screws on him. for
4 Il ,lro ~ oaa ha ad