Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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w % m - VOL XXIV. THE DEMOCRACY OF THE DOLLAR. BARNWELL, SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, MAY )0, ,901. McXaurin’s Defense of His Cause- PROTECTION, EXPANSION, SUBSIDIES. The following is the main portion of the speech delivered at Greenville, 8. C., on the 22nd of Maj) by Hon. John L. McLanrm, U. 8. Senator: Fellow-citizens: The political Re formation of 1890 had for its main object the independence of thought and action on the part of the people in political affairs. It was this that made me a 41 Reformer.” A white primary, where the white i»eople of the State could settle their differences among themselves. In part ft has accomplish ed its object in spite of the efforts to dwarf it into a one-man * movement. Its leader has not been content for it to be complete, and has attempted more than once to dictate who should and who should not lie elected to oflice. All revolutions of this kind go farther than its originators design, no power can contiol them. Men who siippoae that the 44 move ment” of 1890 was a mere effervea- cence to give oflice to a favored few are greatly mistaken. Some of the best and truest hart never held oflice, sod the time is comlug when those who betrayed and prostituted this 7real movement into a 44 one-man power” and mere scramble for the “loaves and the fishes ” will be held to an account. I stand to-day just wbeye I steod In 1990, with the added expensoce of ten yean of study and contact with public rill dcv, r be sal 1 "fled ifdtafcaMUt of anything teas than the full purpose of the move ment- -free thought, free speech e fair bullet and rule of the people. This must and shall be the final oadcomr No ettesupt u» break down the reforms nearly aeeampttehed can surcasd. Tto natural end Inevitable rouse |aoaco of that revolntlon must follow. Nothing too vital to be relegated to the plane of partisan and sectional contention. Out of change^ industrial and econo mic conditions have grown great na tional questions pertaining to the ma terial inteiest of the country, which must be considered and settled by that silent force, the reserved patriotism of the people. Fellow-citizens: There is no greater menace to the stability of our govern ment than a large minority in the American Congress voting upon broad, vital, non-partisan American questions from purely sectional considerations. I am a Democrat, honestly desirous of remaining so, and witnessing the tri umph of the party to which 1 am at tached by association and heredity. It was never contemplated by the foun ders of that party that it should become a purely sectional affair, yet to-day there is no Democratic party capable of making itself felt outside of the South. In the North and West, It Is penuenled with socialism, and dwindled away into the parly of a Uoo, not a nation. 1 do not however, to pursue this line of thought it ie painful and can accomplish ut good purpose. Iriow. IfeVtmfltg lie panic of 189:7 confident that opportunity was offered, the people jtould see that nephews of mine have been commis- hav* been dtseathrallpd and ea-J there has never been such rapid In dustrial changes in say country. These changes were in program, and ear war with Spain served as a laab-tighl to show ns what was going on. In 11*96, ws had n campaign upon the asooe? question. Kteryibisg was depressed rwk 44 ALLISNCK. Fellow-ciUreas It affords me great 1 la address yaa to-day. 1 thank for the honor and the opportunity 1 rerugoue the fact that 1 am soar public servant, end am accountable to the people who slscsed me for my steonrdshlp. This reaponatbtfuy of I pebitc offko ts the greet conservative : end preservative form In oar repobii- caa form at government. It is (be, province and daty of n KenreasnlnUvv to atmly ell Important public ■(unstionr and form n judgment an 10 then effe« 1 on the or Hare of the people. To do this, be must at time* act indepen*Wel le end Wad public sen tunes l rather , than blindly fallow wbal ie reputed to be the majority. It te bin duty to study prob.rms and vote according Id bM beet Ughu and bonnk eoavtc-, lawtag ,b * final derieioa ns U \ •dons of bis v - mjoe to the people., AS for myerU, I acknowledge no msl>r aeve the sovereign people, speaking at lha ballot-box, and 1 refuse to obey the dictates of nay political Does, eith er in or outside of South Carolina This- W my conception of tbs rights, duties and position of e