The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-10

horrible affair at Lakeville, when a
negro postmaster had been burned to
death He had voted for the war with
Spain and declared that in the same
spirit in which he had cast that vote
he felt he was compelled to support the
administration that conducted it, He
still thought that the conduct Of the
war should have been partisan, and
during its progress he had never heard
from President McKinleys lips a word
concerning party advantage. Mr. Nc
Laurin paid a high tribute to the late
president, whom he characterized as
Broad statesman and Christian gen.
.tleman."
While without official knowledge of
the charges brought against him by
| his Democ gatiC colleagues from the
newspapers, he Understood that the
principal charges were that he had not
opposed the ratification of the treaty
Of peace with Spain, that he had up
held the administration in Its efforts
to restore~order in the Philippines and
to that end had voted for an increase
in the standing army, and that he was
in favor of the upbuilding Of the Amer
lean merchant marine.
IF these are the only charges" said
he, dramatically, "they are true, and
I glory in them" He said he had not
wished to vote against his party upon
the question of ratifying the peace
treaty, and, had il not been for the
re-opening of hostilities in the Philip
pines, he would have deferred to the
opinion of his colleagues. But" he
declared, the dictates of reason and
conscience should not be stified by the
party lash" With bitter words Mr..
McLaurin then proceeded to excoriate
the new leaders of the Democracy,
who, he said, had guided the party
through its destruction during the last
six years and were trying to cruelty
those who would seek to draw the
Democratic party back to its old al
legiance.
He still proposed, he said, to vote
in his judgment for what he believed
to be along the lines Of Democratic
principles, but he did not propose to
place himself against a proposition
which he believed to be for the best
interests of the people, simply because
it was advocated by Republicans.
In conclusion, Mr.. McLaurin said he
did not propose to be driven from his
party, nor to be forced into afiiliation
with the party with which he did not
care to ally himself, and that on great
public questions he would act accord
ing to the dictates Of his own con-
science and best judgment.
When Mr. McLaurin took his seat
Mr.. Jones (Ark) took the floor. Some
of the statements made by Mr.. Nc
Laurin, Mr.. Jones considered a rehec-
ton upon himself, and said he desired
to offer statement concerning the in
cident to which Mr.. McLaurin had re-
ferred
At the extra session Of the Senate
last spring he had been asked by the
caucus officer for the senators who
were to be summoned to a caucus, and
Mr. McLaurins name being mentioned,
he (Jones) had said he himself would
see the senator from South Carolina.
Il met him in the cloak room" said
Mr. Jones, land recalling the fact that
he had not attended Democratic eau
Gus for more than two years. / asked
him what his status was. He replied
that his relations with the party were
such that he thought IT would be en-
barrassing for him to enter the Demo-
cratic caucus. ] then said 10 him:
you do not wish 10 be invited, then"
He replied: Certainly" As TO the
charge Of Interior motive on my part"
continued Senator Jones, Il am con-
tent to treat it with the contempt it
1t is a notorious fact, which
everyone seems to understand except
the senator from South Carolina, that
there has been no Democratic caucus
lat this session Of Congress. I have no
hesitancy, however, in saying that in
a recent conversation with a leading
member on the other side / said to him
that / did not think the Democratic
caucus could undertake to provide com
mittee assignments for the senator from
South Carolina
Mr. Tillman, S. c., was on his feet
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