The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-03-27
HIS INDEPENDENCE.

For exercising his own iudg'
ment and in the performance Of
his duty as he saw it for the best
interests of his constituency.
Senatos McLaurin has certainly
created a big sensation and has
brought down upon his devoted
head the unfavorable comments
Of the moss-back and hide-bouud
journals of this and adjoining
States.
The refreshing and manly in
dependence of Senator McLaurir
on many crucial occasions, how
ever, in refusing to surrender
= his convictions on national issue
and blindly follow the lead Of
party whips regardless Of what
influence such action might exert
upon the business interests OF
the country, will in the end win
for him the high regard and es.
TEEN Of the more advanced
thinkers of the age, and history
will yet write his name high
upon the scroll of fame as one OF
the profoundest and most liberal
minded statesmen and the most
progressive Democrat the South
has ever sent to Congress.
Those who have risen up
against him and are crying SO
Justify ''Crucify him! Cruelty
himr' are, as a rule, first the
most narrow minded, illiberal
spirited and uninformed element
Of the party. They can be ap.
propriately classed as the old
time and sworn enemies Of that
faction of the State Democratic
party which has elevated him tc
his honorable position. They
are of that household of faith
whose essential tenet is their dl'
vine right to interpret the stand
ards of the party and a refusal
to accept their Interpretation as
infallible is, in their opinion, at
least, traitorous to the party and
hence worthy of the severest
condemnation; and second, are
politicians whose dearest hope is
to be benefited by the downfall
of Mr.. McLaurin whose term in
the Senate has been marked with
brilliancy that even the mis-
representations Of his detractors
can not dim.
His severest critics are those
who are raking over the ashes OF
the dead past and are endeavor-
ing to revive the days when the
slave-holding Democracy was en-
throned and dictated the >politi-
cal policy of the Southern States,
making the blind allegiance and
implicit obedience to their man
dates, whether right or wrong,
the unvarying test Of ones 10y
atty to the party's principles.
They have seemingly forgotten
that the days of star chambers
have passed and for one to do
his own thinking and to give ex-
pressions to his own opinions is
no longer a crime against high
heaven.
But is Mr.. McLaurin a traitor
to his party? Has he in the
least betrayed the confidence OF
his constituency, and has he gone
back on the platform upon
which he was elected9 We sub
nit that ne is not and has not.
He is a legitimate offspring OF
the new school of Southern
Democracy, which has for its
object the upbuilding Of the man
ufacturing, agricultural and in
Gustrial interests Of the New
South, and he stands pledged to
the Democratic voters Of this
State to support any and all
measures tending toward foster
ing and protecting these indus
tries. On this promise and on
these very issues he was called
from the lower house to assume
graver and more important du-
ties in the upper house Of Con-
gress. He made his canvass for
the Senate on a clearly defined
protective tariff, and incidentally
a ship subsidy platform, and on
that platform, after his record
had been attacked from one end
of the State to the other by
shrewd politicians, was trium-
phantly nominated in a Demo-
cratic primary, defeating his
three strong opponents in the
first round. He has stood square
ly and uncompromisingly on that
platform from that day until now
and his every vote has been con-
sistent and in perfect harmony
with that platform. In no in
stance has he proven traitor
and under no circumstances has
he betrayed his constituents.
His course in the Senate has
been manly, upright and consis-
tent with his campaign promises.
In conclusion we would re-
spectfully remind those who are
hugging the delpsion to their
breast that Mr.. McLaurin is a
dead duck in the political arena,
that they will surely realize, if
they are alive, that the result of
the Democratic primary will re-
veal the Surprising fact that he
is a pretty lively corpse.-Lex-
DI.4ol,