Senator. My Mew see Sing rmp.oi msnt, cotton under five cwnu, wb<-.ii below the cost of pro- daction, and bflenem. discontent, die- trust and misery * very wberv. We were laid that the sal rsl wwi of the country depended e|wm the free carn age of stiver. I behaved tfMn^WBff f behave now, that tbcerwlirally we wvee right, but near and an foresee a Iarms came into play, and I have eaongb sense to recogntm the tact that the 44 teetomuon of confidence,'' about which Mr. lie valued lalbad, and about which I did net know enough at the time lo understand, the discovery of I the gold la the kiondyke, the inilaa of <ar money from abroad seeking Invest- [ my ntait I received fair play, and that they would at least accord me honesty of purpose. There ore two question that I sub mit to the people of South Carolina: First. Am I honest in the views I advocate? Second. Am I mistaken? As to the first. All that I have to say is that my people have shed their blood for South Carolina m every con test in which she has ever been en gaged. I was born in South Carolina, l took my wife in South Carolina, and when I die I expect my bones to be laid beside fivd generations of honest men and true Women who have gone before. I have ch Idren who must bear my name, good or ^ bad. Every dollar that I have is invested in this Stale, except a smalhamount in Ntorth Carolina and Florida. My interests are inseparably interwoven with the interest of my State, no good can come to her in which I cannot participate, and no evil of which I must not l>ear my share. If I wanted to have an easy time, I certainly chose the hard road. 1 might have drifted with the current, sang 44 me, too,” and con tinued to hold office. I had pretty good tutelage and an illustrious ex ample in my early political career in the arts of demagogery, and could do it again in a pinch. Hut fellow-citi zens, the 44 game ian't worth the can dle.” If 1 can’t be a Senator, worthy the great stateameu whom I succeed, I do not wish to bold the office. I do not claim to be infallible, and the time bee been whefl I would gladly have been aqnvioced tbaf I ifas wrong, and thus enabled to e»«ape from the poei- tiea wtiH-b at times wee s’Wnst unen dwnUk^bul. fatiaw eMtscns, I an longer feel that way. ' Kfio nut w.sh now lo he convinc'd. When a man has suffered for n reuse it hanam*-* very dear to him, and 1 think that It would break my asart If 1 pouid find now that, after all. it is » mistake that 1 have bet a deceive'^ by a m in the Meek deeert. 1 am human, and have my fall ehfifu.of the frailty sad vanity which go with pooe.heenk hnmaa eat a re. , I look bark to things that I have said end done I know that I was wrong, sad t the public intere&t, not my own. in meat, sad the lacra facthUee, for the time at le willed the esoney qeeeuon, body bat a foul would make silver" speech now. Inst deplete! treasury, there ie la the largeet amount of gold in lory of the country Secretary of the T ■Ml !■ . wi, hats and no- n 44 free md ef a it loxiay the hl» and actually the fy, e few week* M were otherwaw. Hat. fel low-ct Use os twice within the leel three years I have t eheoletely repagaiet to the felt that I was very sear the Uam e bea | ^ trediuuae ef <mr peoy' I would have la stead before the bar ef a jnet tied, wbe knows the weteto of my innermost soul, nod I felt that he would merry base for petty fmtltiee sad shrei com lags, aad give me credit far the earnest and honeet effort, tor mficae which 1 had mods la the bestead highest ietervet of coualrv. I am act afraid to ■ft (Ian record -why ■1 1 hen, fear aoy tribune! hero belou wish thel my life as a man e '•use aad fraaTrum reproach your pubiic servant. I a poo my 0 * 1 should I 1 iy I I only as sta ll n as sioned in the United States Army. I have bad no son drawing a large sal ary, traveling this State at government expense, manipulating political affairs for me. Take th) postoffice at Aiken, of what personal interest is it to me who fills it ? It does not put a dollar iuto my pocket and I do not get my mail there. I believe in the rule of the people, and I want to see the time come when the patrons of the office, those who support it, shall name the postmaster just as they do the sheriff and clerk of the court. Who do you suppose the people of Aiken prefer for postmaster—a mao who is identified with the town, born and reared among them, or a citizen of another State, with no interest in the town or people further than to use them for his own personal advantage ? Who is not even