The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-07-10

For sale by the L,urens Drup Con
pany, Laurcns, S. c.
councils of the State, as represented b
INC poiltiCal party to which he was al
,"chco In many respects he was tn
most active and vigilant of public scr
wants IN his day and generation, and T.
nm may DC Justly ascribcd the exploitn
lioh ana development Of many laudabl
enterprises. Industrial and political 7,
lhc latter field he made some scriou
mistakes as others viewed it, but as h,
eald, In private letter in the heat of m,
preliminary fight Of rs, he was alwav
ready 10 yield TO the majority of his as
latcs, and no man knew better ,hnr
nc ana how to yield with grace anr
manliness
In the earlier stages Of his career ne
an ihnucntial citizen, il may be regarded
tHat ne ana his best work as mem bcl
ol the "X'Iayers' Conventions in which
he came in close contact with the ablest
and strongest men in the State, who were
intent upon removing the frightful incu.
Dus which was literally eating the yitals
Oh the body polite. AS an editor he did
lull share IN organizing the movement.
ana as delegate from Charleston he
aldcd materially in shaping policy that
aroused the outside world to the degradn. =.
ton and humiliation of the prostrate
State. The work then done was the
precursor Of the revolution which
came IN rs, aud tho exposures made
IN 10 and IA paved the way for
sympathy and respect when Wade
Hampton became the Libcrator of his
people. The News and Courier did its
full share in both instances, although
truth compcls the statement that the
"stralghtout policy had its strongest
opponent In Capt. Dawson, whose fol
lowing was patriotic if it was not saga
Cious.
Of great industrial movements in the
state Capt Dawson was a pioneer in
urging that the manufacture Of cotton
goods In the South pointed to a needed
development OF our resources Bring
the mills to the cotton" was a familiar
refrain, aud the present ascendency of
South Carolina in the numb Der Of spindlcs
at work justiics the ardent advocacy of
this course. The tobacco industry of the
Zee Dee section, which has grown to
large proportions, had it's origin and
stimulus in the far.sightcd policy of
Capt Dawson and his co-workcrs He
knew from observation in his native
land what the manufacture Of cotton
meant to any people, and he doubtless
realized from four years Of experience
IN Virginia what tobacco growing would
pay to the producer.
Among the notable incidents of his
newspaper career none will stand out
with greater prominence than his re.
fusal TO accept challenge under the
code duello 1t was most COURAGEOUS
act when it was done, because it was
breaking the record of generations in
the city Of Charleston. He was chal.
lengcd by q gentleman who had been
upon the field of honor before, and it
was confidently expected that Capt.
Dawson would not refuse to meet him,
but his decision to the contrary startled
loyalty to religious convictions and to
his church connection which forbade
duclling. No one impugned Dawson's
motives or suggested lack of physical
courage, for his record as brave man
was too well attcsted by those who were
associated with him in the Confederate
service, and the wounds upon his per
son wcrc rcfutation Of any hint that
he was impcllcd by base considerations.
1t is not wonderful after this cx-
perlencc that his pen was employed in
advocating the anti duclling law, which
sent the code into Punishment.
The most heroic instance Of newspaper
enterprise in this country was the
and Courier when the terrible calamity
of the earthquake wrecked Charleston
and sent a thrill Of horror through the
land. The one ray Of hope and en-
couragcment which came Immediately
to the aifrightcd inhabitants was the
lnVinclblc courage and indomitable
energy shown by Capt. Dawson and his
associates, of which a Northern editor
said: "Along with the most daring and
thorough enterprise in getting the most
terrible local news ever recorded in an
American newspaper, not a line Of which
shows undue excitement or cxaggcra
tion, we fad an editorial age whose
quiet and unostentatious pluckincss,
strength of hope and solid faith breathe
through every paragraph" Four days
after the awful stroke had fallen upon
Charleston. when it was in the midst of
the most appalling conditions, the great
hearted Henry w Grady was there, and
he wrote as follows: Perhaps the
opinion or great newspaper in its com
munlty was never shown in more
striking degree. Above the mayor or
the city officials, or indeed any other
person or element. the public appeals to
Capt Dae for advice, suggestion
ana hclp. what tribute to journalism
that it not only rtlumcd hope in the
breasts of soroly stricken people, when
gloom and desolation was all around
them, but it furnished the man for the
hour and the occasion, and it was his
uttcrancos that brought sunshine amid
tho gloom and pointed to brighter
future that would como out of the ashe
Of desolation
But those "reminiscences Of Capt
J Dawson must have an ending Twenty
, six years ago the members Of tho Stat
Press Association gathered around tn
banqueting board in the Charlosto
, Hotel as the guests of the News an
( Courier Capt. Dawson presided, an
Q at the other end Of the table was Nj
0 Riordan. This was tho first banqu
0 given to tho Association, and there al
7 few now living who were present tn
d evening: The grace and ease vii
o which Capt. Dawson acted as toat
o master, coupled with his wit and lof