The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-06-05
M'LAURIN'S REPLY.
Statements Made Necessary by
TiIlnans Charges.
he CHARGES FALsEHcO0s

Against the Ssnior Ssnatc'. Rp-
peal to ths Psop;s 70
HsIp ReIegats Ben
70 Farm.
4 Special to the State frcn Bs0rctts
vile Thursday gives Senator Nc
Laurin's reply to Senator Tillnan's sd-
dress to the people Of the State for pab-
lication.
To My Fellow Citizens:
The address Of Senstor TIlmsn to
you rendered it necessary t5at [ should
say something in explanation Of ny
motives and actions. l sincerely regret
that you are to be subjected to the ex.
peDse aud excitement Of senatorial
primary this yesr, but I feel that | an
not responsible. Had it not been for
Senator Tillman's intrusion upon the
Ga8ney meeting there would have been
70 necessity for it, A joint debate was
precipitated BY him contrary to ny
wishes and OF the gentlemen who in
7ited NE. He forced himself upon the
meeting by bis own admission. No
other honorable course IVES left to me
but to accept his proposition or ley
myself open to the cnarge Of coward.
ice. It is too late new to consider
whether it WAS wise OF unwise and
the people must judge between US. l
desire to announce ny candidacy IN
opposition to the senior senator for
the unexpired long term, and will dis
cuss with him in fair and reputable
manner the national issues Of The cay
and leave it to you to ju sc VITO can
the more honestly and honora5ly"
represent you in the United Stat
senate. In 1897 | was elected to t
senate as a Democrat and I am still a
Democrat
In every thing I have said and done
I have had the good of my people at
heart, to them I am ready to render an
account Of my stewardship, but not to
the senior senator; perhaps in this lies
my chief sin.
In my recent speech st Green7ille l
gave the people the reason for ny off
cisl action since 1899. 1t is useless for
me to reiterste what ssid io that
speech, as it has been extensively pub
lished and I presume generally read.
We're it not for charges made in the
address Of the senior senator, it would
be unnecessary foc me to say more.
But cannot allow him to assail me
and my Democracy without saying
something in my vindication. He
charges that, after the adjournment of
congress in March last, With the aid
of my friends, I commenced in the
State sn active propsgands Of my neE
doctrines, which are clai ned to bs
Democratic but srs nothing but Ra-
publicanisn in disguise" he arro
gates to himself the power to decide for
the people as to the righteousness CT
my course snd 7isws, and is not will
ing for them to hear and JUICE for
themselves. His indecent intrusion
upon the Gafney meeting illustrates
his methods Of "bossism' and his de-
sire to rule or ruin" After ny 70.
turn home in April last received in
vitasions from citizens of Greenvile,
York, Cherokee, Newberry and Spar
tsnburg counties to address the people
on the national issues OF the day. As
Their public servant, cou!1 rot olsre
gard their ir perati7e cs!!s, and | Sc
cepted the invitations. Had | net doae
so, my political opponent would have
charged that could not macs my con-
ssiiuents face to fsce AID exylsin my
political action. 1t Was not my pur
pose in seocp1ing these Invitations t.
ilaugua:e my campaign for reelection
more than year IN advance OF tie
primary, but to attempt to enlighten
the people and remove false impress
sions produced upon the public mind
by the senior senator and his sympa-
thizers. I had been persisteutly ma
ligned and misrepresented and the only
means afforded me for ny vindication
was to get the ear Of the people. This
was my only object in making speeches
where I was invited to 90, ard had it
not been for these invitations l should
have remained silent.
Have we reached the point where
number Of private citizens cannot in
vite one Of their representatives to
address them, without Including the
senior senator or first obtaining his
permission? The senior seuator, il
seems, Tii!ed that I should not be
heard at that time and determined that
l. should wait for his bidding to 60,
before the people. The senator also
charges thai l am a Republican and
was organizing Republican party
here, If he believed this charge, why
did he consent to run with ne II
Democratic primary? / dencunce the
ohsrgs as an Infamous falsehood and
the senior senator knows what he says
is untrue. IN his reoklessness, the
senior senator further charges that the
dispensing Of the public patronage has
been placed at my disposal aud ''uu-
limited money" is furnished me by the
Republicans to sid in the schene Of
the organization of new party. l
denounce this as malicious falsehood.
In ny Green7iile speech l explained
Why I had been consulted about the
federal patronage ard at Gsf1eg l de-
nounced, in his presence, both Of these
charges as Wilfully false and yet be
reiterates them in his address. His
purpose in repeating what he knows to
be slsnders must be evident to all.