The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-08-07
A STRUGGLE FOR RIGHT.
REAL MEANING OF PROGRESS
IVEISM IN POLITICS.
True Politician is He Who Seeks the
Advancement of His Fellows,
Rather Than Himself.

llOu, easily lLe ulOSl SlllhAi oCNClOp-
ment at Filbert last Friday, was in
that portion of Senator McLaurin's S
address which undertook to explain
the significance of Progressiveness in
politics. The speech was remarkable
in that it was different from anything
of a political nature that has been
previously heard from a South Caro-
lima rostrum. Here is what the
speaker had to say on the subject:
Fellow Citizens:
l am not here to talk politics
further than what is in accord with
the relation which every good citizen
bears to his fellow man. Nor am
here, (as often heralded,) as the
evangel of a new dispensation, either
religious or political.
l want to talk about cotton, for
have an extract from the New York
World, showing how Congressman
Ragsdale and Henry of Texas, have
the new currency bill held up, trying
to amend it. so as to embrace every
principle contained in the warehouse
bill, which is now on the calendar of
the state senate. They are having a
hard fight against intrenched privil-
ege, but sooner or later, the volume
Of money must be made to bear it's
true relation to the products for ex-
change.
1t has become a common thing to
sneer at men who feel called upon to
follow a public career as 'politi-
cians." The word has come to mean
to thousands, a low, dirty intriguer
with no ambition save the promotion
of his personal interests. The only
statesmen are dead politicians. AS
long as one is alive he is surrounded
by the fires of hate and suspicion-a
center for the attack of harpies, who
care nothing for the welfare of the
people they pretend to serve. So
many men have small ability coupled
with vaulting ambition: these can
protect nothing, and only rise by pull
ing others down, and pointing out
the defects of any plan that does not
include the promotion of their am
bition.
A gang of wolves, when one of
their number is wounded, always
stops long enough to devour their
brother, then give tongue in pursuit
of fresh prey. These men are not
politicians, they are human wolves,
ever crouching in terror at the feet
of power, but ready at any moment
to turn and drink the heart blood,
while licking the hand of the master.
The true politician is called of God,
as much as he who eXpounds His holy
word: he battles for his fellow man
through good and evil report; he suf-
fers the sings and arrows of vituper-
alton; if in human weakness he fall
ters and mistakes the road he hears
through the dark hours the voice call
ing and rises, girds up his loins and
presses on; he bears with patience
and forgiveness the doubt and sus-
picion of those for whom he would
gladly give his life, and like the Man
of God, he has no reward except in
the next world. well done, thou
good and faithful servant" You old
er men know the conditions that ex-
listed twenty years ago, and all of
you know them as they exist today.
There have been tremendous changes
for the better. How have they been
brought about? By men who fought
error in spite of popular clamor, who
pointed out the way of progress, with
no thought of it's effect on personal
or political fortunes.
You remember that greatest of all
popular movements the Farmers
Alliance, with it's hated and desplsed
sub-treasury plank. Today a presl-
dent and congress is trying to devise
a currency reform based upon this
very principle A government COM
mission is travelling Europe, study
ing the system of agricultural credits
abroad, and that all the sub-treasury
meant with a view of making the
products of the farm a basis of cred
it. Every one of the great leaders of
the Alliance went down under the
load of abuse. many of them broken
hearted. Yet today the speeches of
PETER, Polk, Tom Watson and Sock
less" Jerry Simpson, read like pro-
phecies. Their work was not in vain,
even though others reap where they
sowed We older men remember
how sweet those doctrines sounded
and how just and right.
You remember how the entire rep
resentation in congress from South