Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-05-29
eft of our people now, and Of those
who come after lls"

eft Of our people now, and Of those
who come after u.s.
| After laying down this proposition,
Senator McLaurin referred. to his early
connection with Senator Tillman and
the Reform movement. Senator Till
man, he said, made his first speech at
Bennettsville some Is years ago, and he
came there as my guest. On my first
acquaintance with him, saw that he
was a man of remarkable force and
power, and the unfolding of his purpos-
es and ambitions found sympathetic re-
sponse in every aspiration Of my heart
and soul. His mission then was to free
the state from political stagnation, to
strike off the shackles Of class rule, to
| restore liberty Of thought, freedom Of
| speech, and to guarantee to every white
man in South Carolina not only the
| right to be heard by his fellows, but
the right to political preferment
through white mans primary. He
made brave fight that day, and then
| and there joined my fortunes with his
in behalf Of the principles for which we
both stood. I stood with him until the
| fight was won, and a rough, stumpy
road it was we travelled together. But
we got the primary, the right of free
speech, and the right Of every white
man to appeal to the suffrage Of his fell
lows. Whatever may become Of the
personal relations that once existed be-
tween us, I will never forget this one
service he has rendered to South Caro-
lima, nor attempt to snatch from his
brow the laurel that was placed there
for what he did at that time.
But, fellow citizens, I want to say to
you before we go any further, that
still stand today where I stood then. I
am standing for it because I am still
"Tillmanite" of the old stripe; one who
still believes in freedom Of thought and
action, and doing that which I think
Is best for South Carolina. I believe in
freedom Of thought on every subject ex-
cept the one question Of white mans
rule, and this man (turning around to
Senator Tillman and shaking his finger
in the senior senator's face, as he put
added emphasis in his words) Is here
today to attack me for remaining true
to the very principles for which we
fought so long and fiercely, and which
he has now deserted!
am here today, fellow citizens, ad-
vocating free speech within the party.
Don't you remember how, when he be-
gan his fight they said to him, flush,
hush, you'll split the party!" And do
you not remember how, on every
stump, he ridiculed their warning in
that inimitable manner Of his, telling
you, how they knew he was right; but
for fear that you would think so too,
they were crying, Hush, hush, you'll
split the party!" Now then we have
him in the same role in which he had
them. He travelled the rough, stumpy
road until he got to the end Of it so far
as he individually was concerned, and
because my conscience and judgment
tells me that your fight has only COM
menced, because instead Of resting
content in the enjoyment Of all the
best that you have to give, prefer to
go toward the goal for which we set
out together, we hear him again crying,
Hush, hush, you'll split the party"
After this introduction, Senator Nc
Laurin digressed to tell how, when he
became q member Of the ways and
means committee Of the house, he be-
gan to study the practical business side
of his position in so far as 1t related
to the interests Of his people. For one
| thing, somebody, he did not remember
who, had called his attention to the de-
struction of the monozite industry, be-
cause Of the competition from Brazil
and other sections. He did not know
monozite or what 1t was for; but 1t
| was sufficient to know that 1t was q
product of this section and that protec-
ton of it would make the mining profit
able to the people. He was instrument
al in having it included in the tariff
schedule, and, as a result, he quoted
statistics showing the value Of mono
zite sold at Gaffney during the past
few years. In 1897 the sales amounted
to nothing; in 1893 they amounted to
$685. 76; in 1899, they amounted to $7,791;
and in 1900, to $780, and the figures for
this year are not yet out. He went on
to say that he had just noted by the
papers that arrangements were being
Hade for the erection Of plant, at or
near Gaffney, for manufacturing mon
ozite, and all this was because Of that
one little item in the tariff bill.
Now they charge that am Repub-
lican, or If not a Republican, then a
Democrat advocating Republican meas
ures. Fellow citizens, do you remem-
ber the solemn pledges we voluntarily
made to you before we were elected to
congress, and which you approved with
your votes, to the effect that we would
stand independently for what we con-
ceived to be your interests, regardless
of the platform? Do you not remember
how almost every member Of the South
Carolina delegation attacked various
planks Of a Democratic platform on
which a Democratic president had been
elected, because we, at that time be-
lieyed those planks antagonistic to your
best interests? Fellow citizens, I have
no apologies to make for what 1 have
done. Every vote that I have cast
against the platform has had the ap-
proval Of my judgment and conscience
as being in your best interests; but
can justify myself by precedent that
my friend here will not question. The
Democratic platform contained plank
demanding the repeal Of the 10 per cent.
tax on the issues of state banks. was
in favor of that plank. Mr.. Bryan was
then a young member Of congress, hav-
ing taken his seat about the same time
took mine. He was opposed to the
repeal of the 10 per cent. tax, and when
confronted by the platform demand, he
held that when he took the oath Of Of
flee, 1t was without any reservation
that would warrant him in doing any
thing that he believed to be against the
best interests Of his constituents, no
matter what might be the platform on
the subject, and he worked against that
repeal. I have no quarrel with Mr..
Bryan because Of that. nor can he have
just quarrel against me when 1 take
the same position. I will never stand
passive and see q wrong committed
against my constituents, no matter
what may be the platform declaration
on the subject.
Fellow citizens, except in some few
important particulars, I am very we'll
satisfied with the Democratic platform.
l only want few changes, and think
I have a right to advocate them.
I want these changes because your
commercial and industrial interests
require them because they are nee
essary to enable you to secure to
the fullest extent your share in the
benefits of this government. By way Of
telling you exactly what mean, i
stand here as a prophet and tell you,
with all the sincerity Of my heart and
the best Judgment of my mind this: