Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1908-10-08
SEES NO HARM
To Use Trust Money to Further
Political Ends Is
SENATOR MCLAURlN'S

Publication OF the Standard Oil
Letters, Who Declares That South
Carolina's Natural Progress is
Throttlcd by an Oligarchy.
Senator McLaurin gave out the fol-
lowing statement in reference Ia tho
letters that passed between him and
j. ID. Archbold, the Standard Oil
magnate while he was carving or,
MS commercial Democracy" fgh.
IN this State some years ago:
Mr.. McLaurin. who has Just re-
turned to New York. gave ont n
signed statement as follows:
An effort has been made to ere
ate political sensation by the nuh-
lcatlon of certain correspondence he-
tween Mr.. John n. Archbold vice
president of the Standard Oil Conn
p"ny' and myself. For that cor.
dependence | have no apologies TO
make AT the time the letters were
written had the honor to enjoy. and
I'm proud still to possess the friend
mp OF Mr.. Archbold, for whom I
nave the highest regard. AT the
me the letters We're written I was
'ngaded in bitter struggle. In
which was involved not only my own
political future. but the economic
and political principles for which
STOOD and which. stated briefly. meant
the emancipation of the South from
the ignorant prejudices of Bourbon
'sm and the bloody shirt into the
freedom OF an enlightened self
interest and the progress of an in
t"lligent industrialism
In the support of these principles.
and the hope of this progress. I saw
then no impropriety in enlisting. II
practicable, The assistance of the
most intelligently officered CORPORA
ion that human Intelligence has
vet produced Nor has the enormous
BODY OF statutory crime since Great
ID or the hypocr.:ical affection OF
morality assumed by some of ou..
Legislators and Congress In any wise
'hanged my point of view or quick
ned my conscience of expediency.
rs seems to have been the case with
some of my former colleagues and
associates.
The constituencies that they rep-
esent do not hesitate to take Mr..
Narnegie's s trust-produced and tariff
protected money for their churches
ma Libraries, or accept MIR. Rookie
eIler's large sums for the education
II the negro. whom they have dis
tranchised
III political campaigns are to be
'un without money and political
Progress is to be achieved without
inancial expenditure it is high time
nat both parties should he apprised
t the arrival of that Utopian era,
nut until that period has arrived I
AN see no reason while |. in bat
ling for what conceived to be the
light. should refuse to seek or de-
line to accept the support. whether
financial or personal. of which 7
TODD in need
Men may die, but right princi-
| les persist and in the end they will
| riumph
II believe that the South. and
specially the State of South Caro-
| ina. is today throttled In its natural
| rogress and its intelligent exercise
| II the right OF self-government by
oligarchy OF a past generation
through the. preparation of igno-
ance and the fertilization OF cor
upton, and / shall welcome the day
when the educational propaganda,
| Thich can only be spread by the us,,
| II money. whether IL be Standard
Dill money or railroad money, o.
my other money save that derived
| rom the government sale of whis-
| ,ey. will enable the people to see
more closely their own best inter
'sts and cast out those leaders whose
! lypocritical morality and III dis
;uised selfishness is responsible for
he fact that in the South illiterac, j,
8 greater and the increase of popu-
alton and wealth slower than IA any
other great section of the Union.
1T is the fashion of present day
hypocrisy to decry the corporation,
to abhor the trust and to pretend in
public life to prescribe the Influence
of wealth. but as in this country and
n this age wealth is and must be
he reward of intelligence ! am no
willing to be considered amongs
hose cowardly enough to deny tn.
. influence which intelligence has az
j ways exercised under every form o
Government thus far devised. OF
, ! government Of ignorance hav
had enough in my native State.
hope for. and shall continue to wor
ior. government of intelligence.
'(Signed) John Lowndes McLaurin
Senator McLaurin leaves tomorro'
- for South Carolina.
ii