willing, after death, to permit his dust lo mingle with the soil of South Caro ling, but had his body shipped home to Connecticut for burial, where 1 am told his family are soou to follow him. I prefer one of our own people, either white or black, to birds of passage, who iavesl no mosey here, and fly sway when there sre no offices for them. last it bo understood that we gladly welcome any good man who comes hoi a seeking a home, who in- vesta hia money and becomta one of oar own people; we extend to such an one the right hand of fellowship, and be ia entitled to all the boo ora, social, politi cal ami commercial, which his ahdily and character command. That ia not what w^meaa by 44 Carpet-bagiam ” In South Carolina. Some paoplfl,' bow. ever, are so disturbed because lha I’reeideet has appointed a man whom th* people of Aiken ha/e elected Mayor of their town twice, aad who ia a i*- fioed and courteous geaUcman, that they ere preferring charge* against him ia Washington ; ihw m done for pMtUcal purposes and 1 wail under stand m ay a lick at use, not Mr. Chaf fee. Whe ehyiikt be Ihstnct Atteeney of rionlk < erolton .* A bright, energe tic young man. raised up here ia this beaaufsl mountain city, eg n foreigner and outsider ? I admit on* af the. of hts riass , bug. fsHow-crtisrus. 1 sraiioiaaa are gwd enough fur Now wheu appointments a ate « ishaa aad I was the ooijr aae who held up a romflrmalMia tU the beasts, how wbeo a aanti*- maw. like Mr. Chaffee or Joha Gaperu, thaaaaof at\mfederale llrtgedter, with four Vaakee haliet-lfeuias ts has body, eon the Htahop at liouth Caroline, Is made by the i‘Teaideal. not for y>o«it ira. perpoesagbut as aa tadteauon of lus g'sai will towards the people aot oaly of fir nth Carolina, bat of the dnath, I throat in the paper* that the eua- finasttue la to ha fought. If that is p>>litk*, if that m Democmcy, thaa *• <> 1 save me from such lufaotv. up some of my id address .w •ervsui. Chargee 01 cor ruption have beea nfe ia lionth Caro lina during the past tea yean, but mj worst enemies have never charged that ago, deposited money in n Spartan burg bunk, soarothing that has never been done before in the history of our Stale. 1 have been listening for aomc- body to cry oat 44 Uepublicautam,” be cause 1 waa instrumental ia bagixning a movement which 1 hope ia the future may enable our farmers and merchants to meure money at a lower rale of In ha* ever man wbc a dirty dollar of my hand. Fallow-omen*: To a loved society aad that sort of thing, a seat la the Senate may be a prim worth baring, bat to me, it is of no valnc save to farther th* best ceu** lo which 1 am devoting th* beet yaare of 1 Ufa. 1 am la the Senate for what “THE ofcVTLt There la one board mech of of the govs rum th# palm | to Charleston. t mmebodv else r nax 1 a<>ii ui.\ii'i.' ihiag that 1 hat* not a kick shoal, the loan rat exhibit at Buffalo 1 believe, however, >aim* the credit. That m ail right with me, it matters not who 'gets the credit, just so the cdy uf Charleston gets the friendly band of this | government in a great enterprise to which the uju lie State is interested. Irrespective of personal and |oiilical differences, I am willing lo join hands I Mtmumnm swrtr we will still respect each-other. For my enemies, those who would coudemu me unheard, the growlers and whin ers, 1 care not a red cent what they think,., so long that I know that 1 am honest. . AM U^MTSTAKKN? I desire now to take u: votes and speeches, and address my self to the question, Am I mistaken ? When I was placed on the Ways and Means Committee of the House, I be gan a systematic course of reading on the tariff question with reference to its effect upon the people of the South. In March, 1897, I made a speech in which I embodied my views. I had offered an amendment for a duty of two and one-half cents per pound on cotton imports, and had made a fight in the Committee for a proper schedule on rice, pine lumber, turpentine, cot ton seed oil, oil cake, jute-bagging, cotton ties and the coarse grade of goods made in bur Southern mills. This is neither the time nor the place to go into a discussion of the tariff. J can sum it up in the statement that 1 did not discuss the question from a theoretic or philanthropic stand-point, hut merely claimed a full share for the South of all the benefits to accrue from legislation. I recognized the fact that our revenues were to come from the nnpoiilioti of import duties, and as- strted that this being true, it waa bat fair to give each section and industry a share of the benefits, as the burden mast be borne by all. 1 attacked the Uoctrine of free raw material aa aelan- lieetioe and unjyst form of protection. 