Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-05-29
RESIGN
Sensational Outcome Of Remarkable
Meeting.
TILLMAN At LAST MEETS His MATCH

What Was Intended to Be Quiet
Political Address, Is Developed by
Meddlers Into a Fierce Joint De-
bate-The Tines of the Pitchfork
Are Bent Against Plates Of Steel
Chagrined Over His Sudden Check,
TilIman Howls For VindicatIon,
and McLaurin, the Champion of
Free Speech, Agrees to Fight 1t
Out with Him OIL the Stump.
Though cast in an entirely different
mould from Benjamin Ryan Till
man, and differing from him in all es-
sential characteristics, Senator John L..
McLaurin is able to hold his own with
the "big boss" before any fairminded
audience Of intelligence and discrimi-
nation. That fact was demonstrated at
Gaffney last Saturday to the entire sat-
isfaction Of those who have all along
held to it as matter Of course, and to
the CONSERVATION Of those who had told
it until they had persuaded themselves
to believe that the junior senator would
cover and run at the first prick Of the
gaff.
The meeting at Gaffney came off in
accordance with previous intimations
1t was not Of senator McLaurin's choos-
ing. 1t was forced upon him By Sem
ator Tillman and his friends. Senator
McLaurin had been invited to Gaffney
by a committee Of business men, who
desired themselves to hear, and have
others to hear him discuss the meas
ures and policies that he considered to
be for the best interest of South
Carolina and the South. This COM
mittee and the people had already
heard Senator Tillman time and again
on this subject, and it was considered
that anything from him was unneces-
sary just at this time. But Senator Till
man was evidently unwilling to risk
Senator McLaurin with the voters, and
he managed to have himself invited
also.
The story of how Senator Tillman
came to Gaffney has already been told
in part. Invited in the name Of the
president Of the Blacksburg Democratic
club, Senator Tillman asked for a gen.
orally signed petition, and the ostensi-
BILE canvass for signatures was made
the occasion to especially urge the col
lection Of partisan hosts from all parts
of the county. The petition contained,
when the senator arrived, according to
his announcement, 250 names.
The arrangements for joint debate
were completed Friday evening, Mr.. j.
C.. Otis acting for Senator Tillman, and
Mr.. G. r. Koester acting for Senator
McLaurin. Senator Tillman, however,
had really forced the debate in his pre-
vious letters to Mr.. Otis. He indicated
his desire for a joint debate; but went
on to say that IF Senator McLaurin
is afraid to meet me-" I will hold a
meeting in a grove, or words to that
effect. Notwithstanding the circum-
stances and character Of the invitation
that the committee had extended to
Senator McLaurin, this way Of putting
it made the meeting entirely unavoida-
BILE; but there was not the slightest
hesitation on the part Of the junior SEN
ator He promptly indicated his will
lingness to meet Senator Tillman with
out any stipulations as to what should
lrar nd VIC q
arranged that the debate should take
place in the opera house, Senator Nc
Laurin to open with half hour, Sena-
tor Tillman to reply in an hour and a
half. and Senator McLaurin to close in
an hour.
Both senators arrived at the ap-
pointed time, both walking, and Sena-
tor McLaurin slightly in advance of
Senator Tillman. The opera house.
which seats about 600 people, was al
ready comfortably full; but by the
time the speaking commenced, most OF
the available standing room, especially
in the back part Of the house, was TAX
en- up. Having learned previously Of
the efforts to pack the hall with Till
man shouters by means Of the petition
referred to, McLaurin's friends also
brought about 20 men along with them
from Greenville and Spartanburg. On
the stage were number Of newspaper
men. several friends Of Senators Nc
Laurin and Tillman, about dozen per-
sons in all. A Gaffney gentleman, who
sat near the reporter, stated that, In
his Judgment something more than
one-third Of the audience was composed
of farmers from the country.
The meeting was called to order by
Mr.. Ed H. DeCamp, editor Of the Gaff-
ney Ledger, and after an invocation of
Divine blessings by Rev. A. G. Cree,
Mr.. DeCamp made a few preliminary
remarks in which he explained the OBJ
iect of the discussion, and expressed
the hope that not only would the audi
ence listen attentively to both speak
ers: but that the best Of good order
would prevail. He then introduced
Senator McLaurin as a Commercial
Democrat" who believed in territorial
and trade expansion.
Senator McLaurin had been sitting
seriously thoughtful for some ten or
fifteen minutes, evidently still working
on his speech, which had been prepar-
ed, for the most part, during the morn
ing. There was no demonstration Of
any kind when he arose to his feet.
Instead of being inclined to demon
stration, the audience seemed more de-
termined to listen, and Senator Nc
Laurin launched out in a straight-for-