The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-08-06
Real Meaning of Progressiveism in Politics.
SENATOR McLAURN ON SUPREME ISSUE.
True Politician Who Seeks the Advancement of His Fellows
Rather Than the Promotion Of His Own InterestsA that
Good in Government Easily Identified Having Orisi
mated With Almighty Cod.

Leaving all politics out of the
question. easily the most strik
ing development at Filbert last
Friday, was in that portion OF
Senator McLaurin's ad dress
which undertook to explain the
significance of Progressiveness
in politics. The speech was re-
markable in that it was different
from anything of a political ma
ture that has been previously
heard from South Carolina ros-
trum. Here is what the speaker
had to say on the subject:
Fellow Citizens:
| ain 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 I here, las often
heralded, as the evangel of a new
dispensation, either religious Or
political.
I want to talk about cotton, for
I have an extract from the New
York World, showing how Con-
gressman 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 hav-
ing hard fight against intrench-
ed privilege, but sooner or later,
the volume Of money must be
made to bear it's true relation to
the products for exchange.
1t has become a common thing
to sneer at men who feel called
upon to follow a public career as
"politicians." The word has come
to mean to thousands, low,
dirty intriguer with no ambition
save the promotion of his per-
sonal interests. The only states.
men are dead politicians. AS
long as one is alive he is sur
rounded by the fires of hate and
suspicion-a center for the at
tack of harpies, who care moth
ing for the welfare of the people
they pretend to serve. So many
men have small ability coupled
with vaultlng am bition; these can
protect nothing, and only rise by
pulling others down, and point
ling out the defects of any plan
that does not include the promo
tion of their ambition.
A gang of wolves, when one of
their number is wounded, always
stops long enough to devour their
brother. then give tongue in pur-
suit Of fresh prey. These men
are not politicians they are hu-
man wolves, ever crouching in
terror at the feet of power, but
ready at any moment to turn and
drink the heart blood. while lick
ing the hand of the master.
The trne 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 suffers the slings
and arrows of vituperation: if in
human weakness he 1alters and
m / $ kes the road he hears
through the dark hours tn e
voice calling and rises: girds up
his loins and presses on; he bears
with patience and forgiveness
the doubt and suspicion 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
older men, know the conditions
that existed twenty years ago:
and all of you know them as they
exist today. There have been
tremendous changes for the bet
ter. 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 its effect on
personal or political fortunes.
You remember that greatest
of all popular movements, the
Farmers Alliance. with it's hated
and despised sub treasury plank.
Today a president and congress
is trying to devise currency re
form based upon this very prin.
ciple. A government commission
is travelling Europe, studying
the system of agricultural credits
abroad, and tnat all the sub
treasury meant with view of
making the products of the farm
a basis of credit. 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
''Sockless" Jerry Simpson. read
like prophecies. Their work was
not in vain, even though others
reap where they sowed. We old
er men, remember how sweet
those doctrines sounded and how
just and right.
You remember how the entire
representation in congress from
South Carolina, on all financial
questions: were pledged to stand
bv these demands and not the