1 traced its history' and showed that it waa devised and offared to the manu- fartarert of the East by Mr. (lav*land in hi* first me*, as a fo-m of protec tion. la other woids, linger tj. Mlila, the chairman ef lb* Ways and Means Cnaimitte* of (he Iloesa, waa sent sp into the New England State* to offea them this — left-handed protection,” while free trade waa talked in the vwth aad Wa«. It waa a mere party expedient to catch votes. I thfak tfcnl ho pultueai party will ever at tempt again *arh m>m*truus latuattee. It laann* that the farmsi s ia tale country shall he furred la buy ia a reatnetsa market aad then sell all of thetr pro- duel* in eumpetUion with the pauper tafmrnf dm world, f mad* Ihi* fight for > hern ladastrt** while a mem ber af the If names *b#a I had an idea in th* wartd of gotng into the Henate. Yen all remember what universal chores ef approval there mam Bean lot* TtUaaaa, Bacon, Clay and others tank ap the teas* Ua* la th* Meaalv. | Th* New* aad Courier, the Cotambm I Mat* aad aiaety per reaC af th* pa- pore ef the taoth esmmsailel my < caeree. 1 hazard itule la are tag had I ( never been a candidate ley tire .**#001*, the « adorn af my coarse won id never have been qssatianed. I was strongly I urged lo rna tor the Bsaal* ta Irek, bat I did not wi*h to leave the Ways ■■id Mean* Comaslttee, aad bee ides 1 was thoroughly »1 isguetsJ wuh th* rea- diuoo of affana ia Booth Carolina. 1 coaid hear of nothing bat ** chargee at corrupt toe,'' 44 bund dee's,” 44 ohahry rebate*,” etc. I did aot wah lo be mixed up ia *ach aa affair ; however II might eventual*, a mau could not the retention of the homo means when a manufacturer seeks a foreign outlet. I will refer, however, to the duty on raw cotton, which I ad vocated at the time. Cotton, corn and wheat are our great exports. Now I want to ask any man of reason, why it is that a duty of twenty-five cents per bushel is put ou wheat, and fifteen cents per bushel on com, while nothing slid but faei iowerefi and degraded by eom- lag ju contact with sure filth. I felt reax-uably rare at that Ume that j could have beau eiecled to lb* Beaate. 1 was assured, by «m aathonxrd to is put upon coltou ? The three stsii exactly upon, the same basis. It is this: Northern Representatives pro tect corn and wheat against importa tions from Canada and elsewhere, cotton has been sacrificed to a mere sentiment. 1 think that I am the first Representative in Congress to point out the danger to the cottou planters arising from the importation ot Egyp tian cotton. I'en years ago there were no importations to speak of. The year I made this speech there was in round numbers fifty-six millions of pounds, and last year ther* was almost seventy millions, an increase offnearly twenty per cent. Since then two mills have been built in >South Carolina (in one of which 1 am interested) using nothing but Egyptian cotton. Now I contend, if the cotton fanners were protected like the wheat and corn planters, we could prodoce any kind of cotton that is needed. South Carolina ia the home of the cotton plant. No cotton comes into competltioa with oar Sea Island cotton, and common sense tell* roe that we can develop any grade needed between that and the iboit staple. -Ten yean ago the “Alien long staple” waa planted all over upper South Carotin*, ami 1 know of eom* men who bought g ne eepectally adapted 10 this cotton, bat they had to throw them away. Egyptian cotton ha* driven them out of the buatoeaa. The red hills of Una up-eouutry are the very place where uua cotton should be grown, bit haw can w* develop it in competition with the cheap labor of Egypt f What are we doing now, meeting end paaeing reaMatioasto 1 educe the acreage, while English engineer* are cnnatrncung dame ta the valley of th* Nile, which two yean wtU add no* milliea aad one-half helm or ou* eighth to the cotton crop j the acreage ncrepaing it, th* market toe lha to cream. 1 any, away with the i^prartlml «tatoeama- *htp which wltt aamoro the n S antoro of Mouth tWolnm ta them af gypt. After 1 was elected ta Use Moot* 1 attempted to pareee the earn* Ha* ta everything, hat I wne very III lar a long un»« after' my campaign. to my bed at “t>« usne fur s weak' Theee iambi* cam paigae at our* m th* boat ot aaouaer, lag speeiha* day after day, etuiag lot four er five^honre, pore cfathn • ith pgrentmtina. la the euh, and ha f Utetimgwubost dhshs hat few men who have gc with it mfir net had their health Im paired. I have no denbt hot that 11 abort seed the day* of the gallant Eerie end even nigged Joha Irby. TMB raAATI WITH kTAM. While 1 was in this phyeteal and amutai eoadtueo, the war with Hpam ram* ca sad 1 Imd fa grappi* with lb me new queettooe. 