University of South Carolina Libraries
( AliSIi Tillman Assigns His i Thereupor TdE CAMPAIGN GETTiNG WARMER. i Tillman Charges AlcLaurin With Attempting to Organize a Republican Party in South Carolina?McLaurin ' hpnnirvjc ?h.> I'Gfinvu.ic I .iJcm nnil J a w ilakcious. Trenton, Special.?Senator Tillman has furn.shed the press the following address: To the Demo( ratie Voters cf the J State. Fellow Citizens:?An extraordinary; and unparalleled situation has unex-J pectedly arisen in the State, and as 1 am mainly responsible for this. I feel that a proper respect for you, requires an explanation of my actions and motives. Eleven years ago by a very large vttti vnn r ?~r?vf>rn'*r nf State, and two years afterwards I w-s re-elected by an overwhelming major-1 ity. In '34 I was sent as your reprc-! tentative in the congress of the United States as c ne of the senators from South Carolina. After six years' service in that body I was last year cho-1 sen without opposition to be my own! successor, i was sworn in on March 4th iast for the six years' term end-1 in? in li"'7. The ink has hardly become dry upon my oath of office and j y. 1 have tendered ray resignation .o take effect September loth next. My colleague has also tendered his rcsig-: nation to take effect the same date, and thus there will be two vacancies to be filled by appointment of the gov-, ernor until :lie legislature can elect our successors in January next. I desire to announce my candidacy to succeed my-, self and slmll ask you to vindicate my action by your votes in the primary,; which will be ordered by the State Democratic committee. This is an off year in politics and but for the conditions which had come about my acti< n j in nrpnPii+.-Tin<r n political campaign., and primary election would be inex-j disable. A brief review of recent po-, litical events will be necessary to give that explanation. My colleague. Jno. L. McLaurin, was elected to the senate at a primary held in '^7 to succeed the lamented Earl. He was elected , as a Democrat standing upon the Chi-, cago platform of U'JC. Early in "yi?: Senator McLaurin parted company with his Democratic colleagues in the senate, and has since voted for and, 'advocated everything that the Republican party now stands for, and has persistently antagonized his own party in all of his public utterances and acts. Notwithstanding that a new State con-: vention last May laid down the prin-; Iho rvirtv ?init ji i Cipies &U .1 IU1IVJVO V.1 li.v I'M! v., new national convention at Kansas City in July announced the principles' of Democracy as mow understood throughout the union, your junior sennor ha suet ! though he were entirely] independent of the people who elected, him and has felt under no obligations] to obey their wishes or do their will' as their representative. When congress 1 adjourned last March lie and his sympathizers in the State began at once an active propaganda of his new doctrine, which he . 'aimed were Democratic, but which ail true Democrats must know are nly Republicanism in disguise and very thinly disguised at that. He made a speech at Charlotte, April 16th. in which the Democratic party is sneered at and assailed. He made another speech, at Greenville last week lilling out and developing his new theories .and took pains to indicate his; perfect accord with Mr. McKinley in i all his policies. He had appointments already arranged to make speeches at] at least three other places?Gaffney, Yorkville and Spartanburg?and had begun an active canvass for re-election, fifteen months before the regular campaign. which would choose his successor. in the Democratic primary of lb02 would open. It was natural that these gentlemen who proposed to contest for his seat should be unwilling to prema turely announce tnoir canumai-/ auu take the fiel 1 against him. He had the 1 dispensing of federal patronage placed . at his disposal by the Republican president. and he had unlimited money fur-, nished by his Republican allies, or McKinley Democrats following in South A Carolina and his purpose was to go ! ^ up and down the State unopposed and unanswered to organize his new po- i litical machine. This was the situation , up to the Gaffney meeting and I was! confronted with the question of what was my duty under the circumstances.1 Recollect that I am a member of the "national Democratic committee, as j four representative; I was on the com-1 mittee on platform in both of the last national conventions and helped frame the declaration of principle and policy; upon which we went to tattle, and 1 ! was chairman of the committee on i platform in your late State convention. Remember too that both at Charlotte and at Greenville, uirectlj and indirectly. I had been assailed by Mr. Mc-: Laurin and you will understand why 1 was anxious to meet my colleague at i Gaffney, and when invited by a large! number of citizens of Cherokee county; , !: leasons and McLaurin j i Reolies. A 1 willingly acrrptrv:. ir.e resuu ui iimi mooting is now well known. itr. MeLaurin was unexpectedly brought face to face with the question of resignation and appeal to the people whose confidence he had abused and whose trust he had betrayed. He tried to j 1 dodge the trust, by charging that I was attempting to dictate and boss th.