The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1913-11-05
WOULD HAVE M'LAURIN
PRESERVE THE STATE
Tillman Thinks Old Oppo.
nent Equal 60 Situation.
ISSUES LETTER ON
M'LAURlN STATEMENT
Tillman DiscIaims Paternity of Blease-
ism and Charges that Blease has
Stolen from Him the "OId Time Till
man Thunder. Says Sims has End
ed an Anarchist.

Washington, Nov 2.-Discussing
the announcement made a day or two
ago by Former Senator John L. Nc
Laurin that he would not become
candidate for governor of South Car
oline in the primary of next year, and
denominating this statement as the
swan song" Of a very brilliant man
who failed to be a very great man,
and declaring further that he disowns
being the father of Bleaseism Sena-
tor b. r. Tillman today gave the
press an Interesting story concerning
these matters.
Il read in the South Carolina papers
this, morning" said Senator Tillman,
"McLaurin's farewell address or state
ment withdrawing from the governors
race and bidding adieu to politics for
ever. 1t is Il pathetic utterance-pa-
thetic because it is the swan song of
a very brilliant man, who failed to be
very great man because he lacked
the moral fibre to always be true to
rather than allow ambition and selfish
ness to warp him. His life, in a way,
is sermon which young men every
where ought 10 take to heart. Moth
in the States history is more la
'ncntable. If he had only been true
10 the Tillmanism to which he says
he was converted in 1890, he would
be in the United States senate now
and would be an ornament to it.
Two Things He Denies.
McLaurin says, 1t is the irony of
fate that | who suffered most injustice
from Tillman personally should now
be the sole defender of Tillmanism'
There are two things about this
statement upon which | desire to com
mrnt. | never did have any personal
i'll will towards John L.. McLaurin,
and have none now. | denounced him
in the senate because / believed he
was a traitor to the people of the
State who had sent him there. The
people were convinced that my charge
was true and have sustained it when
ever they had an opportunity
when he says he is the sole de-
fender OF Tilmanism' he means
among those Bleaseites to whom he
was speaking He, of course, knows
there are tens Of thousands OF Till
nantes some OF whom voted for and
some against Gov. Blcase last year,
who have never wavered in their adj
herence to 1illmanism as they under
stand it, and as he now understands it,
"Mr. Charles Carroll Sims out
heroded Herod in this Bleaseism, pro-
claiming that it is higher than Till
manism. He illustrates Byron's coup-
let:
"'He stood foe with ali the zeal
Which young and fiery converts feel
"He is no doubt as sincere in his
Bleaseism now as he was in his Has
kellism in 1890. He never under
stood Tillmanism at all Inheriting
a grand name, he thought he was an
ar.istocrat and has ended by becom-
into the governors Office on dema-
gogy. Truly, politics does make
strange bedfellows,' and if the Till
nantes who deserted me last year on
account of Blease vote for Sims for
governor it will be remarkable trans
formation. 1t will only show how little
wisdom or reason governs their ac-
tions.
Something to Admire.
There are some things about Nc
Laurin's statement that are very ad-
mirable, and ! say now that for the
first time since I denounced him on
the floor of the senate believe he has
at last become a patriot and wants to
do the state all the service ne can
during the balance of his life. OF
course he PLAYED politics so long
and used diplomacy so much that
even now he can not drop the role all
at once. I have felt heretofore that
he was trying to come back into poll