Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-02-01
AGAINST TlLLMAN AND elEAsE.
Melaurin Gives Out Open Letter on
Political Situation.

Political Situation.
Editor Yorkville Enquirer:
take this method OF reaching the
various people who by petition and
letters have requested ME to become u
candidate for governor. promised
them an answer during the present
month. At this time | feel that | can
perform better service by announc-
ing clearly my political views. than by
becoming 4 candidate for governor. II
is probable after | do that many who
would have supported me will not do
so and that conditions will make II best
that | should not run for office. II is
evident that factional lines are TO be
drawn in the senatorial race. and while
| ! believe that l could be elected by
on these terms. I have given the mat
Tor =; -. ,,'"'ul thought and want every
body 10 know ,,,sfore hand just how |
stand. In order TO get tm~ "are"ouse
! bill made law ! had to reckon VS.
the veto power OF the governor. and
without the assistance OF the faction
then in power ! could not have moved
step. have always recognized this
obligation and do not intend to forget
| II. would like to be in n position
while ! yet have the mental and ply
steal strength TO further develop the
state warehouse system by establish
ing direct sales. would also like to
Organize the machinery for state In
surancc not only for cotton but other
property. | would like TO see a budget
system for appropriations 80 rs TO fix
individual responsibility for the waste
OF tax money. such as Is now going on
in South Carolina. | have made up
my mind. however. that am not going
to keep my mouth shut nor compromise
my convictions for the sake OF any Of
flee on earth. Should | 80 on the
stump this summer shall unhesi-
tatingly say that ! regard the election
OF either EX Governor Blcase or Sena-
tor Tillman as "A stupcndous blundcr.
so far as the state Is concerned II Will
|
present factional lines, and whoever Is
elected governor will necessarily have
10 line up on one side or the other.
This | absolutely refuse to do. Outside
Of the local issue the consequences are
more far reaching. The attitude Of
Governor Blcasc before the war has
been bitterly hostile to the present
Federal administration. Everybody
who knows him. understands his at
titudc towards the questions relating
length, once he has the power. TO
obstruct the policies Of Woodrow VIII
son. He Is bold and has great ability
in certain lines. his advent into the
senate would greatly strengthen La
Toilette and n little group Of willful
senators" who are doing oil In their
power TO hamper the conduct Of war
upon whose result depends the future
not only of AIpAp but mankind
1evrry @nefe: l could not make casa.
paign speeches and dodge this Issue. /
cannot by silence make myself party
to national calamity OF this char
acter Senator TIllman is incapacitat-
ed by physical weakness for the stren-
uous work now required. l am glad
to bc able to say that | am sincerely
sorry for this and In spite OF the un-
Just treatment that ] received at his
hands. were he physically At 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. A
broken down horse dying in harness"
is cruelty to animals; 1t is more merci-
ful to loose the traces knock on the
shoes and turn him out In the pasture
' to ruminatc on things that have been,
and are to be. II takes a strong horse
to tote his side of the singletree In
these pcrilous days. II is unfair TO the
balance of the team when the load Ii
heavy and the pace so fast, to be
handicapped by Bog Spawn and
Hcavcs 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 wont even try to pull. bites his
mate and kicks at everything In sight.
| am not going to help harness either
team. What is the use, one horse Is
not able and the other will not pull q
load with Woodrow Wilson as driver,
and we can't get new driver (even II
we wanted to) for the next two years.
1t Is bad plan anyway when you have
to change drivers to suit a horse. My
experience Is that horse more In
,terestcd in kicking the driver on The
seat than in pulling the load wont
work with any driver, and will max.
every horse in the team balky before
! he Is through. Then too We now need
gattling guns instead Of old rusty
worn out pitch forks. know this
letter will offend many OF my friends
and I regret II from the bottom OF my
heart. hut IL they live long enough they
will see that | am right as they have
found out before when they differed
with me. | am saying what l feel to
be my duty, and II every political
friend have turns against me 1t Will
not be the first time that sense OF
duty has left me alone. without party
or political faction. feel that l am
capable OF rendering good service to
the people OF South Carolina but l am
not going to dodge as important an
issue in order to obtain political sup
port. | am In the middle Of the road
unfettered by factional alignment OF
any kind. Those who desire to be OF
real service to South Carolina must be
courageous and unselhsh or our petty
factional squabbles will continue to
make US the laughing stock Of the ma
ton. Respectfully.
| John l. McLaurin.