The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-02-26
Z T,|.Il!IIs,N!IAN I! j HITS BACK.
The sshator Defends Himsolf from
newspaper Criticism.
PRAISES GOVERNOR HEYwARD.


He olitms That What He said
on8ltne Homicide Subject
Was the Correct Wow
to Take.
We Clip the following letter from
the Grsnyille News of last Wednes-
day:
MOI long since I met correspond
ent III tho corridors OF the capitol
who se1ds Washington news TO sew
erai SoAth Carolina papers, and I
nurriediY made some criticism upon
the injsfsto South Carolina result
ing frolh erroneous and false state.
ments scSt out by South Carolina
correspondents and editors in their
papers spout crimes In our State. /
did not fake the trouble to elaborate
or do mere than call attention to the
fact, angsthe resulting damage to the
States Gaod name. Strange to say,
the worst criminals have not received
Dr copledthe interview, and none that
nave sSen have denied the charge or
attempted to reply, except the two
Greenv,iie papers.
L hayM just read the editorial,
Senasa{A Tillman's Solicitude," in
the Moantaineer of the 18th, and an
edltorlaisDf similar import from The
Greenvii;e News, copied In The State
Tho alamus of both the Mountain
eer and The Greenville News Is of
long stas siding and easily understood
by thcsls who are posted on South
Caroline Gpolitics bnt that Is not a
matter II moment. I beg to make
few cfSnments on these two edi-
torlals f9i the benefit of your readers.
You sly: This is a new role for
the virb9 senator, as he has been
going abyut the couatry for several
years adyAct!ss!:cS y:s:S the la~iisssne5s oi
which hdSapproves, and from his seat
In the Seqate he has boasted OF what
he Wouldldo In certain circumstances
to wreakSengenance upon criminals. -
Once ilr all, let me say l. have time
and agaiIfi announced my willingness
to heaesI;lynching party to String up
any manywho would rape woman.
1 did this3hrst in the campaign when
was running for the Senate in 1894.
l have n8Ver seen reason to. change
that opiHon and I never expect to
change it~and feel that In making
that declaration I voice the senti-
ment Of nine-tenths Of the white peo-
pie Of South. Carolina, and l doubt
now whether the editor OF either the
Mountai1eer or Greenvllle News will
over his 3lWn signature, dare take is
sue witiISthe hefRentiment. Again the
Mountaireer says His Violent and
turbuleaG ,Sais5 51si tionS in and out OF.
v,s,s:s..s means ss.s esslslnp nple TO,
be comm at home Oh abroad,
and his oenunciatlon of the newspa-
pers for exposing the criminal record
Of the State comes with Ill grace
from man who has never lifted
finger to stay the tide of crime and
lawlessness which has grown at a
fearful rate since he entered upon
public life and became a controlling
factor In the political life of the
State.'
call attention right here to the
fact that in my interview ] mention
ed no names either OF men or Of
papers, singled out nobody for criti-
cisn, ard only denounced senseless
SANDER OF our State and its people
hy its IN citizens. But, let me call
the att .ntlon OF your req ders to some
facts.
In my inaugural address as cover
ror l m lde the strongest possible plea
to the white people Of the State for
law and order, and exerted myself
to the utmost as executive 20 protect
persons charged with crime from
lgnchinE, and as for the charge that
the tide of crime and lay7lessness has
grown, desire to say that may be
attributed much more Justly to the
educating influences Of those papers
which have counselled di ;obedience to
the law, notably The dis pensary law,
and have encouraged in every way its
rullihca tion. The grand juries in GER
tain CO mites under tho Sc influences
Lave sys tematically brok N their oaths
and pur ged themselves, ind 1t is little
short OF infamous for tt ose who are
guilty Ct thus attempting to override
the will Of The majority 20 charge the
resulting decentralization to me. The
i1ountaineer says that do not In
Weigh against the Grimm lis or censure
their actions but am Inc ensed at the
facts being given to the World" This
Is just where the trouble lies. The
facts have not been given to the
world Eye~y homide mentioned in the
attorney generals report neccessitated
technical indictment for MURDER"
but that was no warrant for the news
papers to herald 1t to the world that
220 murders had been committed In
South Carolina In the last year. 1t
was no warrant for the slander that
the jurles failed to do their duty In
nearly every instance and that crimi-
nails we're rarely punished. Grant that
there is decentralization in the State,
grant that we are ever ready as peo-
pie, to ready to resent insult, and to
use the pistol. 1t has always been SO
and what good can come from distort-
Ing the facts and setting every case OF
q negro killing another negro In a
drunken brawl as a murder" to be
charged against our States cjvilIza-
tion? The Statements which have
been sent abroad to claim that all or
half Of the violent deaths mentioned
by the attorney general are muir
ders." may not be privileged to act
as judge in regard to what constitutes
murder" yet almost the whole edi-
torial fraternity in South Carolina
have assumed the right to declare