The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-11-12
M'LAURIN Answers
REPLIES TO SENATOR TILLMANS
RECENT Open LETTER
DOES NOT TAKE ADVICE

Marlboro Senator Gives Out State
ment as to His Intended Actions
Says He, Still Has Some Affection
for His Former Colleague. but
Won't Take Stump Against Blease
In reply to the letter Of Senator
Tillman, giving the senior Senator's
views on the outcome Of the Blease
conference and the subsequent with
drawal from politics Of John L. Nc
Laurin, fc-mer United States Sena-
tor and now State Senator from
Marlboro County, Mr.. McLaurin has
issued the following:
Senator Tillman's letter is so "Till-
nanesque" that when I read it yes
terday I hardly knew whether to
laugh OF cry, cuss or pray. expect
a little Of all is in order.
He hits Blease with meat axe,
pitchforks me, ignores Smith and
spits in Simms' faea 2
I am not going to let myself loose
(if I can help it,. The situation is
too serious, for from the way I feel
and he feels, we'd be fighting in
pair Of minutes and let South Caro-
lima go to the devil, as we did before.
; T will honestly acknowledge that I
have never been able to get entirely
over an early affection for Senator
Tillman. I have said hard things
myself, but I don't like to hear other
people say one word against him. II
I had conquered and had him down,
would never have rubbed sand in
his eyes. His letter Is distinctly Of
fensive: Johnny is smart, but he is
bad boy; he sassed papa. Papa is
sorry, bat come here, Johnny: hand
me the brush; now get across my
knee; papa is going to spank you,
but il Johnny is good the balance Of
the week he, can go to the movies
Saturday." feel like saying damn,
but I'll say "Bless the Lord.
That letter discloses why I
couldn't get on with Tillnan, why
Latimer couldn't and why he and
Smith can't agree. An imperious will
that brooks no opposition. could
get on with him now; I'd laugh at
him. I used to take him and myself
too seriously. I will say, however,
that God never made a man big
enough to talk down to me. Ny rec
erd in the Senate needs no defence.
I have done the 'penance' OF the
every nearly great man., who was
too far ahead Of his time. have suf-
fered the bitter fate that comes to
all advsnced thinkers. After "pitch-
forks" are forgotten and dung
heaps" ploughed under, the State
warehouse idea, with agricultural
products as bankable asset. will give
me- a place in history, where foul
slanders and my own weaknesses are
forgotten. God has been good. do
not need an Office for my name to
live.
When Cole L. Blease stood up be-
fore eight thousand people and said
he is "good man, he would make a
good governor, he has been badly
treated by the scurrillous politicians
of South Carolina" he made per-
sonal friend that will last him after
the miserable bootlicks and syco-
phants have turned on him, like those
who used TO lick Tillman's hand and
at his bidding drove the steel into
my heart. and are now ready to drive
It into Tillman's for the favor Of an
other.
Senator Tillman has served a great
purpose. He does not need an Office
to perpetuate his fame. but he IL q
man, poor, weak clay, same as I. In
Us both Is that unperishable spark
that. after death has washed the
6-oes awav. will shine clear and
- bright. Why should he still seek to
. dim the lustre Of my star? I envy
him not the faintest ray OF his own.
I rejoice In all true greatness. and
sorrow in what is little, for are we
not all men?
God must judge between US, and
the balance He strikes shall be for
p. all eternity. long ago torgave him.
His letter shows he has never been
able to do that.
God does not expect repentance ex-
cept from the 'tnear" great. Life Is
a pose to 80 per cent. The world is
stage. Ny sense Of humor saves
me. It made me laugh to see how
utterly the public misconstrues the
true character Of both myself and
Tillman. It is the joke Of the cen
tury. :.-
Tillmen's pose from the beginning
has been bluff, brutal honesty
"Pitchfork Ben" "Give 'em hell and
rub it In He overplaved, his hand
q little. Down underneath lives the
most astute player OF the political
game that ever dealt card. The
only man without college training
that ever knew with classical edu-
cation. Under that roughness. exqui-
site literary tastes. A giant mind
that has read, digested and assimi-
lated the wisdom Of all the ages, and
' applied it to practical politics. Be
: meath buster is the subtle genius CT
a Fallyrand: he has made every man
IN South Carolina vote for him one
time or another. I laughed with him
when the Gonzales solemnly voted 1or
him last summer.
I am no politician: haven't fool
cd anybody and Tillman- has fooled
everybody except himself. I was the