Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1916-09-21
Letter Addressed to
Arthur Banks EX-
plains COntempla-
ted Course.
SUPPORTED. BLEASE
AGAINST MANNING
Says Governor Has Views Other Than
His for Future Of Storage
System-EnumerateS Some
il His Achievements.

John l.. McLaurin, i'll letter aG
dressed to j. Arthur Banks Of st. Mat
thews, copies OF which were dlstribu-
ted to the press Saturday, says that he
will shortly resign as state warehouse
commissioner. The commissioner, Ill
seven typed sheets, comments Oh his
purpose as follows:
1T is my desire to retire as State
warehouse commissioner, and this Is
to advise you that will tender my
resignation to the governor at an carry
date. My purpose is to give you al
opportunity to take such action as you
may deem wise to secure a capable
man as my successor.
Il have established the system, 50
far as have gone, on firm founda-
ton; we are taking in new houses
nearly every day, and, i'll spite OF the
high price Of cotton, it would astOnlsh
you to know how much is being stored.
The present State administration IA
yors retaining the system on its pres
ent basis, while l favor its develop
ment upon broader lines. l can not
succeed with opposition from the State
administration.
Admits Achievements.
Another reason why l wish to re-
tire is that / am tired Of public life.
Twenty-Five years ago, when l went to
Washington, found negroes in nearly
III o. the poStoffces, and our people
were restless and resentful under this
condition Of affairs 1t finally cul-
minated in the burning of postmas-
ter in this State and in Mississippi, and
had there not been change there Is
no telling what might have occurred.
l set myself to work with the deter
mination that, no matter what the cost
was to me personally, L would remeu!
this condition Of affairs. The ON!
way to do it was to gain the respect
and confidence Of those i'll authority,
and make them see what was right.
Personally it did me no good, and was
a great burden, but the benefit was
not confined to South Carolina. The
policy which l succeeded i'll getting
Mckinley to inaugurate, and Roosevelt
to carry OH, was extended to every
Southern State, and has practicall!
settled the negro question so far as
politics is concerned. My reward WAS
the charge on the floor Of the senate
by my colleague that l had sold out
for patronage. / advocated the prln-
ciple Of ship subsidy for all American
merchant submarine, and pointed out
then what would happen to the South
if there was ever European war. L
was the first man in high public Office
in this State to point out and oppose
the Democratic party following MI
Bryan in his erroneous views on Il
nance. Read the platform Of the
party today and see whether my views
have prevailed or not.
I'm the present campaign there was
not a candidate for governor i'll the
field who suited me. l begged you 10
run on the industrial issue, and Of
fered to run for governor myself if
you would run for lieutenant govern
or. When it was narrowed down to
BleaSe and Manning, | supported
Blease, and would do so again under
similar circumstances, because ] knew
that l could develop the warehouse
system and secure rural credits
measure with BleaSe and that | could
never move a peg with Manning.
When 1 made up my mind to fight for
Blease l did not do it i'll half heart
ed way. and l believe right now that
If 1 had not got sick and had to spend
a month in the hospital but could
have continued my canvass Of this
State, that We would have won the
fight on the first ballot. However,
what is to be will be-, and am not
crying over split milk.
Archbold Correspondence.
Senator Tillman refers to letter
I wrote Mr.. Archbold, which he cOn-
strues into asking for Il campaign
contribution, when he and l resigned
to fight it out 20 years ago. l have
explained in the public prints the cir
cumstances under which this letter
was written, and so long as my CON
science is clear | care little what any
one else thinks of me. | might re-
ply to Senator Tillman by calling at
tention to charges of corruption
against him, which he has not and
can never satisfactorily explain. This
/ will not do, because he can not
help acting as he did in this cam