The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-02-23

Caroline hI3 cutie rs powerful ant
'''ci'e pen IS Joan =. McLaurin
AS letters alc more effective than
-" "?"tc.ieS--@ni his ability OF the
tailp Is We'll known. 4 number OF
'"'S ago he wrote n letter that put
% many Aln..s into the political am
pltlohs OF John Gary Evans that he
Ma" h''cf bccn able TO Get them all
cut III that letter, referring to the
enort OF Evans to be q second Till
man, he dubbed it the "saueak of the
squeedunk attempting the masque-
rade as the blast of the bugle" That
letter made political history in South
Carolina. Evans has never vet been
able to set over its effect.
Recently McLaurin has becn in
dulging in some more cpistolary con-
tribut!Ons to the politics of Soutb
Carolina. The letters have at leas,
been very readable, but it is too carIv
yet to gauge their effect. The OBJ
influence the Democrats of the State
to believe that neither Tillman nor
Blease ought to be given the nomi-
nation for United States senator thi;
summer. That purpose was stated.
OF course, a politician is always be-
lieved to have an ulterior as we'll as
an expressed motive and there has
naturally been speculation as t.
what selfish purpose McLaurin had
to serve in the writing of the letter
that have recently appeared in the
newspapers of the State over his sig
nature.
BY the writing of that squeak Of
the sQueedunk" letter he made politi-
cal as we'll as personal enemies, but
'here were those who thought it
served n good purpose and so he
made political friends that were of
value to him in his senatorial candi-
dacy in 1897.
BY his recent letters he has lost
friends and made enemies That is
undoubtedly true. II is also true
that he has lost enemies and made
friends. 1t cannot be said now on
which side of the ledger the balance
stands
He says that his only object in
writing the letters was to serve the
state and that nc has no personal
desire to hold office unless it be clear
that by holding Office he can serve
The State and that there is q real de-
mand for him to hold office. The only
test as to such demand would be
candidacy.
But, for what should he he n can
didate? There arc not few who
admit his shortcomings and yet
think that there is no man in the
State better qualified than he for SER
vice IS governor at the present time.
when t@%cs are soaring and there is
peculiar need for constructive states
manship and real leadership. Yet
feel under obligations TO vote for
Cooper this summer because they
have the idea that he saved Man
nin8's bacon two years ago After
having denied the fitness OF Blease
To be United States senator, he could
hardly win the guberna torial nomi-
nation unless he got in the first pri-
mary majority OF the votes oc
those who do not want to see Blcasa
IN the United States senate. But
the question would be, can he take
those votes away from Cooper?
Among those who would feel under
obligations to support Cooper for
governor ana who are opposed to
blease and not very friendly to Till
man there is a growing desire tina
McIaurin should enter the senatoria
race. They admit that he could give
better service as governor than as
United States senator at this time
when all that is asked Of a senator in
Washington is his vote. Eut, they arc
afraid that If the senatorial race be
confined to Tillman and Rlease, the
CORNER being admittedly unable to
take the stump. that Blease will win
out. They say that McLaurin is
amply qualified to meet Blease on the
stump.
1T is a tangled up situation, very
Interesting to Il student of politics
who has no binding partisan feeling
To make him see no possibility Of any
outcome contrary to his partisan de-
%,ros The probability is that Nc
luurin Will not be a candidate for