The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1918-02-07
AGAINST TILLN1AN AND BLEAsE
McLaurin Gives Out Open Letter on
Political Situation.

Editor Yorkville Enquirer:
I take this method OF reaching the
various people who by petition and
letters have requested me to become
a candidate for governor. I promised
them an answer during the present
month. At this time feel that I can
perform better service by anneanc-
ing clearly my political views, than by
becoming candidate for governor. 1t
is probable after do thai. many who
would have supported me will not do
so and that conditions will make it
best that I should not run for office.
1t is evident that factional lines are
to be drawn in the senatorial race,
-sna whiie I beiieetsa that I could Be
elected by avoiding this issue, I do
not want Office on these terms.
and want everybody to know before
hand just how I stand. In order to
get the warehouse bill made law l
had to reckon with the veto power of
the governor, and without the assis-
tance of the faction then in power I
could not have moved step. / have
always recognized this obligation and
do not intend to forget it. 1 would
like to be in a position while 1 yet
have the mental and physical strength
to further develop the state ware
house system by establishing direct
sales. I would also like to organize
the machinery for state insurance,
not only for cotton but other proper
ty. I would like to see budget sys-
tenn for appropriations so as to fix in
dividual responsibility for the waste
of tax money, such as is now going on
in South Carolina. I have made up
my mind, however, that I am not 60
ing to keep my mouth shut nor COM
PROMISE my convictions for the sake
OF any Office on earth. Should 1 go
on the stump this summer I shall un-
hesitatingly say that regard the elec
tion of either Ex-Governor Blease or
Tillman as Stupendous
blunder. So far as the state is con-
cerned it will establish more firmly
than ever the present factional lines,
and whoever is elected governor will
necessarily have to line up on one
side or the other. This 1 absolutely
refuse to do. Outside of the local
issue the consequences are more far
reaching. The attitude of Governor
Blease before the war has been bitter
ly hostile to the present Federal ad-
Everybody who knows
him, understands his attitude to-
wards the questions relating to the
war, and that he will go any length,
once he has TIE power, to obstruct
the policies of Woodrow Wilson. He
is bold and has great ability in GER
tain lines, his advent into the senate
would greatly strengthen LaFollette
and little group of wilful sena-
tors who are doing all in their power
to hamper the conduct of a war upon
whose result depends the future not
only of America, but mankind every
where. l could not make campaign
speeches und dodge this issue. l can
not by silence make myself party to
a national calamity of this character.
Senator Tillman is incapacitated by
physical weakness for the strenuous
work now required. / am glad to be
able to say that l am sincerely sorry
for this, and in spite of the unjust
treatment that l received at his
hands, were he physically fit to per-
form the duties, / would rise above
personal resentment and say that he
should be left where he is. This talk
about dying in harness" is all rot.
broken down horse dying in har-
ness is cruelty to animals; it is more
merciful to loose the traces, knock off
the shoes and turn him out in the
pasture to ruminate on things that
have been, and are to be. 1t takes a
strong horse to tote his side of the
singletree in these perilous days. 1t
is unfair to the balance of the team
when the load is heavy and the pace
so fast. to be handicapped by Bog
SPAWN and Heaves in an old horse
which wont work at all unless he is
in the lead. The work is too heavy
now for spike team though that is
better than horse that won't even
try to pull, bites his mate and kicks
at everything in sight. am not go
ing to help harness either team
What is the use. one horse is not able
and the other will not pull a load
with Woodrow Wilson as a driver,
nd we can't get new driver (even
we wanted toy for the next two
ars. 1t is bad plan anyway when
~ have to change drivers to suit a
rse. My experience is that horse
Ire interested in kickiRg~
the seat than IN