The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-05-14
What Henry WaIterson Says
McLaurin's Defense.

So far as the address OF Senator Nc
Laurin relates to the primary election
rules prevalent in South Carolina,
it is mainly local party question in
which Democrats in other parts of
the country are not very greatly in
terested. His plea for independence
of thought and action is rather too
vague to meet with general acceptance.
Undoubtedly certain degree of inde-
pendence must be conceded to repre-
sentatives Of the people and of States,
but there is a probability of carrying
this far beyond the bounds of toler-
.ance. When a Representative or a
Senator ceases to represent the people
who elected him or the State by
which be is accredited in any tolerable
! degree, he car hardly claim that he
ought to receive any Endorsement.
The manner in which the Endorsement
ought to be given becomes of second
ary Importance when no sort Of appro-
baton is posi- bic.
Now it is pretty generally believed
that this is precisely the position in
which Senator McLaurin finds HIM
self 1t is not that he differs from the
leaders Of the party upon some cues
tions that have been the subject of diff
ferences within the party heretofore.
It is not apparent that Mr. McLaurin
agrees with the Democratic party in
anything that is party question. IIe
specifies some points in which be
differs from the Democracy of the
country. But be fails to mention any
point upon which he is in accord with
the Democrts, or out of harmony with
! the Republicans. This being true, it
would seem that questions of party
organization are matters upon which
be is not entitled to be beard at all.
True, he calls himself Democrat. but
ne neglects TO mention anything what
ever in his views, acts Or purposes
which entities him to call himself by
the party name.
Mr.. McLaurin's recent course in
the Senate bears out these observa-
tions. 1t is not merely his differences
with his colleague, Mr.. TillInan,
which separate him from the Demo
Gratis of the Senate. Over and over
as al ] we find in the reports of divis-
i :, that 1T was strict party vote
kept that Senator McLaurin voted
with the Republicans. Bere Mr..
McLaurin is classed as a Democrat
simply because he still calls himself
such. He was elected as Democrat,
but on all party divisions he is found
acting with the Republicans. So far
as can be ascertained be is in his views
and IN his acts in full accord with the
Republicans They took care of him
in committee assignments, because the
Democratic Senators declined to recog-
nize him as a member OF their party
They were justified in this course be-
cause they could not depend on his CO.
operation in any matter in which Sen
ators divided on party lines.
If Mr.. McLaurin is unwilling to
resign his seat in the Senate because
he no longer represents his State, this
is hardly a reason why he should
seek to conceal his party afiliation.
He does well not to seek nomination
as Democrat, but it is not easy to
see why he should any longer deny
that be is a Republican. If he has, as
he intimates, many friends in South
Carolina who approve his course, it
must be because they. too, have be-
come converts 70 the Republican
faith. If he believes in spite of all
the facts to the contrary, that his
service in the Senate are still desired,
he can easily satisfy himself by appeal
ing to the people on that question.
His term expires next March and his
services in the Senate from South Car
olina is then likely to terminate,
unless South Carolina has become a
Republican State, which nobody be-
] lieyes. -Courier-Jo