The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-08-07
MeLauriiIl and the Committee.
Comptroller General Durham Ex-
presses an Opinion on the
Situation.

Hon. John P. Derha1n, comptroller
general Of South Carolina, spent last
night and part Of yesterday IN the
CITY on hiss way to Columbia. Mr.:
Derham visited The Chronicle and
spent the greater part of his time
yiewing points of interest in and
sround the city. Mr. Derham was
very much pleased with the business
portion Of The city and spoke IN very
high terms Of the cotton mill section,
making Hattering comparisons beween
this city's enterprises and those OF
The same nature in Columbia. He
was especially pleased with the devel-
opment OF the water power in Augusta
aud thinks: imporant points in South
Carolina wonld profit by following the
example sAtlBy Augusta.
Speaking of South Carolina politics,
Mr. Derham said things are rather
nT1ies nov, except for what excitement
has been caused by the action taken
by the democratic executive committee
in connection with the McLaurln mat
Ser, and that even this is not causing
yery much Of stir just yet, though
the announcement of the resolution
adopted by the committee was like the
explosion of bombshells IN the here
4ofore little disturbed political camp.
From the talk of Mr.. Derham 1t
would seem that there is now McLau-
riin and Tillman element in South
Carolina and the situation is such that
Tfllman cannot take an active part IN
fhe FIGHT against McLaurin, even
though he would like to DO SO. Mr.
Derham says there is NO issue between
these two men since the governor has
declined to accept their resignation
and let them both run for the same
tern in the United States senate, and
that the situation is brought down to
a FIGHT between the Tillman element
and the McLaurin element and not
between Tillman and McLaurin. He
admits that the senior senator would
like to get o9 the stump against
McLaurin, but that there Is no open
ing for him to do SO, at least at pres
ent there is none, and McLaur1n IS TOO
wise a man to allow an opening to ex-
ist in which Tillman could fight him
now, during the off political year, and
thus weaken and exhaust McLaurln
before the real fight comes on.
Mr.. Derham does not place the same
construction on the action OF the
democratic committee at its last meet
inc as is placed on it by some outslo-
ers. Mr.. Derham said that the press
reports read that McLaurin had been
ruled out of the democratic prty by the
committee, which is not fact. He
construes the request of the commit
tee to Mr.. McLaurin for his reslgna-
ton to mean something entirely differ
ent.
Mr.. .Derham said that McLaurin
was elected on one platform and MS
constituents in South Carolina believed
he was standing on different one IN
the senate: that they did not approve
of his actions and that for twelve
months the people themselves had not
an opening in which to make express
sion of their opinions on the Junior
senator's official acts while he had
the same space of time in which to
make speeches all over the state. The
democratic executive committee, as the
representative of the democratic party
of South Carolina, felt it incumbent
upon them to make some expression
condemnatory Of these actions, and
this expression was in the shape of the
motion sprung at the meeting OF the
commi ttee in Columbia a short while
ago.
resolution being a thing prepared be-
fore hand was mistake.
Nj. Derham's expression summed
up is that the request by the commit
tee IS fuel to the fire that is soon to
come, that it does not materially affect
McLurin now. He says that terri
BE influence will be brought to bear
against the junior senator and does
not believe that he will be elected, but
whether he is elected or defeated, it
cannot be attributed to the fact that
he was asked by the executive commit
tee TO resign.
Mr.. Derbam's opinion is that the
TACT that there is little doing in the
political broil now it is an indication
that both sides are piling up ammu
milton and when the fighting begins
st will come in hurry and will be
one OF the hottest times the Palmetto
State has eveT SEEM u:-ss,sta Chron-
icle.