1 was sick, heart body and souL All that 1 wsated wm peace sad to be let stone. The cruel tousle sad soeera of 4> Uepabiicao sad irsiior’ hart me than, while I M them naw. I jmfip jtp mkrtot r treaty mrsnt thkt we were shll a| war - with Spain, and that our soldier* wei« iatruders in the PhUippin# To ratify the treaty meant not a stale of war, but a mere insurrection and de prived other nations of an far interference. It seems to me any way that no matter what the situatioa or causes may be, that the only iw^tiim for s mau to take when we sre engaged in a foreign war is to stand by his own country, right or wrong. Let me re view the situation a moment, la the first place, I had not, as long a* it could be avoided, been In favor of the war, and had but little sympathy with the inflammatory addresses 1m Congress, which embarrassed the President in his humane effort* to avert the war. I could nai bat look with distrust upon those men who forced the war on by frantic appeal* and then, the very moment thst hoe- UlUie* were begun, criticised every movement made to bring the war to a speedy and successful end. It was a •mall and petty part for Senators to play Agqinaldo had many warm sympathiz ers in Congress, who compared him to “George Washington” sad hi* half naked followers to the heroes of King 4 * Mountain and Banker Hill. Some of them now cannot ronrosl the chagrin which they feel at th* capture af Aguisoldo and the mint! ties. It Is charged ikm my rota fled the treaty and stopp*] the If so, 1 am proud of the fact, aad I am thaflkful that I hod the strength to do my doty and cost that vote. X fear that I would not have had the rootage lo do it, hod I net faH thot my realizing the far-renr^tngVffect nad the fearful responsibility, f cast my rott oerordtegty. I hove never aaeu dh* day wbeo I regretted it, sod my chi will remmnber H after f am dead, pleasure and pride, ml act of my Ilf*. Karonsiog. I have considered best interests of the country rather than lb* impractical re sults to flow from a rigid adherence to party hnm. It is passing strange that some of the men elected to Congress in 1892 should criticise me for doing whal they solemnly pledged Ihemselves to do. Don’t you remember that an Alliance Delegation was elected in 1892 pledged not to be bound by a Democratic caucus, but to vote for measures calculated to benefit the nation at large, irrespective of party? I feel like recalling ihe words, “ Oh, Lord God of Hosts, Lest we forget, Lest we forget.” PIUNCirLKS UIUHEK THAN PARTY. Political parties under our form of goverumeut are a necessity. They grow out of the political relations extablifthod by the government itself. There have been since the birth of the nation and always will be two great political parties, if there were no real issues they would divide and fight over the mere spoils of office. These differences originated in the diverse views entertained when oui Constitu tion was adopted as' to what constilut- ed the proper functions of the govern ment. Party platforms have always been supposed Io be the exponents of these view*. A bloody Civil war settled the question of Stite’s rights, and for quarter of a century the waving of the 44 bloody-shirt ” on the one side and the 44 nigger in the wood-pile ” on the other constituted the dividing lines. I opment of our export trad*. Our cuo*iu«reu ure foiled us, mzaufacturere bouin an found themselves with immense stocks alive, «ad called all *oit* of pet name* by the growling, grumbling Gouxalee, and the whining, cringing dyspeptic Hemphill? of goods on hand and nobody to buy It does not worry me very much, for I them, this forced them to seek markets know that there is one kind of an ani- abroad, and one enterprising firm in mal that will growl just for the pleaa- liinuiighain, Ala., shipped 250 tons, 4ire of growling, and another that will say that every man, ou a purely sec r tional question, like white supremacy, is a traitor and a renegade who does not stand by'* his own section and his own people. I say that any man, on domestic problems, problems of internal con corn, should, as far as possible, botr to the behests of his party. If he