The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-08-28
DID TRAXLER PRAY?

It was stated in the newspa-
pers that Hon. W. D. Mayfeld
said, that twelve of the members
of the State Democratic Commit
tee who voted for the resolutions
asking for Senator .McLaurin's
resignation, had expressed re-
grat for so voting. Hon. D. H.
Magill Of Greenwood, a member
of the committee who might be
termed the lash to Tillman's
whip, addressed a circular letter
to the twenty one who voted for
the resolution, and sixteen re-
piled saying ii effect that ''they
didn't say it." but in reading the
replies from the noble sixteen it
will be noted that there are some
among them who write with an
apologetic ring, notably among
these, is the Hon. D. H Fraxler,
the gentleman who had the hon
or to be the first Liquor Com
missioner: it was he who accom-
panied Senator Tillman to the
West where the first liquor pur-
chases were made for the State,
from which no rebates have been
placed to the States credit. Mr..
Traxler in his reply to the Ma
gill circular, after saying he did
not regret his vote says, "But l
did say on several occasions that
I saw no good to come out Of
resolutions at this particular
time. AS the executive commit
tee, if I understand it correctly,
was called only to arrange a pri-
mary in the seventh district.
But as wise heads thought diff
ferent and introduced I could not
do otherwise than vote for them. ="
Mr.. Traxler's sense of justice,
and his Judgment was against
the resolutions, but as ''wise
heads" demanded that he should
vote for them, like a nice: good,
obedien5 partner he ''could not
do otherwise" or if he had stood
upon his manhood and refused
the wise head" might have
while in a fit of passion let the
cat out of the wallet, and expos
ed the hiding place of the long
lost rebates, that many believe
were paid to those who installed
the dispensary. That man
posing as a representative of the
people, should place himself up
on record as a yielding, plant
tool, at the dictation of a boss is
indeed a sad spectacle. If Mr..
Traxler is a free and an unshack-
led man in his dealings with the
senior Senator, why did he not
stand by his convictions? Il
saw no good to come out Of re-
solutions" says Mr.. Traxler, and
vet because the order came from
Senator Tillman, his companion
in whiskey purchases, he yield
ed to the ':wiser head" Would
Mr.. Traxler yield to the wisdom
of the General Assembly to have
the whiskey transactions of Sen
ator Tillman and himself investi-
gated? The Assembly made one
attempt, and the committee ap-
pointed were refused permission
to examine the books of the
whiskey trust. did Mr.. Traxler
or Senator Tillman demand that
the committe appointed by a South
Carolina Legislature to examine
into their dealings. be permitted
tomake a thorough examination:
No, they both contented them
selves with the retort ''prove it, !"
but when proof is sought, the
doors are closed and admission
is refused, and the conscientious
Traxler permits himself to re-
main under suspicion Of having
been Tillman's pal in the rebate
business. Then is it any wonder
that he yields his conscience and
Judgment to "wiser heads?
We have always believed Till
man innocent of the charge
''that he had lined his pockets
with rebates" but we cannot un-
derstand why it is that he does
not demand of the Whiskey trust
that they allow the most search
ing investigation, and how it IS
that he in such short time
evoluted from poverty to af-
fuence- director in a S5,OOO,-
900 New Jersey chartered cor
poration. The people are EMIT
led TO know something. fOr their