The Savannah morning news., 1902-05-05

fiuenced in my public course by per-
sonal spleen or petty jealousy. The
public interests should never be subor-
dinated to purely personal ends.
Now the proposition of my political
enemies is to exclude me from the pri-
mary as a candidate, and to exclude
all candidates for office who entertain
my views, and thus prevent the people
from hearing me and from hearing
them in justification of my course and
in advocacy of the absorbing public
measures now confronting the Ameri-
can people. l am absolutely convinced
and forewarned of this purpose to ex-
clude me and my friends because l
have read the speech of Senator Till
man, the acknowledged dictator of the
Democratic machine of South Carolina,
delivered at Manning, in which he di-
reefs the revision of the rules and form
and oath of the party for the pur-
pose of excluding myself and friends
from participating in the primary l
resent the suggested exception of
myself for of course l would not make
my race for the Senate or proclaim my
views under condition which were not
equally applicable to those who en-
terrain and advocate my views, l have
an abiding faith that it will yet be
shown that the dictator of the machine
is not the exponent of the views of the
majority of our people.
The Primary Perverted.
1.-THE primary system adopted in
our state through the farmers move
ment has been prostituted and per-
verted into a political machine for the
purpose of excluding all candidates
who are not in full accord with the
views and wishes of the dictator. The
vital question, therefore, is will the
rNff na fat To .t1h 70 Afafp n
chising the intelligent people and eX
Guiding them from our elections.
with such a system l have no SYM
pathy and feel impelled by a strict
sense of duty to warn the people
against such tyranny as it encour
ages and establishes. With these facts
before me and my convictions as to
the original purpose of the primary
system, l am driven to the conclusion
that it has subserved it's purposes and
has outlived it's usefulness. 1t is,
therefore, a matter of no concern
to me what may be the action
of the May convention as to the
rules of the primary and a revision
of its pledges. The suppression of
free speech and independence of action
by voting such renders it impossible
for any self respecting citizen holding
my views to become a candidate in the
Democratic primary in South Carolina.
1t is apparent that the system has been
warped and twisted so as to serve the
one purpose of throttling free speech,
free thought and liberty of action.
The primary system in South Carolina
has been sacrificed upon the alter of
craftsmanship and personal malignity,
and has therefore become unpatriotlc
and useless, and should be ignored and
finally repudiated by our people, with
a purpose similar to my own, to look
hopefully to the results of a fair and
just general election under our state
and national laws.
The Party Yoke Too Calling.
"a party yoke has been placed upon
| cur people and it has become too gall
ing for further endurance, and yet to
realize that many Of my loyal friends
/ 'Wes;f I'm once more hold in check
] their resolution not to again enter our
| system of primary elections in order
! to again vote for me- but / have
reached the point where l will not sub
| ject them to subscribing to an oath to
support men and measures which do
not represent their views upon the is g.
sues facing the American people to-
day
Respectfully,
John Lowndes McLaurin."