The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-10-08
THROWING FITS.

UQS NCLdQ1lll lSGVSi WlCll cb pAO
Imise of more to follow, relating
to his experiences in high f
nance, and giving his side Of
1.-The story of his connection with
lsome members of the Standard
IOil Company: has struck some
|of the newspapers of this State
|amldships and their groans are
isomething fierce. They seem
lafraid that his candor IN con
|fessing the political SINS ne
Icommitted in his early career,
land showing the harm that
Icame of his indiscretion, was to
himself, and no part thereof
had any connection with his po'
sition as Senator, is giving them
alarm lest he will take
an active part in the politics OF
the State.
McLaurin candidly admits
of having been led into making
some mistakes, but because he
makes this admission, some
newspapers, that by the way,
were never friendly to anybody
or any cause that is not espous.
by their leader Of thought,
think he should not venture in
to public life again. If all of
those who have had to do with
the politics in this State could
be induced to make a truthful
confession, there would be few
left to escape having to confess
that they made mistakes, and If
mistakes are to be held against
a man forever, giving hlm no
opportunity to profit by them,
there would be very little use
for a public man to attempt to
undo a wrong even if it IS in
his power to do so. It is ab-
surd to say that because an
error is committed there shall
be no opportunity given to
correct it.
In McLaurin's case he com.
mitted no wrong as an official,
he simply did what Gen. John
B, Gordan of Georgia and other
great men of the South did, al
lowed shrewd financial crooks
to induce HIM to put his money
into an enterprise which by
manipulation turned into a gold
brick; as far as McLaurin was
concerned South Carolina was
no party the transaction, it was
McLaurin's individual affair,
and from the tone of his letter
we imagine he has often wished
it had never been his individual
affair.
We have no assurance that
McLaurin will be a candidate
for governor, but it is conceded
that he IS a man of rare ability,
a student of state. craft, a man
who would bring credit to the
position should he be chosen,
but because in his early career
he fell out with the then leaders
and undertook to think out the
problems in his own way, there
is an element who would want
him banished. This is what we
characterize pin.head politics.
Since McLaurin retired from
politics it has been frequently
said he twas ten years ahead OF
the times, "this has proven true,
because a number of the policies
he then favored and for which
he was severely criticized, the
leaders of the Democratic party
today favor.
There is no need for the
newspapers and a certain class
of politicians to have spasms and
throw fits every time Nc
Laurin's name is mentioned TO,
governor, or when they read
one of his letters in print. He
is citizen and tax payer and
he has a right to offer his ser
vices to the people, and it is
their right to accept or reject
him without receiving permls'
sion from politicians or their
favored newspapers.
The place to meet a man who
aspires to high public position.
is on the hustings where face to
face before the electorate, he
will have an opportunity to ex'
plain any position he ever took
that the public has a right tc
know, and we venture to pre-.
dict that should John l.. Nc
Laurin decide to be a candidate
for the Office of governor the
masses will gladly hear him, and
when they do, they will return
to their homes with a greater
opinion of him than his adver'
saries will enjoy. He will con:
fuse his enemies with truth ano
eloquence.
AGAINST MURPHYSISM.
The municipal election in
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