The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-02-24

ed the statement that, i would
vote to impeach McLaurin."
Senator Sharpe of Lexington,
arose very slowly, and asked, in
a loud, clear voice, "Did I under
stand the gentleman to say tlat
he would vote to impeach Nc
Laurin?" "Yes," was the reply
of Senator Evans. Then Senator
Sharpe asked, MAY I inquire
upon what grounds?" Senator
Evans stopped a moment and
said, For nothing
EHThe debate was adjourned at
II p. m.. and was resumed next
day by Senator J. Arthur Banks
of Calhoun, who made one of
the clearest and strongest
speeches heard upon the floor of
the senate in recent years. Sen.
ator Banks said, in part:
Il am admonished by the
friends of this measure to per-
nit it to come to vote without
further discussion; but I cannot
get my consent, even though it
be in the interest of the bill, to
have the discussion ended, with
out first defending the friend of
my boyhood against the charges
which have been made on the
floor of this senate. I will defend
the brave, big.brained, big-soul-
ed, and generous-spirited Ware
house Commissioner, John l..
McLaurin. 1t is his brain which
gave birth to the greatest piece
of constructive legislation which
this general assembly has wit
messed since my connection with
it.
"The charge made against
him by the senator from Oar.
lington that the people of South
Carolina have no confidence in
him is not in harmony with what
the records show. Where, in
the light of McLaurin's public
record in this State, can there
be found justification for the
charge that ''the people have no
confidence in him?" Did he not
serve the State of South Caro-
lima ably as her attorney gener:.
al? Did he not represent her
with ability in the congress of
the United States elected by the
votes. of the people of this State
to every Office to which he has
aspired? Can any of his ira
ducers point to a single instance
where he has failed to receive
the commentator of the people
of the State when he has asked
for it? More than that, did not
the representatives of the peo.
pie in the general assembly Of
South Carolina last October ex-
press their confidence in him by
electiug him to the position
which he now occupies. Yes;
they elected him to that position
unsought by him, because they
realized that he was the only
man who could carry into effec.
tive operation the warehouse
system, which was the child of
his own brain. Can anyone
point to a single act OF his which
would justify such attacks as
have been made upon him by
the senator from Darlington?
sit has not been repeated on
the floor of the senate, but the
charge has been made in the
State House that ''the State
warehouse system reeks with
politics. because the warehouse
commissioner appointed a pri-
vate secretary of Governor
BIease to the position OF secre'
tary OF this warehouse depart
ment. Would you charge the
state warehouse commissioner
with playing politics if he had
appointed the secretary of the
present governor to this posi-
tion? More than that-While be
appointed Jno. K. Aull as the
secretary of the commission,
there are two other officials
whom he appointed-the deputy
warehouse commissioner and the
State warehouse inspector, J. G.
L. White and J. A. Drake-rep-
resentiug politics in opposition
to the political faith of the Sec
retary. If the state warehouse
;o&o~1oI ~