The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-05-25
LAURENs. $. c., May 25, 1904.
Editorial Correspondence.

Oh tne S'ats convention last week was
in striking contrast with the last 1 had
seen. That last was held i'm May, 1895.
Mr.. Cleveland was then president of
the United States and white democrats
held. the federal offices In South Caro-
lima. Most, or at least half, Of these
federal office holders, including post
masters, had belonged to the Reform
faction in South Carolina politics.
There were no Crums In office in this
or any other Southern State then.
Nevertheless thu dominant sentiment
In that co 1vention was a profound and
bitterly expressed hate of the Dsmo-
cratic administration In Washington.
Senator Tillm IN was the most promi-
nent m,mber of the convention and
"l6 to or bust was his rallying cry.
The late Sc lator Irby OF Laurens, q
faithful "party man," who believed in
voting the party ticket in all circum-
stances, made a gallant and hopeless
fl ,ht against the resolutions of Senator
Tillmtu iustructing the South Caro-
i'm delegates to bolt the Chicago
convention in the event it should fail
to declare for free coinage at 16 to 1.
Senator Tillman thus laid down the
doctrine in South Carolina that O
Democrat should bolt the ticket when
the national platform wa in his judgo
ment a de part ire from the principles
of Democracy. FIR Sc silver was held as
q supre ne aud fundsm .ntal test of de.
mocracy at that time 1T was the
paramount issue,'' thu s%hibboleth Of
good standing in the party.
The con derivatives" In the conven-
tion were few and SC altering though I
think that possibly one or two Charles
ton men, among them Mr.. ST. Julien
Jervsy, opposed the 16 to 1 resolutions
in speeches.
Times have changed wonderfully.
Senator Tillman was in this conven-
tion last week. So was Ex-Governor
Sheppard as the head OF the Edgefeld
delegation. Both were present as
avowed Parker man, as at present ad-
vised, aud Park, Or is also Mr.. Cleve-
lands candidate. The Senator said
very truly aud sensibly that the favor
of Mr.. Cleveland was no reason for any
decent democrat, "decent'' was his
word, to oppose Parker, provided
Parker himself proved unobjec,iona.
BILE. Tillman, Sheppard, strong dele
cations from Columbia and Charleston
and from most of the other counties
were present, all harmonious, and low
Ing and tender to each other and all,
with rare exceptions, unfr.endly to the
candidacy Of Mr.. William Randolph
Hearst who alone of the presidential
candidates seems acceptable to Mr..
William Jennings Bryan of the Repub-
lican state of Nebraska.
Harmony fairly oozed in this conven.
ton and trickled over its members.
Probably the majority Of the delegates
a at one time belonged to the old
conservative" faction, yet Senator
I1llman was elected a delegate at large
by reclamation as was our handsome
aud able young governor Duncan
Clinch Hayward. Col. James A. Hoyt
was a prominent and influential figure
n his strong common sense was con.
spicuously valuable in it's deliberations
more than once. Mayor Rhett of Char.
lesion, Col. Jones of Columbia and
Senator Latimer were the other three
candidates for delegates at large and
Mayor Rhett and CO... Jones were
elected, Mr.. Rhett leading the other
W with a large majority mt receiv-
ing the helrty support of scores of
delegates from all factions who live Ia
the Up-Country. The action OF these
Piedmont men of Laurens and Green
VILE and other counties, such men as
Col. Crews and r. Y. Hellams of
Greenville and many others, was gem
erous and broad-minded. Mr.. Rhett in
his three minute speech after his elee.
tlon convinced the whole convention
that he would be q creditable repre-
sentative of the South Carolina de-
mocracy at st. Louis and 1 am sure no
man will have cause to regret the bal
lot cast for him.
Personally, [ think 1t was rather un-
fortunate that Senator Latimer was not
e'ected-and this is said without mean
ing In the least to suggest that Col.
Jones election is to be regretted. sena-
Tor Latimer was not present in the con-
Vention. He was not on hand with his
friends to hustle for votes and In poll
tics in these days one must hustle IL
one would win.
The members of the lower house of
congress as rule were a home. Messrs.
Lever and Finley were on hand but the
bve others were away on business for
their constituents. Your average con-
gresham does not care to be placed
where he will have to vote against some
body now and then. Your average con-
gressm an would like to vote for all men
and all things and at all times and un.
der all circumstances. Old mon Finley
is an exception. He has an opinion and
would as leave express 1t when the
crowd Is against him as when It isn't.
In the convention q lot OF young men
employed q good deal of Language"
but 1t did no particular harm. Young
men like to "rise up' from the midst of
che body OF a%convent.on aud they do not
specially mind when they are i.sat down