The Irish standard., 1901-06-01
SENATORS STEP OUT.
-Tillman and McLaurin Agree to Re-
sign Their Seats.
Agree to Go Before the People
for vindication Action Follows
Heated Debatc-Political Sen.
sation in South Carolina,

Gafney, S. c., May 27.-The acri-
mony which has manifested itself be-
tween the junior and senior senators
of South Carolina eliminated Satur-
day in battle of fierce invective, and
resulted in both senators forwarding
designations to the governor, to
take effect in September. This leaves
the field of both the short and long
term open. Inasmuch as eight
avowed candidates were in the field
.contesting with Mr.. McLaurin for the
short term, it is expected that before
many days the total number will be
increased to a score.
The trouble between Senators Nc
Laurin and Tillman resulted in a
joint debate Saturday afternoon. Mr..
McLaurin had been invited by the
business men of the town to address
the people on the NEW democracy"
which he has been espousing. Sen
ator Tillman served notice on the
committee that he desired joint de-
bate, and that if they refused he in
tended to follow anyhow when Mr..
McLaurin had concluded. Mr.. Nc
Laurin, with equal force, served no.
tice on Mr.. Tillman's friends that no
gentleman would force himself where
he was not wanted. Nevertheless
Tillman was accommodated with o
joint debate.
Use Warm Words.
Mr.. McLaurin opened with an adj
dress of half an hour. The hall was
well filled and excitement was in
tense throughout the city. At least
a dozen counties were represented
in the audience and for over an hour
and a half listened to two United
States senators of the same political
party abusing each other almost to
the point of justifying physical COM
bat.
McLaurin declared that Tillman had
forsaken the original party platform,
that he opposed free speech and was
attempting to array one class against
another, when the country at large
was striving earnestly to bring them
into harmony. He caustically criti-
cised Tillman for having aided in an
effort to make Senator Teller, of Col
orado, president. Teller he charac-
terized as man who had declared
that the. negro was as good as the
white man, and who was chairman
of the commission that Gin 1876 tried
to steal the electoral votes of South
Carolina and louisiana"
Mr.. Tillman was warmly applauded.
He dwelt upon his colleagues atti-
tude upon the question of expansion
and the subsidy bill, and stated that
only a traitor and a hypocrite would
occupy that position.
He charged that Mr.. McLaurin had
stolen whole chunks from sermon
delivered years ago by Rev. DIR. Van
Dyke. He further charged the cot
ton men with conspiring to aid Mr..
McLaurin in his canvass.
Til1man Suggests ResignatiOn.
Mr.. McLaurin, in following, stated
that he hated to insult anyone or be
insulted. He had rot intended to say
anything offensive, but saw that he
could not prevent it.
Mr.. Tillman could make only one
sort of a speech, such one as he has
made to-day. He denied that he had
-willfully appropriated any portion of
the divine's sermon. his secretary
having by mistake omitted certain
quotation marks.
"Mr. Tillman," he declared, "has
stolen things of much more intrinsic
merit than sermon"
He branded Mr.. Tillman as "bully
and blusterer," and said he had
@'sized him up" years ago. He had
heard that the joint debate would be
on high plane, but inasmuch as Mr..
Tillman had made personal attack
on him he thought it his duty to in
form the people of South Carolina re-
for senior SENATOR"
"Tillman said," the speaker re-
marked, shat if were elected he
would consider it proof that the peo-
pie wanted me. He did not say that
he would resign if I were elected"
Mr.. Tillman jumped to his feet and
shouted: II will resign if you do. We
will both go before the people. Let
them decide"
Mr.. McLaurin agreed.
Mr.. Tillman followed in a highly
abusive speech, and Mr.. McLaurin
concluded the debate.
The senators after the debate drew
up an agreement of resignation. Mr..
Tillman drafted the agreement,
which requests that the governor
make no appointment to the vacan-
cies and that the democratic state
committee be ordered to call pri-
mary.
Crops Destroyed.
Charlotte, N. c., May 27.-A special
from Raleigh to the Observer says:
Gov. Aycock says all the low land crops