cannot agree with his party on ques tions of this kind, he should, if possi ble, find a party with which he is in accord. I assert, fellow-citizens, that it is almost a crime for any party make great, broad, non-political Ameri can measures, involving the political and commercial deveioiMnent of the .the teat of party fealty, mlkal to the maintenance of the aad preetige of ihe nation an of iron to Europe. At that time iron could be bought for «6.U0 per ton in Birmingham, and this small shipment six years ago was the beginning of the 1130,900,000 worth of iron that we shipped abroad last year, 300,000 tons I ;oing frox Alabama. To-day, entire Europe is alarmed at the development of our commerce, and we see every day indications of a trade combine ou the part of Europe ag&ihst the United States. In the financial world, instead of depending upon Eu rope as we did seven years ago for our money, England, Germany and Russia lave recently had to come to New York to place their government loans. I have given nothing but a mere out- ine, and yet I ask any man within the sound of my voice if these facts do not ireseht, a totally changed condition The Spanish war suddenly awoke us to the fact that our country was one of the great commercial and political powers of the world. Believing as I do that there are vital issues which, growing out of changed industrial conditions, are higher and broader than mere party questions,^! have, as your Senator, looking beyond tbe line marked by sectionalism and partisanship, striven to promote the material, political and commercial in terests of our common country—for in so doing, I can best serve tbe interests of the State of South Carolina. For this I have been arraigned before the people of this State aid charged with allying myself with tbe Republican party. Criticism, abuse and gross mis:- representation has been indulged in. Not content with this unfair method of attack, soma of tbe papers in their vile persecution have deceived the peoplto by withholding information on one aide uf these great national issues aad emphasizing and publishing everything on the other.. They have peraisienlly bald me up a* a renegade, and on more than 00a occasion alleged that 1 in tended to resign and accept a Federal Amid ail this tamed my I will not aed*riahe la the wisdom of espaaetaa, bat wlil aem- taat myeetf toy atarely raying that m ore o oailoo of •ipaaaraoSMs. Wt hove expoodad denag the tel *oe aflred rock ot ~ Ihe A ret *] i.ittAM) aqaare mite la «r Now Old Ilwsory sold *a *te •I have teooftoi with the .“jirjs to il toy beooratofa mg the area of freedom'. I* u as the ary af when there Hryaal aad attempted to aa! i#m." he stood shoot *■ of heiae elected as a t frog did of kicking all ih* of Laks Michigan. At the opinion of a fnead of price paid for given aa aa ohifcUua^ This whine, especially when milk ia scarce There is a good deal of growling and whining just now because of a few Federal plums that have been dropping around, but I notice that it all com from the direction where none are dropping or likely to drop. From ob servation I infer that there are a plenty of Gold Democrats, Silver Democrats, Bryan Democrats, Cleveland Demo crats, McKinley Democrats, Tillman Democrats, McLaurin Democrats, and Democrats none of whom object to a job under “ Uncle Sam.” FEDERAL PATRONAGE. A Now, fellow-citizens, I want to say one word on this subject. I do not control, I do not profess to control, I do not wish to control, nor will I be come responsible for, the Federal pat ronage in South Carolina. On account of> my liberal views, and what he is pleased to consider my patriotic«stand for broad American doctrines, the Pres ident bus done me the honor to cop- suit me on certain occasions as to South Carolina appointments., lie has dope so, to ray certain knowledge, with Sen ators Morgan, Sullivan, McEnery, and other Democrats. I appreciate it be yond measure, fora wiserffian, a truer patriot, and a more kindly Christian gentleman, never occupied the White House than William McKinley. I be lieve I hare his confidence and trieud- ship, and there is no treasure that I value more highly. I would not have it and I could not retain il were I a traitor to my Stale and people. He honors me, because he knows as well as any man living, how much I love my native State. When he expressed a desire to be tbe I'reaident of the whole country and not ot a sec tion, why should I not meet him half way ? When he is willing that the patrons tyho support a port office in South Car olina should be consulted aa they are in Vennoot, Massachusetts and Ohio, why shook! I, aa your Senator, stick a pitch-fork into hia vitals ? Ah, fellow-citizens, if I have con any patronage, it has been m an appropnatMMi to reimburse t 'harfe*- toa for all expenses incurred. If we lay aside UlUe differences and every body goes to work as one mao, it can be done. 1 want to say here, in justice to Senator Tillman and myself, wc are both capable of rising high enough nut to permit anything to interfere with a matter of such general interest to ihe State. 