The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-02-21
Have Been Fast Friends Secretly for
Some Time-Handshakin Episode
in Columbia Was First Open Decla-
ration of their Truce-Political
Gossip of Real Significance.
Bennettsville News.

Peace between Blease and Mayor
Grace of Charleston openly declared"
Is the headline of Charleston pa
per. With the open declaration Of
friendship between Senator Ben Till
man and State Senator John l.. Nc
Laurin Of Bennettsvilla at Columbia
/ few days ago, this last treaty of
peace completes the circle and the
! big four" are now fast friends. The
political significance of these va
rious items during the past week can
readily be appreciated by the rank
and file Of citizens in Marlboro coun.
~, but anyone who thinks that Nc
Laurin and Tillman have not been the
pest OF friends for some time should
change this opinion as the two men
have in the past year or two ex-
changed some Very pleasant letters
and the closest friendship existed be-
tween them, although not publicly il
may be said. However, that this
friendship was rot made manifest
publicly is merely because no occasion
arose to bring about an open declara-
ton.
1T is said in Washington that Till
man was early assured by mail from
! Senator McLaurn that this asylum
letter" OF Tihmans which fell into the
| hands of Governor Blease, would
prove nothing more than "a. tempest
in teapot" insofar as Tillman and
Tillman's interests were concerned.
That Tillman has been just as ready
! to shake hands with McLaurin az the
latter was to extend the same cour-
tesy is frankly acknowledged by the
intimate friends of both men. In
fact Tillman wouldn't object right at
this moment, it is believed, to seeing
the Bennettsville man return to the
United States senate. There have
been vague rumors in circulation
about the State within the past two
weeks that John l.. McLaurin may
run for the United States senate 1t
is intimated that this information
comes from reliable sources How
ever shrewd politicians consider this
statement as more or less significant
and worthy Of consideration.
Possibly Gov. Blease's disinclina-
IN a..
due primarily to McLaurin's declara-
ton of independence issued some
few months ago to the effect that if
he wore anybody's collar it would be
his own. Anyway, Gov. Blease and
Mcl-aurin are now the closest friends
, and there is little question but what
biease would like to see McLaurin
the next governor Of South Carolina
Some say that McLaurin is simply
biding his time, because he does not
care to get into the governors race
and is not willing to enter the sem
atorial contest against Blease. How
ever, it is regarded as certain that if
anything should happen to Tillman,
Blease would designate McLaurin at
once to fill out tn unexpired term Of
office
Now comes a new bombshell in the
political camps of State wise acres.
1t is given out that Tillman is so en-
phatically opposed to Blease and the
latter's aspirations as regards seat
in the United States senate, that he
Is willing to join forces with McLaur-
In and one or two others to start
statewide and vigorous campaign
this year with McLaurin and others
on the stump against Blease to de-
feat the latter and Bleaseism in order
to thWart the governors aim to land
in Washington. Blease evidently fears
such a combination OF forces it is
said for politically no doubt Tillman
and McIaurin, if they took the stump
in South Carolina, aided by other
forces of national fame who have
been antagoniscd by Gov. Blease's
declarations and criticisms of presi-
dent Wilson. would sweep the Pal
motto State With such strong wave
Of public sentiment as to bury Cole
l.. Bleasc two feet deep under pOIiti-
cal oblivion.
1t Is further stated that should
BlcaSc gain the aaccndcnrN and enter
the United States senate TilHman
would resign and ask the people of
south Carolina to put McLaurin in
there To hold Bleslse down. However.
don't lose sight Of this fact. If Nc
L-aurin and Tilman join forces
against Blease and get the co-opera-
ton Of the Wilson administration in
sending down here the ablest ram