The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-04-07
Hon. John L. McLaurin on the
Issues of the Day.
INVITED TO sPEAK.
He Advises the Farmers of the South to
Stand Together and Thus Protect
Their Interests and Tells How
They Can Do If They Will
Only estand Pat
Only -"Stand Pat.

The following Is the full text OF
speech delivered by Hon. John L. MIC
Laurln at Sumter last Monday by III
yltation Of the people OF that county:
Mr.. Chairman and Fellow Citizens:
I thank you for this invitation to
address the people OF Sumter county
on the issues OF the day.
It was here that the memorable
campaign of 1897 opened and some OF
yeu remember when the town bell
pealed out the hour, how John lrby
dramatically turned and pointed bis
finger at me. said, "Yonder bell has
lust tolled the death knell OF John l.
McLaurin,'' and none present Will
ever forget the scene that followed
when l replied, "Hark from the tomb
a doleful sound"
Well, didn't die just then, but
the old bell has since rung out dirge
for myself and many another. 1t Is
pretty hard on the corpse, but l am
bound to admit as general proposition
funerals are good thing, especially
political funerals. You can't have too
many of them in South Carolina. 'Oh
death where Is thy sting, oa grave
where is thy victory" was not written
for any politician that l ever knew,
nor is there any hope held out to him
of resurrection and life everlasting be-
yond the grave. There used to be a
young German named Weld who
made his headquarters In Bannetts
Vile. knew him pretty well. He
hadn'd been in this country long and
spoke English very imperfectly. Weld
had favorite horse named Zsb Vance.
One cold morning he led Il 10 Vance
out Of the stable with halter, and
Zsb felt SO good that he got to snort
ing, rearing around and standing on
his hind feet until Weild gave the
halter sudden jerk ana Z,b Vance
fell over and catching his head under
his body broke his neck. 1 met Weld
coming up the street, blubbering and
crying like his mother-in law was
dead | asked him what was the mat
ter, and he said "Meiu Gott, Zeb
Vance, he feel SO goot, he rear, he
jump, he fall down, he break he's dan
neck. Oh mein Gott, u b Vance, he
dead, he dead as hell F." That Is about
the way with the politician. He snort,
he rear, he jump. and when he fall
down, he break his neck and when he
dead, he dead, he dead as hell"
Fortunate is the man who can look
back to tile past without bitterness
and vain regrets, and feel that In
spite Of SELF, he has struck some blow
for truth, done something for coun
try, and planted some seed that must
bear go d fruit II can cons ole him
self with the thoug It that unsound
seed DO net live long anyway, and tnat
he Is always sure tn harvest tlat crop.
Popular applause Is chelp. it is he
property OF any demago. ue, big or
little, who can successfully pander
to Il g passing wh:m or caprice, but
to the man who has no higher aim l.;
brings It's IN pun S mcnt, for IL IL
as uncertain aS the soft south wind
signing in the p'e tops, changed in !.
moment into hurricanes blast; it Is
like the wavy, trenuoua light of the
mo means, tipping tine waters witt
silver, and making the dew-drop,
shine like diamonds. Tne strong
shining sun CONES out, and shows only
muddy, stagnant POOL, I'll ed with
hideous reptiles al choked with POI.
sonous weeds and vines.
y
sun Of Go1, hloting out the shadows,
lighting up the DARK places, and max.
lug men and things stand out clear
and distinct as they are. The true
phios pher is one WHO laughs at mans
frailties and weaknesses, and yet loves
him for that little bit OF Goi in th,
worst man, which redeems and sa.c
titles human nature.
LOOK TIE TRUTH IN THE FACE.
It is a pleas ure TO me to addre> a
strictly non political body Of my fel.
low citizens.
1t is good thing for man or peo
pie to look the truth squarely in the
face, see things as they are, not as
pictured by vanity, ambition or a dis.
ordered Imagination.
When Jesus Christ came on this
earth, he dip not come with mes
sage to any particular race or religious
creed, hut proclaimlng the truth to
Jew and Geutile. You cannot get at
a truth from partisan standpoint;
truth is strictly non part sa n; 1t Is the
property OF 10 one political party or
religious creed, 1t Is there for them
all.
We live in day Of combination and
organization. Every business in the
United States is organized, except the
cotton planter, and now in self.de-
tense, we are being forced to act in
concert.
Here Mr.. McLaurin went over the
ground covered in his speech in New
Orleans, ald drew an analogy between
wheat and cotton.
STAND PAT"
I do not believe there Is any over
production. II there we're proper meth
ods Of distribution. The balance OF
the world is consumer OF cur raw
cotton and Is therefore combined to
get our product as cheap as possible
You can only meet organization with
organization. All other industies
through combination fix the price OF
their products. This coat that
have on lay on the shelf OF some mer
chants store until paid nis price for
1t, he fixed the price without consult
ing me. The be'f trust fixed the
price OF my meat, the Goa trust OF my
fuel, the -four trust OF nv bread, the
coffee trust of my coffee, and SO on OF
everything that u.s.. / may sta We,
l may fretze CT go naked, but pay
their price or go without When |
bring my product cotton into town to
sell, do not tell the buyer what