> ' . people and interfere in a race with which I had no concern and was safely esconced in my scat ?pr s x years and had nothing to lose, but couid well afford to lay down a code of moral ethisc. for another which I was unwil- i ling to follow myself. I saw the oppor- j tunity to precipitate a battle at once j1 rather than wait fifteen months and I offered to resign if he would, and the ' result you know. I acted from impulse 1 it is true, but I have always acted upon impulse and as a public man I can af- : firm with the sacredness of an oath that all of my i anises have been to ; serve the best interests of the people, i who have honored me. I had every op- ; portunity to weigh the consequences of my action and to get out of it without ( discredit, but I felt then and still fee! , that my duty was to force the fighting ; and rid the party of all traitors. The ( situation as 1 understand it. is this. | ] The nno-lln * * /> -t'r> intprpCfod in h*V- 1 ing the wil est has t w? ma eas Thbut do (a: go tin cai avn an< be tio.Jo wnatover. \utcis n.n nut l.u influenced in this contest by the desire to elect local favorites and thus swapping will he prevented. The issues will he clear cut The organization of the "Commercial Democracy," another I name for McKinley Democracy, will; have to be consummated in a much ! 1 shorter lime and under much less favorable conditions. Our party has the 1 opportunity to rebuke and punish j treachery at once as a warning to those : who may l>e wavering. Many good men will be prevented from becoming Republicans in fact, though not ;n name by having the issues explained before they have aligned themselves under the new banner. The Democratic uniform will be struck off of those v.ho have proven unworthy to wear it | and they will beN made to understand | the difference between honorable and j 1 dishonorable discharges. Civil virtue, the sacred relations which should exist' between the representative and his. constituency, will be more clearly un- 1 derstood and all true Democrats must rejoice at the result. For myself and i i the sacrifice I have made I will say nothing. I prefer to let the people of the State consider the matter for themselves ar.d pass upon my conduct as they determine, whether it was right and proper or rash and quixotic. I have served them to the best of my ability! with zeal and honesty since I have been their servant and shall continue to do so, if they continue to honor and trust me. When I cannot truthfully < say that I represent the majority of the people of South Carolina and vote and ! speak as they desire. 1 become, "as - I sounding brass and a tinkling cvmnai. And prefer the retirement of private j life to the degraded elevation of a high , position obtained by deceit and held , against the wishes of the people. I put my case in your hands and will ex- ( plain and vindicate my ease more fully in the coming primary canvass. :, B. R. TILLMAN. ; M'LAURIN REPLIES. The reply to Senator Tillman, as given out by Senator McLaurin is as i'ol lows: Fellow Citizens:? The address of Senator Tillman to you renders It 1 necessary that I should say something in explanation of my motives and actions. I sincerely regret that you are to 1 be subjected to the expense and excitement of a senatorial primary this ' year, but I feel that I am not respon- 1 sible. Had it not been for Senator Till- 11 man's Intrusion upon the Gaflney; ' meeting there would have been no ne- 1 cessity for it. A joint debate was pre- j -.5 t .. /.nntrorv to mv wish.-?' CipiUiieu uj niiii ^ and of the gentlemen who invited me. i' He forced himself upon the meeting by ' his own admissions. No other honoraide course was left to me but to ! cept his proposition or lay myself open' to the charge of cowardice. It is too late now to consider whether it was ( wise or unwise, and the people must I judge between us. I desire to announce my candidacy in i opposition to the senior Senator for the unexpired 1 ng term, and will discuss with him in a fair and reputable ] manner the national issues of the day. and leave it to you to judge who can ; the more '"honestly and honorably" ; represent you in the United States Sen au. in iiliT i was elected to the Senatej as a Democrati and 1 am still a Democrat in everything I have said and done j I have had the goo.l of my people at j heart; to thorn 1 am. ready to render an account of my stewardship, but not< to the senior Senator. Perhaps in this! lies my chief sin. In my recent speech at Greenville 1 give the people tne reasons for my official actions since lShf.; It is useless for me to reiterate what, I said in that speech, is It has been ex tensively published, and I presume, generally read. Were it not for charges: made in the address of the senior Senator, it would be unnecessary for me to say that, but I can't allow him to assail me and mv Democracy with-! out saying something in my vindication. He charges that, after the adjournment of Congress in March last, I with the aid of my friend3. I commenced in the State "an active propaganda of my new doctrines, which are claimed to he Democratic, but are1 nothing but Republicanism in disguise." He arrogates tc himself the, power to decide for the people as to i Lhe righteousness of my course and: , _ . ? ~ V.^rr, /-, I V1CWS, ailil IS nut wmuig 1u1 uiuuj %.kj | hear and judge for themselves. His in- j decent intrusion upon the Gaflney ( meeting illustrates his methods of bossism and his desire to rule or ruin. After my return home, in Aprilu last, f received invitations from citizens of Greenville, York. Cherokee, Newberry and Spartanburg counties to address I ihe people on the national issues of the day. As their public servant I could not: disregard their imperative calls, and' accepted the invitations. Had I not done so, my political opponent would , have charged that I coul dnot meet my ! stituents face to face and explain political action. It was not my pure in accepting these invitations to in my campaign for re-elee;ion re than a year in advance of the priy, but to attempt to enlighten the pie and remove false impressions duced upon the public mind by the ior Senator and his sympathizers. I I