Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-06-05
MoLAuRIA's REPLY TO TlLLMAK.
He Makes Counter Address to the People
OF the State.

lowing reply to Senator MoLaurin to |
Senator Tillman's address to the people |
OF the State is furnished for publication:
Fellow Citizens: The address of Sena-
tor Tillman to you renders it necessary
that / should say something In explana-
ton of my motives aud actions. 1 sin
cerely regret that you are to be subjected
to the expense and excitement of a Sena-
torial primary this year, but feel that 1 |
am not responsible. Had it not been for
Senator Tillman's intrusion upon tho
Gaffney meeting there would have boon
no necessity for it. A joint debate was
preoipitated by him contrary to my
wishes and of the gentlemen who invited
me. He forced himself upon the meet
ing by his own admissions. No other
honorable course was left to me but to
accept his proposition or lay myself
open TO tho 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 senior
Senator for the unexpired long term, and
will discuss with him in fair and repu-
table manner the national issues of the
day, and leave it to you to judge who
can the more honestly and honorably"
represent you in the United States Sem
ate. In 1907 was elected to tho Senate
as Democrat and am still Democrat.
In everything have said and done have
had tho good of my people at heart; to
them am ready to render an account of
my stewardship, but not to tho sonior
Senator Perhaps in this lies my chief
sin. In my recent speech at Greenville
l gave tho people tho reason for my
official action since 1899. 1t is useless
for mo to reitorate what I said in that
speech, as it has been extensively pub
lishcd, and, presume, generally read.
Wero it not for charges made in the
address of the senior Senator it would
be unnecessary for mo to say more. But
l cannot allow him to assail me and my
Democracy without saying something in
my vindioation. Ho charges that, after
the adjournment of Congress in March
last, with tho aid of my friends, COM
menced in the State ian active propa-
ganda of my now doctrines, which are
claimed to bo Democratic, but are moth
ing but Republican in Disguise"
He arrogates to himself the powor to
decide for the people as to tho righteous
ness of my course and views, and is not
willing for them to hear and Judge for
themselves. His indecent intrusion upon
the Gaffney meeting illustrates his me-
thod of "bossism" and his desire to
"rulo or ruin" After my return home
in April last I received invitations from,
citizens of Greenville, York, Cherokee,
Newberry and Spartanburg counties to
address tho peoplo on the national issues
of the day. AS their public servant
could not disregard their imperative
calls and accepted the invitations. Had
not done 30 my political opponent
would have charged that could not
meet my constituents face to face and
explain my political action. 1t was not
my purpose in accepting these invitations
to inaugurate my campaign for re-elec-
tion moro than a year in advance of the
primary, but to attempt to enlighten the
people and remove false impressions pro-
duced upon the public mind by the SEN
ior Senator and his sympathisors. had
boon persistently maligned and misrep-
resented, and the only means afforded
me for my vindication was to got the
car of the people. This was my only
object in making speeches where 1 was
invited to go, and had it not been for
these invitations should have remained
silent.
Have we reached the point whore a
number of private citizons cannot invite
one of their representatives to address
them without including the senior Sena-
tor, or first obtaining his permission
The scnion Senator, it seems, willcd that
l should not DO heard at that time, and
determined that ] should wait for his
bidding to go before the people. The
Senator also charges that l am Re-
publican and was organizing Rcpubli-
can party here. If ho believed this
charge why did ho consent to run with
mo in Democratic primary ? l de-
nounco tho charge as an infamous false
hood and tho senior Senator knows what
he says is untrue. In his rocklossness
tho senior Senator further charges that
the dispensing of the public patronage
has been placed at my disposal and .un-
limited money" is furnished me by the
Republicans to aid in tho scheme OF the
organization of new party. dcnounce
this as malicious falschood. In my
Grccnvillc speech l explained why l had
been consulted about the Federal patron
age, and at Gaffncy denounced in his
presence both of these charges as will
fully false, and yet he rciteratcs thom in
his address. This purpose in repeating
what ho knows to bo slanders must be
evident to all. Tho senior Senator un-
dortakes in his address to throw tho
whole responsibility of the present stua-
tion in tho State upon mo. After de-
nouncing my Democracy and branding
me as traitor to tho party he moekly
says that ho and his Democracy were
assailed by mo, and it was incumbent
upon him to crush me and my influence
In this State. Tho sonior Senator has
undertaken herculcan task, for "truth
crushed to earth will rise again.
The senior Senator forgets that he in.
sidiously and maliciously assailed mo
last summer, VIII on was unable to do
fond myself, and after my Charlotte
speech in an interview made falso and
slanderous charges ag ainst mo. did,
In my Charlotte and Grecnvillo speeches,
;,