The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-11-22
M'LAUR|N LETTER GIVEN PRESS
MARLBORO SENATOR SAYS HE
WILL HELP IN MORAL
AWAKENING.
Believes He Could BE of Service to
State i'm Establishment of Ware
house System, Refunding State
Debt and Preventing Split i'm White
People.

Columbia, Nov. Ex-senator John
l.. McLaurin in making his reply to
senator Tillman's suggestion that he
take the stump and help fight Blease-
ism stated that before either Cover
nor Blease or Senator Tillman had
made statements on his withdrawal
from politics he had written letters to
friends telling them what he was
willing to do and stating that his
friends could give out the letter for
publication if they wished.
A letter received this morning at
the News and Courier Bureau from
b. F. McLendon, in Hartsville, en-
closed copy of letter written Mr..
McLendon by Senator McLaurin. and
it is supposed to be the one he was
talking about. II state to you the de-
liberate opinion that factionalism
cannot be safely pushed to greater ex-
tent" says the senator in this letter.
The senator in giving his reasons
for. Withdrawing from politics said
that he was willing TO serve the peo-
pie and that he could be of some ser
vice to the State in connection with a
State warehouse system. He says that
he is willing to respond to help on a
moral awakening in the political world
and has received many letters along
this line.
His letter in full follows:
MY Dear Baxter: Both of your
letters received. / briefly acknowl-
edge No 1 and will now reply more
at length to No. 2.
Il know that you were surprised
at the statement that 1 made about
retiring from politics, but you remem-
ber that 1 had not said that I would
be candidate for office, only that I
was willing to respond to a call from
the people.
Il believed that could be of some
service to this State in connection
with a State warehouse system, re-
funding the State debt and preventing
threatened split in our white peo-
pie.
These are the motives that impell-
ed me to make SO many speeches and
to attend a conference, not for the
purpose of selecting a governor, but
to control the next Democratic State
convention and prevent the constitu-
ti"nal restrictions designed to SUBJ
jusate the negro in the general elec-
ton, being used in the primary to dis
franchise white men and place them
on the same political basis as the me-
gro.
You life work calls you into close
contact with our factory and agri-
cultural population. 1t is grand
work and 1 am sure you will agree
with me that all classes Of society need
tighter conception of the rights and
duties of citizenship. Your influence
and example sways the course and in
f1uences the minds of thousands of
people in this State.
Il state to you the deliberate opin-
ion that factionalism cannot be safe
ly pushed To greater extent.
Last year we came near a split and
If the storm breaks loose again no
man can control it. Is it not wise to
stop moment and see what it is all
about? Is not returning good for evil
good rule in politics? 1 think so.
The majesty and power of it is great
everywhere.
"A moral awakening in the political
world is sorely needed. You cannot
regulate primaries and legislate away
bribery, too. That must come
through arousing the minds and con-
sciences of men.
MY dear Baxter, you teach men
that they are brothers in the church.
L am trying to teach them that they
are brothers in the State. And l am
Just as willing to serve the people i'm
my way as you are in yours You
are right in saying that no good citi-
zen can refuse to serve the State in
any capacity. ] only refuse to play
the role of office seeker. | did not
know nor am ! prepared to yet believe
that there is such demand for my
services as you seem to think. If L
did / would not hesitate one moment
as to my course. l have received
many letters like yours, but one can
easily be mistaken about these things.
As ever your friend.
John l.. McLaurin.
"Bennettsville, $. c."