1 wilFeven go one belter and agree, if Charleston gets tbe appro priation, to giro^aii the credit to the 44 Gentleman ftom Mexico.” I have just/one or two more things to say on the/ first question 1 am dis cussing. Mv intimate TfiendTThow that it has been my desire to retire ft|pm publi/ life. 1 had determined never again! to undertake the canvass of this Stateland were it not that I felt I owed it to the people of South Caro lina to discumthese issues and enable them to actNoigJligently by placing themselves in touch with the best thought of the age, I would not be here to-day. Tbe people of this State gave me the grandest chance ihat any young mau has had since the war, and I fully realize the opportunity and duty. I never doubted for one moment but if alloweiMo present my case fairly to the people, I would be re-elected to tbe Senate. -I have not made a vote that can be. successfully assailed, save upon narrow partisan grounds. I had, however, determined not to run ou ac- count of my health. Tbe campaign of 1897 left* me a physical and mental wreck. My phybician has repeatedly said that 1 could not stand cither men tally or physically the strain of such another campaign. Within the ten months past, however, my health has been wonderfully improved and I am ready for the fray. 1 desire he’e and now to tell the 44 Bosses ” (in and out of the State) who have decreed my political death, that I defy tliem. The ojily way they am defeat me is to rule me out of the prim try and thus prevent tbe people from expressing themselves. Let them, if thi-v dare, prevent white men from passing judgment at the ballot-box upon thuae great national issues. One thing more on the ques tion, Am I honest f Those who know me and are my fneu-la will never be lieve anything else. To those who are fair and unprejudiced, I say, give me an impartial banting, and if you are nbt convinced vote on in a modest, quiet way and oel my destiny In lha House. Ibis waa nut to be, however. It wa* not intended that my lines should fall in easy places. That pdre man, chiv alrous gentleman and upright Judge, your townsman aud my predecessor, lived but a few short weeks. Governor Ellerbe tendered me the uomiDalioo. I realized the radical nature of some of my utterances nnd votes, and while 1 could not foresee what has happened, I knew my nature well enough to feel certain that haviug once enlisted in ihe fight I would never turn back while life lasted. I, therefore, refused to accept the appointment at the hands of Governor Ellerbe unless he would guarantee that the Executive Commit tee would order a primary and permit the jieople to pass upon the issues which 1 had raised. CAMPAIGN OF 1897. It is unnecessary for me to refer to that bitter fight. You all remember tbe meeting in Greenville, where I was insulted, bullied and baited like some wild beast; it was a sample of some of the rest. For myself I am willing to “Let the dead past bury its dead.” I have no ill-feeling towards any one on account of it. I spoke, I believe, in in every county in the State outside of my Congressional District except thfee. 1 advocated my views not only on the fail in and' follow th* of June*. Tillman, FeUigrew A Co., and then to quietly retire at the tod of my term. My tnUmata friends know lha*. this was my lutentioo. When they concluded to defeat the treaty, 1 could not see what great harm could come to the country from forcing the Republicans to call an extra session It would only postpone matter* by oua mouth. At tbe request of some of the Democratic leader*, 1 made a speech, not against the treaty but against Im perialism, which speech was at the time, and with the lights before me, my upinion. T had not drawn the dis tinction between Expansion and Impe rialism, and I fully iuteuded to vote against the ratification of the treaty, 1 was su tired of being abused and ac cused of disloyalty to my party. . At that time, however, I contended