Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-06-01
McLAURIN TO THE PEOPLE.
Some Statements that Were Made
Necessary by Til1man's Charges.

Some Statements that Were Made
Necessary by Ttllman's Charges.
The following address from Senator
was sent from Bennettsville on May 30,
and appeared in the daily papers Of
yesterday morning:
To My Fellow Citizens:
The address Of Senator Tillman to
you rendered it necessary that should
say something in explanation Of my
motives and actions. I sincerely regret
that you are to De subjected to the ex-
pense and excitement of a senatorial
primary this year, but feel that am
not responsible. Had it not been for
Senator Tillman's intrusion upon the
Gaffney meeting there would have been
no necessity for it. A joint debate was
precipitated by him contrary to my
wishes and of the gentlemen who invi-
ted me. He forced himself upon the
; meeting by his own admission. No 9TH
er honorable course was left to me but
to accept his proposition or lay myself
open to the charge Of cowardice. 1t Is
too late now to consider whether it was
wise. or unwise and the people must
Judge between us. desire to announce
my candidacy in opposition to the Sc
nior senator for the uneXpired long
term, and will discuss with him in
fair and reputable manner the national
issues of the day, and leave 1t to you to
Judge who can the more honestly and
- ~1-,tD In
States senate. In 1897 was elected to
the senate as a Democrat and am still
a Democrat.
In everything have said and done
have had the good Of my people at
heart. To them I am ready to render
an account Of my stewardship, but not
to the senior senator; perhaps In lntS
lies my chief sin.
In my recent speech at Greenville !
gave the people the reason for my ofh-
cial action since 1899. 1t is useless FOR
me to reiterate what I said In that
speech, as it has been extensively pub
lished and I presume generally READ.
Were it not for the charges made In the
address of the senior senator, it would
be unnecessary for me to say more.
But I cannot allow him to assail me
and my Democracy without saying
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 active propaganda of my new doc
trines, which are claimed to be Demo-
cratic but are nothing but Republican,
ism in disguise. He arrogates to him
self the power to decide for the people
es to the righteousness of my course
and views. and is not willing for them
to hear and judge for themselves. His
indecent intrusion upon the CARNEY
meeting illustrates his methods or
"bossism" and his desire to rule or
ruin" After my return home In April
last received invitations from citizens
of Greenville, York, Cherokee, NeWber-
ry and Spartanburg counties to ad-
dress the people on the national issues
of the day. AS their public servant, L
could not disregard their imperative
calls, and I accepted the invitations.
Had I not done so, my political oppo-
nent would have charged that l could
not meet my constituents face to race
and explain my political action. 1t was
not my purpose in accepting these lnEl-
tations to inaugurate my campaign for
reelection more than year In advance
of the primary, but to attempt to en-
tighten the people and remove false i'm
pressions produced upon the public
mind by the senior senator and his
sympathizers. l had been persistently
maligned and misrepresented and the
only means afforded me for my vim
dication was to get the ear of the peo-
pie. This was my only object in max
ing speeches where I was invited to go,
and had it not been for these invita-
tions should have remained silent.
Have we reached the point Where
number of private citizens cannot IN
vite one of their representatives to ad-
dress them, without including the Sc
nior senator or first obtaining his per-
mission? The senior senator, 1t seems,
willed that I should not be heard at
that time and determined that l should
wait for his bidding to go before the
people. The senator also charges that l
am a Republican and was organizing
Republican party here. If he believed
this charge, why did he consent to run
with me in a Democratic primary? 1
denounce the charge as an infamous
falsehood and the senior senator knows
what he says is untrue. In his reck-
lessness. the senior senator further
charges that the dispensing of public
patronage has been placed at my dis
posal and UNLIMITED money" Is fur
nished me by the Republicans to aid IN
the scheme of the organization OF a
new party. I denounce this as ma