The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-01-20
MIR. MCLAURIN's RESIGNATION

o ~A~~So VI representatives Vas
exactly right In voting down the reso-
luton asking John L. McI4aurin to
withdraw his resignation as State
Cotton Warehouse Commissioner. Mr..
NcIAurin was elcted to this position
by n legislature that contained a very
large majority OF anti -Blease men,
end was reelected for an additional
term Of two years. that did not ex-
pire until 1913. by q legislature sim
'larly controlled by anti-Blease men.
The men who elected him rose above
partisanship and gave him opportun-
ity that he asked for to establish the
State Warehouse System. They took
him at his word when he pledged
himself to make the system q busi-
ness organization and to keep Il and
himself out Of politics. HowIhe kept
his pledge In a matter Of record. But
notwithstanding Mr.. McLaurin's fail
ure to keep his promise to stay out O..
politics. there has been no movement
TO oust him from the position to which
kc was reelected lest year. There
Deems to have been general agree
ment that he should be permitted to
serve out his term and given, not only
a free hand to work out his plans for
the development of the warehouse
system. but the substantial coope,a-
ton Of all OF those who want a state
controlled and supervised system of
warehouses. Instead of there being
. demand for Mr.. McI.aurln's resig-
nation or a threat -so-Aaxe hssn ,a1at
out bsfors the expiration Of his term.
Mr.. NcLAurin has been threatening to
resign and leave the System and the
State OF South Carolina to their fate
every time things did not 60 to suit
him. He has reminded us OF the
peevish and contentious little girl who
IN always threatening to quit playing
and take her rag dolls and go homo
when the other children object to
her being the autocrat of the play
ground. II Mr. .McIaur.n wants to
quit. let him resign and be done with
IL. Let him take his rag dolls and
20 home. -
We have consistently held to
the position that Mr.. McLaurin
should be retained as Warehouse Com
missioner, after having been placed
In that position and having accom-
plished good work in inauglrating the
system, but We do not believe he
should be begged to retain a job that
he eagerly sought In the first instance.
II he is as anxious to serve the peo-
people Of South Carolina as he ana
his partisans assert. II he and they
are so confident that he is the only
man In the State that can save the
Warehouse System and the farmers
OF South Carolina, IL he Is the big
hearted. broad-minded, brave and un-
terrified patriot that he himself has
told us he Is. then ne would not resign
the position which he says Is so i'm
portant to the people. He not only
would not resign. but would not be
put out without fight becoming a
man OF grit and purpose. II he had
had the back bone to make a fight,
We would have supported him, in
spite OF his very Objectionable politics
and his childish love of praise and
fiattery. for the reason that he had
already accomplished considerable
good by his management of the ware
house system. under adverse condi-
tlons and should be given a fair
chance to carry his plans to compile
tion. But We would never beg any
officer to recall a threat to resign.