Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-05-30
MeLAURIN FOR GOVERNOR
Friendly Appreciation Of Fitness Of
Senator from Marlboro.


very interesting news letter, which
surmises that Hon. John L. McLaurin
will be a candidate for governor next
year. Nothing on the subject has
come from Mr.. McLaurin, but 1t is
assumed that w. p. Beard has been
travelling about the state feeling the
sentiment OF the people to ascertain
who they would want to succeed Gov
ernor Blease, and " has found Nc
Laurin sentiment.
There is no question that Mr.. Me-
Laur.n would make a. splendid gov
ernor. He is. O statesman Of high
order, man Of affairs in the busi-
ness world, he is In close touch with
the farming interests. is we'll known;
and that he has been close student
Of their needs is also we'll known, but
the order Of the day seems to be inI
tense Gfactionalism. AS a result the
people lose sight Of qualification. We
regard a condition like the present
unfortunate,i because, when factional-
ism runs rampant over the country,
the Interests of the people are not
considered-one side looks upon the
other as enemies not to be trusted,
and 1t matters not what Is proposed
It is rejected without its merits being
thought Of.
HOW are the people to rid them
selves of such q condition? The best
way is for the men of both factions
to be honest with each other and see
to II that conservative men are Sc
lected. This was done years ago Dy
the Forty Movement that resulted In
wiping out factionalism after siege
of bitterness. Hon. John L. NC
Laurin was the inspiration or the
Forty Movement. It was he who
proposed It. and It was he who used
his then powerful influence to make
II a success, and, because or this
stand. many Of the old-timers whose
political lease OF life depended upon
keeping the people apart, and In
state of frenzy, conspired to bring
about his political destruction and
drive him from the arena by raising
the false cry Of commercialism, tnere-
by impressing the unthinking with the
idea that McLaurin had gone over TO
the Republicans because he advocated
ideas which were not born OF poiiti-
cal expediency. but OF sound states
manship. The very theories then ad-
yocated by him, and for which he
was mathematical by every small
politician throughout the state, are
today, the strong planks In the plat
form Of the leaders Of the Democrat
ic party in congress. Leader Under
wood believes Just as McLaurin as
serted-the only way to give to the
American people, especially the cot
ton growers Of the south, a just
showing for the transportation Of their
products, Is for the government to en-
courage the building OF American
ships to take to the high seas and
carry American products In competi-
ton with foreign vessels. McLaurin
as student, foresaw this country's
unequal opportunities. that the south
land was great sufferer from trans
portation facilities, because Of being
practically q one crop country with
its moving facilities monopolized.
He endeavored to arouse congress
to come to the rescue Of this south
ern industry, and have the govern
ment to subsidize American ships the
same as did Germany and England,
whose ocean carriers by this advan-
tage, had driven the Stars and Stripes
from competition, thereby placing
this product of the south In the grasp
of the transcontinental railroads, and
the subsidized foreign ships 1t was
this kind Of statesmanship which
caused him to retire from the politi-
cal field. He knew his enemies were
in the saddle, they had the machinery,
and 1t would have been folly to have
at that time, gone before the people
to. defend his course In congress.
Today, however, while there Is O.
different kind Of fractional diversion,
yet the state Is divided up between
two opposing factions, as intensely
bitter as the divisions created In 1880.
Whether the coming. contest next year
will have a man who both sides can
centre upon with purpose to wipe
out factional division remains TO DE
seen. For the task Of undertaking
such q desired result we know OF no
one better qualified than John l. Nc
Identified with either Of the contend
ing factions last year that aroused
such intense feeling, and SO far, 1t has
never been said who he voted Tor,
whether Jones or Blease, but his per-
sonal vote was about all Of the sup
port he gave. He was not In active
politics then, but exercised his right
of citizenship-to vote as he saw ht,
without Questioning the rights OF oth-
ers. The death of the senator from
Marlboro, a splendid man, caused the
progressive people Of the country to
seek for q representative who would
be honor to such q county, county
known the world over as the champion
cotton grower, and which stands at
the top In the educational column.
They called upon John L. McLaurtn
to come out from his retirement to
take the place. When he consented,
1t was with the understanding ne
would after his own ideas make an
effort to construct such legislation
which will be Of help to the farming
interests, and the first move made by
him was an effort to get South Caro-
lima to commit herself to the policy
Of giving sanction to a warehouse
plan by which certificates could be
used to bring about a cheaper rate
of interest, and by a means OF hold
ing, and managing the market OF the
product, the farmers would be profit
ed against frenzied speculation. The
measure he introduced Is still pend
ing Opposition to 1t developed from
a source that might have defeated
1t in the past session, and therefore
he preferred to let 1t go over until
the coming session to give the gem
eral assembly full time to study It's
provisions, so as to be In position
to combat the vagaries Of political
antagonism which is sure to arise
from men whose caliber does find
receptacle for statesmanship or busi-
ness principles. u l8.
We have no idea whether Mr.. Nc
Laurin will consent to stand for the
nomination. II he does, we are sure
he will not wish to be designated as
a factional candidate, we think this
because Of the broadness Of the man,
and his ideas Of craftsmanship.
Should he consent to stand for the
nomination he will have as his sup
porters, men Of all vocations in life.
He will especially appeal to that ele-
ment of our citizenship that is looking
for some one to be placed at the head
of the government who will endeayor
to do things for the public welfare
Manning Times.