The age-herald., 1902-05-05
Recognizes That He is Ac- cOunfabIe to People for
 His P.5ic Acts
K 'ltNT LILY GIVES SOME
 SOUTH CAROLINA HISTORY
Says He Notified the People on the Stump That He Would Follow His Judgment on All Ma
 tional Questions.

washinetony Max 4.-Under date of May &. Senator McLaurin of South Carolina has issued the following address to the people of South Carolina:
 MY fellow citizens of South Carolina: The great doctrine of representative re- sponsibility is the foundation stone upon which our republic rests, and no one more keenly than recognizes ms ac- countability to the people of South caro- lima for all official acts. At the same time no people who insist that thelr rep resentatives adhere to political policies and traditions long since dead ana oe- clare them vital issues can ever become truly great. Every advancement in the history of o11r race has been the direct result of independence of thought ana action. In most of the states or this un- lon this is secured by the presence or two political parties, and the resultant dis- cussion of every public question oe1ore the people who are thus enabled to form an intelligent opinion and give Veroicl at the ballot box. Unfortunateiy III South Carolina, for nearly forty years we have been unable to have two partles for fear of negro domination and for ten years after the Hampton revolution In 1876 our people took no interest In pup lie affairs beyond maintaining white mans government
 The Farmers Movement.
 .About the year 1890, however, began nvbat was known as the farmers move- ment which was nothing more than an instinctive effort on the part of the people to preserve the principle of self-govern- ment. With Shell. Irby, Morris Iiilman, Donaldson and others I contributed what could towards its success simply pe- cause I felt that agitation was petter than staenation, and 1t is passing strange fin that connection, that the leader or that movement, B. R. Tillman, was then oe- nounced as I am now denounced, TOT at- tempting to Mahoneize the state. The freedom of thought and action, however r,b;cb followed the farmers movement onened the doors for every white man and every negro who voted for Hampton in 1876 and they could adVocate What ever views they cared to express pro- ,ided only that they took an oath to sup nort the nominees of the primary cleo tion. Men who voted the national Re- .,t,,,oon ticket were allowed to vote in the primary for state and county or ecers and I heard from the same plat form men claiming to be Democrats ad- ,,ooatins Cleveland and the gold stand ard and others Weaver and free silver. Since then no attempt has ever been made to exclude those who bolted with
 Q Populist Bowden movement or the Re publican Pope movement.
 Announced Ills Independence. "T was elected to Congress in 1892 after a heated canvass against able opponents, and vet on every stump In the district l nroclaimed my independence and an- nounced that upon all national questions I would follow my own judgment and not he bound by the caucus of any party. AL though my Democracy was assailed at that time was elected four times upon the same declaration of principles. Carry ing out my pledges to the people l began a systematic study of the questions Of the day, with the result that I changed my views upon many of them. The first marked difference with my party asso- ciates arose over the tariff question while was in the house and a member of it's 
 1897, when I was a candidate for the Sem ate, I was charged with being a Repub- lican, but I disregarded the characterized ton and resolutely contended that the policies which I advocated were for the material advancement of the party re- gardless of how they were labeled.
 My attitude was endorsed by 80 per cent of those voting in the primary, and came to the Senate.
 ''The issues growing out of the Span ish war widened the breach between my self and the Democratic party leaders, for could only follow the dictates of my conscience and stand by American soi- diers fighting upon foreign soil. At that time the war was not a party question. and I hoped it would not become so. In this I was disappointed. and was soon confronted by the alternative of retrac- ing my steps or finding myself in oppo- sition to a majority of the Democratic party leaders and excluded from their caucus I concluded that not even a seat in the United States Senate was worth a surrender of my convictions, and that opinion is unchanged There is not speech or vote of mine upon any question growing out of the Spanish-American war that I would change even if could, and in which I do not take pride in thus proving my loyalty to my country.
 Violently Assaulted.
 
 'I have ever maintained this indepen- dence of thought and action. Last sum- mer. recognizing my responsibility to the people there being campaign in the state announced my intention of going before them for the purpose of discussing these national issues. I was immediately and violently assailed for advocating Repub- lican doctrines and branded as Repub- Hcan in Democratic disguise. The state Democratic executive committee met. and under the dictation of my colleague In the Senate, formally declared that was not a Democrat, which formed the basis for a similar action on the part of the Democratic caucus of the United States Senate. Since that time the war against me has been consistently waged. The policy of my opponents has been to belittle the real issues into personal quarrel between Tillman and McLaurin. giais issue am not willing to accept, as