The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1905-08-09
The Fight is Just Begun.

eventually gain control of the Laurens
Cotton Mills. Whether or not this is a
true diagnosis the future will disclose,
and we see no reason to express any
premature opinion. One thing is GER
tain, the New York commission house
which arrogantly determined to squeeze
some $780, 900 a year out of the stock
holders in this mill in payment for SER
vice which another commission house was
willing to do, and is doing, for about
half that sum, is not yet in possession
of the mill.
The decision of the Federal Judge mid
Gates very clearly that the Courts, Fed
eral or State, cannot be expected to en-
courage or defend high-handed dishon-
esty if it should be cloaked under the
guise of commissions. We think hat it
may be safely set down that the Mill
kens, whether or not they succeedin their
malignant designs against Mr.. Lucas
personally, are further now from the
execution of any possible desire they
may have entertained to subordinate
the earnings of the Lucas mills to the
fattening of their private purses than
they were before this litigation was
commenced.
Further, it is of Importance that the
public fairly understand that the GUST
ing of Mr.. Lucas from the presidency
and the "treasureship of this mill will not
of itself end this bitter CONTROVERSY. If
any man should go into the presidency
of the mill wearing the Milliken collar
it is pleasant to remember hat the
1898 shares, held by "a out of about
100 stockholders, will still be repre-
sented by a mar or men in the control
of the mill. These watchers will always
have the great, fairplay-loving public to
fall back upon for sympathy and support
and so long as the rightness of their
position, resting upon the difference be-
tween 2 and a per cent. commissions,
remains what it is, they will have no
fear of the ultimate result. Whoever
may undertake to run this mill in viola
ton of the rights of all the stockhold-
ers, poor as we'll as rich, will have "a
weary and stumpy road to travel"-take
Noh PShoOiioity PiCtSCu WOIu lOE IlldI.
Any effort that the Milliken inter
ests may make to modify or upset the
existiSs contract with the 2 per cent
house will be conclusive of their bresch
Of faith as trustees of the stockholders,
and will provide all the evidence that
we shall need to convince the people of
South Carolina, including the courts
and the General Assembly of the inn
pregnable soundness of our position.
We deeply regret that some of our
very good friends have wholly failed to
estimate what is involved in this fight.
The conclusion that a mere change of
officials to the injury of one man and
the elevation of another was all is ut
terly inadequate. Gentlemen who blind
themselves to the larger questions in
volved may find themselves %foundering
In deep water much sooner than they
permit themselves to expect. However,
that is not our affair.
Meanwhile, if the Millikens succeed
In the outrageous endeavor to drive
out of the Laurens mills the man who
made 1T a success because he would
not cringe to their whip-lash, they will
AVE planted in the heart of every hon
est man in South Carolina not only a
sympathy for the Lucas cause but a re-
lentless antagonism to themselves which
unfortunately will rise up in the halls
of legislation and the courts little more
to their own confusion, than to the
profound and continuing injury of all
the textile companies in South Caro-
lima. Mr.. Milliken in the mad fury
against Mr.. Lucas which has possessed
him does not know the Pandora's Box
that he is about to open. Even were
the false charges of personal misman-
agement which have been brought
against Mr.. w. E. Lucas bottomed in
semblance of truth, they would not
fortify the brazen claim for a per cent
commissions. The verdict of public
sentiment will be rendered wholly upon
this issue, and public sentiment will
govern finally in this as it does in all
human affairs. Sooner or later it will
be rendered against the Millikens, and
we shall be there to see and to rejoice
IN the establishment of justice.
When Lucas is ousted. if ever,
"then we have only begun to fight"
Robert p. Hamer of Marion county
is mentioned for Governor. He is an
educated man. He is a farmer. He is
young. He is independent. He is a
devoted Church man. He owns and
runs a small cotton yarn mill but he
grows more cotton on his numerous
farms than it spins. He is President of
the State Fair Society and is interested
IN Clemson in some way. Robert Ha-
mer is a young man of strong business
sense and can be depended upon. He is
n of the most successful farmers in
the State. Mr.. Hamer would not make
a fancy, roach-combed, patent-leather
and drop-stitch, open-work-sox Gov
ernor but he would give the State a
vigorous administration and he would,do
right by all men. He is no friend of
the liquor traffic with or without dis
guises. He is a graduate and trustee
of the South Carolina COLLAGE Mr.