Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-12-08
WASHINGTON and new YORK
Random Notes Of Recent Trip to
Northeast.
NOTICsABLY DULL In ALL QUARTERS

NOTICEABLY DULL In ALL QUARTERS
A Round Among Treasury Officials and
Big Business-Sunday In Central
Park-The Crowds On New York
Streets-varied Observations Based
On Impressions BY tho Way.
Written for Yorkville Enquirer.
Because so many readers Of The En-
quirer have been kind enough to tell
me of the pleasure they derived
through reading my stories Of previous
trips to the north, I will assume that
they will be disappointed II I fail to tell
them about this last one. or course
there was a great deal to be seen, as
much as heretofore; but having been
over the general ground, and having
written Of the same scenes and incl
dents before, I am at somewhat more
loss this time to decide just what will
likely prove Of the greatest interest to
the largest number of readers, and be-
cause Of the large amount Of ground to
be covered, will necessarily have to
ramble some.
Before we get we'll into the story let
it be understood that this trip was or
different character from the previous
trips. My purpose Of going north on
previous occasions was purely pleasure,
and this time it was strictly business.
There was more business to 1t than l
realized. I went on the invitation OF
my friend, Senator McLaurin, state
warehouse commissioner, and although
he had given me to understand In ad-
vance that there was serious work
ahead, l confess did not take it In at
the time. l was to learn that later He
promised a pleasant and profitable
time, to be sure, and there Is no deny
ing that he made good; but the work
and such mixture as
there was Of pleasure with business
was hardly worth mentioning.
AS to the business side Of the trip, l
am at liberty to say what l like; but l
do not feel warranted in saying a great
deal I was present at all business con-
ferences in the treasury department at
Washington, and with bankers and in
surance people in New York, and |
think 1 fully understand the nature Of
it all. There is no question Of the fact
that everything that was said and done
was in the interest and in behalf
of the cotton producers Of South Car
olina. That was what Mr.. McLaurin
was working for and can say that he
got about all that he expected, which
was considerable, but he did not get all
he wanted. The problems with which
he is contending are business problems.
The only way he can get anything for
the farmers more than they have, is to
take 1t away from somebody else: The
other fellow who has that which the
cotton producers ought to have, Is not
willing to give it up like taking candy
from a baby. In fact everybody who
has any business advantage Of any
kind is inclined to hold on to that ad-
vantage. Nobody seems to understand
that fact better than Mr.. McLaurin,
so his trip was not begging trip. 1t
was more like a cunning trip. and from
some Of the things he did, l am inclin-
ed to think he came pretty near get
ting blood. I am quite sure he forced
certain concessions; but as 1 have sug-
gested, it will not do to tell the whole
story. 1t might result in making GER
tain hostile interests wise before plans
have been fully matured and that would
not be prudent. Then again, all the re-
sponsibility in this game rests upon
Mr.. McLaurin, and l prefer to leave it
to him to give out or hold back things
as he sees proper.
&&A
The business in Washington was
principally in the treasury department.
OF course, the reader understands In a
general way, how difficult 1t Is for the
average individual to get an interview
with the high up officials here. In eight
cases out of ten the official is not in to
the caller and in the other case the
caller gets a polite explanation as to
how it is impossible for him to get what
he wants. But Mr.. McLaurin reached
the people he wanted to reach, told
them what he wanted to tell them, and
got an accurate understanding Of their
views, which were uniformly favorable.
But the Washington end Of the busi-
ness, while important, was only part
of it. There was business to be trans
acted in New York, and the success Of
the New York negotiations depended to
a large extent on the Washington end
not absolutely, Of course; but the two
needed to be considered in connection.
And some good work was done in both
places.
One thing that impressed me in
Washington, Baltimore and New York,
was the general dullness, as compared
with former visits Washington is at it's
busiest only when congress is In ses-
sion; but the difference Is not so very
marked, comparatively speaking, at
other times. There was no particular
dullness noticeable in the city as COM
pared with the same season in ordinary
towns. In Baltimore, however, / was
struck with the large number of ito
rent signs in the business as well as in
the residence part Of the city, and the
same thing was noticeable in New
York. 1 have been on lower Broadway
in the financial district" Of New York,
in the summer time, and found 1t diff
ficult to squeeze through the hurrying
throngs at any time Of the day. The
traffic on the streets Is now far less
than in the summer time. One has lit
tie difficulty in going or coming, and
the street crossing policemen seem to
have little to do except late in the aft
ernoons when the throngs from the fac
tories, offices and workshops are leav-
ing for their homes.