Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-03-19
q nolite bow to McI,aurin said "I will |

a polite bow to McLaurin said, II will
see you later, sir" Afterward YOU
mans and McLaurin had a talk and
the two entered the campaign upon
the friendliest terms; in fact, at the
close Of the campaign, while McLau-
rim upheld his side with great vigor
and ability, he was on friendly terms
with every speaker.
At Florence there was g. riot, and 1t
/ is probable that had it not been for th.,
friendly feeling existing at that time
between Youmans and McLaurin 1t
would have been a very serious affair.
While the row was going on at Flor
ence, McLaurin and Farley, and Mr..
Koester, whose appointment as collcc-
tor of internal revenue Is now before
the senate, stood on table over You
mans head in order to protect him
from damage in front and rear.
After the success Of the Tillman
movement in South Carolina, and
when it came to outlining policy, the
natural temperament of Tillman and
McLaurin caused them to drift apart.
think it is perfectly apparent that
both men tried to continue friendly.
And even now I suspect that away
down in the bottom of the hear! of
each there is little soft spot for the
days of auld lang syne.
When McLaurin entered congress
and got on the ways and means COM
mittee of the house, and began the
study Of the tariff question and an
nounced his conclusions in a speech in
March, 1897, he was at once denounc-
ed for leaning toward Republicanism.
He made the campaign for the senate
against former Governor Evans and
State Senator Mayfleld. The same
charges were made against him then
as to favoring Republican politics that
are now being urged. He was over
whelmingly elected, and 1t was we'll
known throughout the campaign that
Senator Tillman was favorable to
Evans, and this probably embittered
McLaurin, especially in view Of the
fact that Tillman had agreed with
him in the main upon his attitude on
the tariff. The truth Is, these men
were reformers and started out on a
progressive plan. and Tillman as soon
as he got into the senate wanted to
stop and McLaurin wanted to go on.
The campaign Of 1897 left McLaurin
almost a physical wreck, and it is only
within the last year that he has re-
covered anything like his former snap
and vigor.
Senator Tillman, through the dis
pensary system, controls the political
machinery, and he and the executive
committee ruled McLaurin out last
summer. McLaurin replied In a
lengthy paper, in which he placed the
blame upon Tillman and excoriated
him for his part. They met at Gaffney
in a joint debate which led up to the
tender Of their designations to the gov
ernor. In that speech Tillman intima-
ted about the influence of the patron
age upon McLaurin, and McLaurin re-
piled in bitter terms, denounced the
statement as false and unworthy Of a
gentleman, and intimated to Tillman
that he had stolen whisky rebates
while governor and also made money
out of the refunding Of state bonds.
All this only added fuel to the flames.
1t has evidently been the policy Of
McLaurin to hold himself strictly up
on the defensive, and it Is probable
that this scene would never have oc .
CURED but for the prodding which
Senator Spooner gave to Tillman.