Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-05-29
Delivered on May u, 1901, to a
Large Audience.
TIE SENATOR EXPLAINS HIS VOTES
On Party Questions and His Relation
to the Administrations Seek
Ing Federal Favors.
FARMERS MOVEMENT

the Independence Of thought and ac.
tlon on the part of the people in po!lt-
1oal affairs. 1t was this that made me
q 'Reformer" A white primary.
where the white people Of the State
could settle their differences among
themselves. In part it has accomplish.
Cd Its object In spite of the efforts to
dwarf 1T into one.man movement.
It's leader has Tot been cont ent for it
10 be complete. and has Attempted
more than once to dictate who ehould
and who should not be elected to Office.
All revolutions OF this kind go farther
than it's ortginators design, no power
can control thom.
Men who suppose that the "mova-
ment' OF 1890 WAS mere efferves-
cence to give office to q favored few
are greatly mistaken. Some Of the
best and truest have never held OF.
flee, and the time Is coming when
those who betrayed and Drostitutel
this great movement into "one-man
power az, mere scramble for the
"loaves and the fishes" will be held to
an account. ! stand day Just as
stood in 1890, with the added expert.
ence Of ton years OF study and contact
with public mon and affairs. thank
God that one thing has bean accom-
plished The people !.,.ve been d.seu-
thrallch and enlightened, and will
never lie satisfied with the accom-
plishmcnt OF anything less than the
full purpose OF the ni0vcmcnt-froc
thought. free speech. a far ballot and
rule OF the people. This must and
shall be the final outcome. No at
tempt 20 break down the reforms
nplr1V Dppnint,1ishNJ
natural and Inevitable consequences sf
that revolution must follow. Nothing
can stay them.
THE "ALLIANCE"
Fellow citizens: 1t affords me great
pleasure to address you to-day. !
thank You for tho honor and the op-
portunity. | recognize the fact that
am yonr public servant. and am ac-
countable to the people who elected
me for my stewardship. This respon.
stbility Of public office Is the great CON
servative and prcscrvaLive force in on.
republican form Of government. 1t is
the province and duty of q RepreSen
tativc to study all important public
questions and form judgment as to
their effect on tho welfare OF the peo.
pie. To do this, he must ut times act
independently and lead public scnti-
ment rather than blindly follow what
Is reDuted to be the majority. It is
his duty to study national prcblems
and vote according to his best lights
and honest convictions, leaving the
final decision as to the wisdom Of his
course to the people. AS for myself,
l acknowledge no master save the
sovereign people, speaking at the bal
lot-box, and refuse to Obey the die.
tates of any political Boss, either in or
outside Of South Carolina. This is my
conception of the rights. duties and
position Of Senator My course since
my election has been projected along
the line Of discretion and accountable.
ity In voting on great national is
sues ! have considered tho best in
terests of the South and the country
rather than the impractical results to
follow from l'lgid adherence to
party lines. 1t Is passing strange that
some Of the men elected to Congress,
In 1892 should criticize mo for doing
what they solemnly pledged thensel-
YES to do. Don't you remember that
an Alliance Delegation was elected in
1892 pledged not to be bound by
Dem ocratic caucus, but to vote for
measures calculated to benefit the na
tion at large. irrespective OF panty?
feel like recalling the words. "Oh,
Lord God OF IICt;us, Lest we Forget,
Lest we Forget"
PRINCIPLES HIGHER TfIAN PAR
TY.
Political parties under our form of
government are q necessity. They
grow out OF the political relations cs-
tAblished BY the government itsslf.
There have been since the birth OF TIC
nation and always will lie two great
political PARTIES, If there were no real
issues they would divide and fight over
the mere spoils Of Office. These dfie:-
ences originated in the diverse views
entertained when our Constitution was
adopted as to what constituted the
proper functions of the government.
Party platforms have always been
supposed to be the cxponents Of these
Views. a bloody Civil war settled
the question Of States rights. and for
a quarter Of century tho waving of
tho bloody shirt" on the one side and
tho "niggcr In tho wood. pile" on the
ether constituted the dividing lines
Gay that every man, on purely sec
tional question, like white supremacy.
is traitor and a renegade who does
own people. | say chat any man, on
domestic problems problems OF inter.
nal concern. Should, as far as possible,
bow to the bchcsts Of his party. If he
cannot agree with his party on qucs.
tions of this kind, lie snould, If posi-
lble, find party with which hcis in ac-
kord. I assert. ,elow-U' lZcn-. how
Avcr, that 1t Is almost crime for any
Marty to make great broad, non-pollt-
NAL American measures, involving the
political and commercial development
ON the nation, the test Of party fcalty.
1SSucs essential to tho maintenance Of
~ np No