The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1918-02-13
Mr.. BROWNING AND THE
SENATORIAL RACE

Mcssrs. w. w. Scott, H. Kelley, Asa
Hall, Jr., and II. Clinton Summers, of
the Anderson legislative delegation:
Gentlemen:
l see in the press of February 3 a
letter from you to Senator John l..
McLaurin, withdrawing your endorse
ment OF him as candidate for gov
crnor, you alleging as your reason
that he has deserted the principles of
the Reform party Of this state. This
letter of yours is evidently intended
as reply to his open letter of some
Us before.
You accuse him of being a traitor
to the principles Of the Reform party
of this state, yet in his letter he de-
clares he is anxious to perfect the
warehouse system, whereby the mid
die man would be eliminated and the
cotton producer and the cotton con.
sumer would deal directly with each
other, at a minimum of cost Do you
not believe that this system would an
nually saev to the cotton planters
millions Of dollars? If you do not be-
ileve this, why have you advocated
1T! McLaurin evidently is sincere in
his advocacy. We're you simply play
ing politics and hoping by advocating
the warehouse system, to tie to your
charlot wheel one of the profoundest
thinkers and most eloquent debaters
not only of this state, but of the ma
ton?
Do you think our insurance laws
are perfect? Do you not realize that
the insurance rates in this state arc
excessive? And if you have The well
lar OF the people at heart, why do
you repudiate man who has evolved
plan whereby our people would be
saved enormous sums for fire protcc-
ton? This money leaves our state,
never to return, but goes to enrich
other sections. Why not keep it at
home? 1t can be done with McLaurin
as governor, yet you say he deserted
the Reform party.
DO you not wish a reform 'of our
primary election system, so that every
man can vote according to his honest
convictions, without fear Of intimida-
ton! Then do you noc want these
ballots honestly counted? | am un~
der the impression that this is one of
the tencts of the Reform party, as
we'll as of all other honest men in
the state. If you favor them, why
DO you now repudiate McLaurin? For
SO does he.
Do you not very frequently, in the
house of representatives, raise your
voice in protest against cxtravagant
appropriations and high taxes? This
can be largely rcmcdicd by a budget
system. McLaurin stands for this, as
does the Reform party. Do you not
want a just system of taxation,
whereby each citizen will bear his pro
rata share Of the burGcn of govern
ment? All honest citizens do, whether
reformcrs or not, McLaurin among the
number. Only tax dodgers and their
dupes oppose a just and equitable re-
form OF our tax system. | might cite
you numerous other matters in which
he stands for the best interests of our
state and for which all patriotic Re-
formers stand. Yet you rcpudiatc him;
you brand nm as traitor to the
Reform party of South Carolina, and
for what? Because, not wishing to OBJ
tain support under false prctcnsc, he
boldly declares his position in regard
TO Governor Blease's candidacy for the
United States senate.
Before our country was at war
every one had the right to their per-
Sonal choice among the warning ma
TONS, and to make converts to their
views, when they could. But when
the tocsin of war was sounded, when
our country had taken sides, when our
young men were being rapidly called
20 The cOlorS ana trained for war, so
that upon the bloody field of battle
they might upnold the honor and glo-
ry and honor Of our country, it was
the duty of every citizen to support
the government by both word and
deed. McLaurin did, and thousands
and thousands of patriotic reformcrs
in this state did likewise, and in do
ing so did nothing but their duty.
Had Governor Blease laid aside his
personal hostility for President Will
son and at Pomaria, Filbert and
Chaplin declared we were fighting
righteous war; we were fighting to
safeguard the lives of our men, wom
en- and children from ruthless, brutal
murder; we were fighting that civil
ization and Christianity might not
perish from the earth, he would have
6een elected to the senate by ma
jority so great, that the most un-
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