The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-08-07
McLAURN REPLIES
Procaims to the World that the Executive Committee do
not Represent the Intelligence, the Democracy or the
People Of South Caroina-Star Chamber Proceedings
Denounced -Tilman's and McLaurins Votes Com
pared

under. In 1900 he was for Towue, also RI
publican. tor vice president. IL he the maj
| to be supreme arbiter and judge OF what =
| democracy In South Carolina?
GIVE THE YOUNG MEN A CHANCE.
In the Senate 1 have labored, as the re
cords will show, TO broaden the prosperity
the country, TO promote tne interesls BIZ Ol in;
and Increase opportunity for our young meI
and to stimulate enterprise. His whole poll
| tical course and method have been TO tear
down, TO abuse and oppose; TO ollght ana re
strain, to bite where he dared and to fawn
where he feared or sought favor. l snail asR
| the people TO contrast the records and shal!
| claim my right as free man. q born ano
reared democrat and @ Senator from South
Carolina, TO do 1t regardless OF the orders ol
twenty.one members of the executive com
mittee. I shall ask the people 10 decide De-
tween the man who has ,snaed tried to 6, nell aelp
| merce and TO SO command the demo.
cratic party as TO command Tor 1t the conf
dence and respect of the business and labor.
ing elements north and south and that OF
10 sink the party to disrepute and Impotence.
shall ask them to say whether they prefer
the Senator who has tried TO retain Tor South
Carolina the honor and dignity won by long
line of illustrous sons and glorious deeds, or
the Senator who has postured as budoon and
bully and who proclaimed on the MOOR OF the
Senate that he represented q constituency OF
ballot box suffers and murderers who want
ed their share OF the stealage.
He Is now in q Northern State holding up
our people as negro murderers and ballot box
thieves.
WOULD CONDEMN AND DEPosE WITHOUT A
HEARING.
You have undertaken to condemn and ex-
pei and depose me, not only without hear
ing, but without evidence. Upon what
q
my fidelity as democrat assailed" Is 1t on
The tariff? None OF you OF the committee
can prove to the people that the democratic
party Is free trade party. 1t has opposed a
Tariff for protection only, but as early as 1877
we had a protective tariff and we have never
in the one hundred and four years since
known free trade. General Hancock, the
party nominee for president In 1880, regarded
the tariff as local question. Samuel j. Ran
dali, for years the party leader and speaker oi
the house, was protectonist. In every con.
gress where the question has been presented
numbers of democrats have voted against
and helped to kill free trade. I have contend.
ed that Southern products should be put on
equality with others, and In 1897 fought 10
have rice, pine lumber and cotton protected.
The cry OF "Republican" was raised against
me then, but the people, before whom the is
sue was squarely put, endorsed me by an
overwhelming vote. Are you now undertak-
Ing to reverse that verdict?
TARIFF SUBSIDIES AND EXPANSION.
have favored ship subsidies. 1t is a great
question and one, submit, on which the peo-
pie Of this State are competent TO pass after
hearing full argument. The subject has
never been discussed before them, although II
Ia of vast importance TO the prosperity OF this
State. The purpose OF the subsidy Is to de-
velop the building and operation OF great
fleets of American ships. 1t touches the in
terests OF our sea ports, OF our lumber INDUS.
| tries, Of all our manufacturing enterprises
and our great agricultural products. IL ls q
| hi Qhlalt hann
| Gratis of the house and senate are divided. l
most humbly submit THAT 1t Is not In order
| for twenty-one members OF your com mm1ttee
| to rule that the democratic masses OF South
| ines hear this matter OF vital Interest TO them
discussed; and that the people OF the sea
| coast cities, who would like to see new tides
| or com mmerce brought to their harbors and
| the lumbermen and owners of forest lands
| who would be glad to sell material for more
ships, are 10 be thrown neck and heels out oil
| the party because they favor ship subsidies.
Senators Carlisle, ,Pugh and Morgan voted for a
subsidy bill wi hich has been IN force ten years
and which has helped our Brazilian trade. In
q MEASURE at least. Are they not dem
ocrats, according to the decision OF Senator
TIliman and your committee.
I believe that is our duty to develop the new
| territory which has come into our possession
| along commercial and Industrial lines, 10
civilize them, and make them the equal OF
our own States In material prosperity. Sena-
| tor Tillman would leave them, after we have
deprived them OF the protection OF Spain TO q
hopeless struggle ss an Independent nation
without resources or self protection; Fortu-
| pstely for US the records show that In build
Ing them up, we are going to benefit our own
country. I:want TO give that territory the
| best form OF government In the world, ne
ment at all. He says free silver or bust" /
say the American people have settled that
question at the ballot box.
l am for a sound currency and constant
employment for all who desire work at re-
mum nefative wages. This we carnot have
without an outlet for our surplus proGncts on
equal terms with all OF our competitors in the
| markets Of the world. Do you think the ener'
the South, will long permit the cabals OF q
| few scheming politicians to stand between
him and the attainment OF these glorious
ends? Ifthis is not democracy, then gentle
men, l invite you to join hands with me IN
making IL so.
| These are the leading questions on which
understand my democracy and loyalty have
been assailed. The. records give me little
| light as TO what further ground there may be
| for your action. Allow me to summarize
| them briefly.
In the irst session of the 55th congress Sena
tor Tillmau and myself voted together In la
OF $50 yea and nay votes.
TILLMAN VOTED sINGLY AND ALONE WITH
THE REPUBLICANS.
| I voted against him for protection to the
farmers on an amendment to the tariff bill
proposed by Senator Jones, OF Arkansas. pres
ent chairman OF the executive committee
Possibly you may reconvene your com mites
| and read him out OF the party. I voted with
Jones Vest, Bacon, Bate, Berry Daniel, Mills
Morgan and all the other democrats, excep
Senators Tillman and McEnery who voteC
with the republicans. 1t was a straight party
| vote. On Another amendment to the same
hill / voted with the democrats. Senator
| Tillman was the one democrat voting with
the republicans. See Congressional Record
vol. 81, page 1917.
T1LLMAN AGAIN VOTED WITH REPUBLICANS
| In the second session Of the same congress-
Sepator Tillman and myself voted togethe
on 81 OF 50 roll calls. One vote on which W
differed was on motion TO adjourn intended
| to defeat q resolution calling upon the Presi
dent to intervene In Cuba. Senator Tillmar
voted with the Republicans to adjourn ant
the motion prevailed by one vote. l vote
with the Democrats. The other votes ol
which we differed were unimportant and no
party questions, the parties dividing on all
| I favored the acceptance of the Hawaiian
Islapds along With such Democrats az Col
man, Kyle, Money, Morgan, Pettus and Sulli
van, and he, with the other democrats ant
some republicans were opposed TO II.
M'LAURIN VOTED WITH DEMoCRATs-TILI
MAN VOTED WITH REPUBLICANS.
On page 1858, vol. 81 of the Record II /
shown that voted, with all the democrat
} but three and all the repub licans. for bill
provide for arbitration OF disputes between
railway companies and their employees
: Senator TilmAn was one OF the three agalnE
1t. We also differed on bill prohibiting 10
toxicating liquors to be sold In the territor
Of Alaska l favored and he opposed the pre-
hibition. Possibly he had views on Il dlsper
, sary and rebates there.
T1LLMAN VOTED WITH PLATr AND QUAY.