in private that the rejection of the treaty was unwise even from a party stand point. I had then, as I have now, very little confidence in the political sagacity of Senator James K. Jones, and I be lieved that Senator Gorman was at heart an Expansionist, because he voted for the acquisition of the Hawaiian Is lands, and I suspected him of au ambi tion after Mr. Bryan advised tbe rati fication of the treaty, to defeat it and thus supplant him in the leadership. Not that I objected to this, for Gorman is a conservative mau, and might have tariff but on what I considered the real been elected President the last time, line of policy to be pursued by South ern Representatives. I carried about eighty per cent, of the vote caat and every county except three, which were lost from local considerations by email margins. I wish I had time to recount to the people what tbe rice schedule, could he have commanded the nomina tion. However, on Sunday afternoon, the day before tbe treaty was to be voted upon, the news wuraashed over the wires that our troops bad b?eh firec upon by ‘.he very people whom we bat treed from the tyranny of Spanish 6Jh which I got into tbat^lHll, baa done for-'pressinn. This presented an entirely the rice planters on 1 be coasts qf Sou 1 b uew situation, and beLte I had flu Carolina, the waste places it has re- ished reading the “extra” ibt corres deemed, the thousands of dollars it his . ponde,ute of the New York Sun and brought into this State. What the duty think uf ihe World, called at my bou-«e on pine has' done for the lumber inter- before I had consulted with any humm ests, which were being sacrificed to the being, and I expressed tins opinion, as white pine imported free of duty from ihe files of the newspapers will show. Canada. The North, w^ith is Mutual One month of delay might mean se- bare of timber, instead of going lo rious consequence* to the people of Canada, has been forced to go South, the United States. * * • and that has put -thousands of dollars It must be remembered that Spain iuto (his State. There is no telling had the-sympathy of entire Europe, what an arrangement of the schedule and after the twttie of Manilla nolhiug bat the tact ot Dewey and the altitude to pin* Islands. Lying aa they t the Asiatic coast, they am tha L to th* Orient. Tt# people ot the South are vitally interested 1. u th* trad* of China; so far, w* have only touched on* of the provinces. Minister Wa, the other night fn Charlotte, told of the -teeming millions in South Chian, and aaid the great problem wa* to clothe the people. They are foroad to uae silk to make their clothte, bat that this was expensive and almost an lot lossibility. I am told that, for faar of wearing them out, the Chinas* rarely wash their clothe*. I teard it wittily said that the chief dif ference between the Chinee* and Jap anese is, that the former never' their clothes, and the latter never 1 their body. * I believe it wa* Mr. Wa who said the other night, to teach the Chinese to wdir cotton shirts and then get the emperor 'to iasoe an edict to make the tails.only one inch longer, and the cotton crop of the Sooth would be exhausted by that one inch, and none left for Europe. If any argument was needed to show the im portance of these markets, the elect of recent troubles in Chiu* is sufficient. Cotton goods are stacked up in tha warehouses unsalable, and when the best judges thought last fall that oot- tira would be twelve and one-half to fifteen cents per pound, it hae declined more th.an three cents. I am an ex pansionist—I favor the political, com mercial and religions expansion of oar country. This is along the Una of progress. We cannot attain a certain growth and then stand still. Am in the individual,_so in the nation. —Wa either move "forward towards perfec tion, or bai-kwurds toward dr-cay. t here are cerate* crimes in ihe Hfe of every' mau which w x-r*i Uffids to 1 cess, lei ih-m pans and the chance lost forever. The cApacitp to take 1 vantage of opportunity todstuuiee 1 difference between ihe man who aae- ceeds and the one who fails, and SO it t* with-nations. We hsve grsadly seized our opportunities, sod I for mm am in favor ot poshing it to the ' During th* past cautery wa hove I absorbed in testing tha | on cotton goo&i ea m. to prevent die- crimination against coarse fabrics, has It to thocottoo India ot the South. This ia not the place to explatq what ef England prevented ua from being forced into a war for which wa totally unprepared. .To Uoo 1 have ‘t