The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-17
PULLMAN AND M'LAURIN
FORMER PLANNING sYsTENA- TIC FIGHT ON HIS coLLEAouK
Not Amenable to Orders-Junior Senator from South Carolina is Too Progressive to Suit Popu-
 lists-Vitriolic Campaign.

HOO EIOkIcSoANG u SulL 1VRu-
 lists-Vitriolic Campaign.
 Columbia (s. CD Special to Chicago
 Record-Herald by William E. Cur
 tis.
 The politics of South Carolina are in what may be called an interesting sit uation, but to appreciate the signiti- canoe one must take Into consideration few events in history. Before the war South Carolina was ruled by what is familiarity known as the plantation aristocracy," a close and exclusive clan which was autccratic and inde- pendent. Alter the war came what is known as "the carpet bag" period when former soldiers and camp follow CTS of the Union army organized the newly enfranchised negroes into Re- publican Party and controlled the of- Aces and the finances of the State. These were overthrown by force-a po- litical revolution. Senator Tillman says, We shot 'em. we scared 'em, We cheated 'em, and we drove 'em away from the polls" Then the ex- soldier came into power, the 'Confed- crate Brigadier." Nobody could get an office or exercise any influence un- Jess he had served in the Southern ar my, and if he had left leg or an arm upon the battlefield, or carried the marks of conflict on his person, his in fluence was advanced. During the rule of the confederate Brigadier'' the Farmers Alliance was organized and Senator ,Tillman emerged from obscur- ity to become the political dictator of the State. He has been an absolute monarch. His will has been law. and the great voting mass of the Demo- crats have stood by him and obeyed his orders in a most remarkable man. ner. Neither Bryan in Nebraska nor Croker in New York, nor German in Maryland, nor Hanna in Ohio has ever had so complete and unquestioned au- thority as Tillman.
 The old aristocracy, the commercial element, the manufacturers and othe: people of means have been opposed to Tillman and his Populistic policy, but he has preferred their opposition to their support because 1t has strength ened him with the "woolly hat ele- ment in the country, as the rural vot- CTS are termed. But this opposition has never organized. It has realized that 1t was in a hopeless minority and less.
 The Republican Party is practically extinct. The negroes no longer vote and the white Republicans are so few in numbers that they are only able to fill the Federal offices. They have main- tained a ncminal organization for the sake of securing recognition at presl' dential conventions. and in the distri- button of patronage, and have not en. couraged anyone to jon their party because of fear the newcomers might seek office.
 This was the situation in South Car olina last winter, when Senator Me- Laurin, a young man of good family, excellent character, unquestioned in- tegfity, but limited ability. took an tn- dependent stand in national legislation and gave his hearty support to the policy of the Republican adniinistra- tion. It was not a new thing for Mc- Laurin. He was in the habit of voting with the Republicans now and then and against his own party on the tariff and currency questions both in the House of Representative and in the Senate. but had never gone so far before, and had supported Bryan both in 1896 and 1900. McLaurin comes from the South- eastern part of the State. where his family are planters. well-to-do people of Scotch-Irish ancentry. It is said that he was originally intended for the ministry, but drifted into the law, was elected to the Legislature. appointed Attorney-Generalo of the State, was sent to Congress to fill an unexpired term and formally elected at the next cam paign. He pleased the people and gain ed T!llman's confidence so that when there was vacancy in the United States Senate McLaurin was appointed to fill 1t and became candidate when the election occurred. Tillman pre- ferred John Gary Evans for his col league in the Senate, but as the fight was between two of his followers he kept his hands off. The more respect able element of the State the business community, the professional men and others who were interested in the re- suit supported McLaurin because they considered him the better man of the two, in character, ability and in all other respects. MCLaurin had been on both sides, however. more or less. He had failed to sustain Tillman sev- eral times, and although no pledges were exacted from or offered by hlm during the campaign of 1898, he knew, and Tillman knew, and the anti-Till- man element in the State knew, that he desired or expected to lead or at least to become a figurehead for the latter factlCn. III OtHer WuTuS' HE Woe taken up by the antiTillman element to break Tillman, and Tillman's sup porters called hin contemptuously' "Curly headed Johnny
 When McLaurin got into the Senate he and Tillman had very little to do with each other. They ".te merely friendly, and each watchad She other with suspicion. McLaurin was in ire uuent consultation with representatives of the Manufacturers Association and other organizations that ignored Till man, and was looked upon as their rep resentatiVe. Whenever legislation vital to the Republican interests or strongly desired by the administration was pending, McLaurn habitually voted with the Presidents party, which caus- ed some comment. It was understood by the Republican leaders that his vote could be depended upon whenever 1t was needed, and as a matter of reel procity the President and the members of the cabinet accepted his recommen-
 dations in appointments to office and other official matters in South Caro- lima.
 Last spring MT. McLaurin, notified Senu tor Jones of Arkansas that he should not attend the Democratic caucus any longer, because he was not in sympathy with his party upon some
 of the principal issues pending. and to avoid embarrassment to himself as | well as them preferred to remain away. When the commotion occasioned by | |. h.,