Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-05-07

be influenced in my public course by
personal 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 primary as
candidate, and to exclude all candl-
dates for Office who entertain my views
and thus prevent the people from near
ing me in justification of my course
and in advocacy of the absorbing pub
lie measures now confronting the
American people. I am convinced ana
forewarned of lnls purpose to exclude
me and my friends, because l nave
read the speech of Senator Tillman, the
acknowledged dictator Of the Demo-
cratic machine of South Carolina, de-
livered at Manning, in which ne ol-
rects revision Of the rules and form ano
oath Of the party for the purpose OF
excluding myself and friends from par
ticipating in the primary. I resent the
suggested exception of myself, for OF
course I would not make my race for
the senate or proclaim my views un-
der conditions which were not equally
applicable to those who entertain ana
advocate my views, I have an abiding
faitn that 1t will yet be shown that
the dictator of the machine Is not the
exponent of the views or the majority
of our people. The primary system
adopted in our state through the farm
ers' movement has been prostituted and
perve tied into a political machine FOR
the purpose of excluding all candidates
who are not n full accord with the
views and wishes of the dictator. The
question, therefore is, will the people
of the state submit to disfrancnise-
ing the intelligent people and exciud-
ing them from our elections!
with such a system I have no SYM
pathy and feel impelled by a strict
sense Of duty, to warn the people
against such tyranny as it encourages
and establishes. With these facts be-
fore me, and my convictions as to the
original purpose of the primary sys-
tenn, am driven to the conclusion that
it has subserved it's purposes and has
outnved it's usefulness. 1t is, therefore,
matter of no concern to me what
may be the action Of the May conven-
ton as to the rules Of the primary ana
revision of it's pledges.
1.-The suspension Of Tree speech and
independence of action by such means
renders it impossible for any self-re-
specting citizens holding my views, to
become a candidate in the Democratic
primary in South Carolina. 1t Is ap-
parent that the system has been warp
ed and twisted so as to serve the one
purpose of throttling free speech. free
thought and liberty Of action. The prl-
mary system in South Caronna has
been sacrificed upon the altar of par
tisanship and personal malignity, and
has therefore become unpatriotic and
useless and should be ignored and final
ly repudiated by our people, to look
hopefully to the results Of a fair and
Just general election under our state
and national laws.
"a party yoke has been placed upon
our people and it has become too gall
ing for further endurance, and yet
realize that many Of my loyal friends
would even 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 I will not subject
them to subscribing to an oath to sup
port men and measures which do not
represent their views upon the issues
of the American people today.
Respectfully,
John LowNDEs McLAURIN."