been persistently maligned and represented, and the onlt* means afded me for ny vindication was to the ear of the people. This was my y object in making speeches where as invited to go and had it not been those invitations I should have reined silent. Have we reached the int where a number of private citins cannot invite one of their reprentatives to address them without inidimr the senior Senator or first ob twining his permission? The senior Senator .it seems, willed that I should not he heard at that time, and determined that 1 should wait for his bidding to go before the people. The Senator also charges that I am a Republican and was organizing a Republican party here. If he believed this charge, why did he consent to run with me in a Democratic primary? I denounce the charge as an infamous falsehood and the senior Senator knows what he says is untrue. In his recklessness, the senior Senator further charges that the dispensing of the public patronage has been placed at my disposal, and "unlimited money" is furnished me by the Republicans to aid in the scheme of the organization of a new party. I denounce this as a malicious falsehood. In my Greenville speech I explained why 1 had been consulted about the Federal patronage, and at Ce.iTney I detouced. in his presence, both of those charges as wilfully | false .and yet he reiterates them in his address. His purpose in repeating what h.e knows to be slander must be evident to all. The senior Senator undertakes in bis address to throw the whole responsibility of the present situation in 1 the State upon me. After denouncing ? T??hrandinc me as a Ill > Ul'lUUUfts; w.. v. w _ traitor to the party, he meekly s?,ys that he and his Democracy were as-1 sailed by me, and it was incumbent upon him to crush me and my influence in this State. The senior Senator has undertaken a herculean task, "for truth, crushed to earth, will rise again." The Senator forgets that he insidiously and maliciously assailed me last summer, when I was ur.a.ble to defend myself, and after my Charlotte speech, In an interview, made false and slanderous charges aeainst me. I did, in my Charlotte and Greenville speeches. J criticise his Populistic Democracy and I have nothing to retract. He impugns : the motives of others, but when a rer>'v* Jc rnnri.-? he cries out that he has ' Illj .o -been attacked in an unjustifiable manner. The people shall judge of our Democracy and net the senior Sera'or. It is evident that the senior Senator ; fears that he cannot defeat me on a j fair field,with no favors,else why is it he assailed me in his address and threatening to put out other candidates? What was said on the stand at 1 Gaffney and the correspondence b> I tweon us will convince any fair-minded man that our resignation was with | the understanding that the race was to be between us only and the campaign I was not fo take place until the fall. The senior Senator said on the s:and that he would unite with me in a letter to Governor JlcSwoeny requesting him to withheld action until a decision ' by the primary. The address is characteristic or tn"> man and his political methods. Ho is addicted to making recklcs; and false | charges against ethers which he never substantiates. An h -nest man is always chary in charging others with j dishonesty. The thief often errs "Stor? | thief!" lie is an ambitious b.iss and habitual disturber of the political ' peace and harmony of Forth Carolina, j Last summer, for the sake of peace. 1 he was given no opposition, and as soon as the doors were closed and a:l entries barred, he made a slanderous ] / attack upon the H:bic and the ni.n 3.ry of this state. Fellow-citizcn3. there will neveh be anything like unity or quieUiJe among our people until ha is leiogated to private life. His incendiary appeals to class hatred and prejudice, such a? ho made at Gaffr.ev to the factory op eratives. and his dictatorial spirit and utterances will keep up di sensions. divisions and discord in the State. Y.'ith the aid cf the people I will make a heroic effort dur.ng this campaign to brrak down bosslsm with its train of political evils, and I invite all goo.l citizens to assist me to inaugurate an era of free thought, frre speech and independence cf action cn the part of the people of South Carolina. The * x ' - o senior senaior, iu uie iiui-muc \.l ? farmer's life in Edgefield county, ccu'd be viewed as a pitchfork less pigmy and a blessing to the State. JOHN LOWNDES McLAURIN. OPPOSES SUMMER CAMPAIGN. McLaurin Addresses Chairman Jones Giving His Reasons. Senator McLaurin protests against a canvass of the State in August. He has written to Col. Wiley Jones, chairman, asking that the State executive committee arrange for the campaign to be held at some other time. Col. Wiley Jones, who announces his j candidacy for the Senate said, concerning Mr. McLaurin's letter: In hl3 letter to Col Jones, Mr. McLaurin states that he wants the is u? between himself and Tillman. lie says : ' Dear Col. Jones: I note in tc-day's paper that you speak of the campaign """olf onrl Sonntnr Till-nan UCl ? CCJ1 III ,)OUl 0.14V4 MW44MVV - beginning about August 1st. Th s Is ! entirely out of the question so far a3 I I an: concerned. I made it point to dae the resignation September 15th. because I knew that it was absolutely impossible for roe to canvass the Sta o until the weather became cooler. I re- | signed In good faith to sul mit the j question to the voters of Soatn Caro- ! lina. I want fair treatment and an i opportunity to present my case to th? j people. Senator Tillman Intruded Urn- j self into this fight. I am ready to fight j to a finish, but want no "draw"' or j "fouling." My suggestion would l:e as | congress does not meet until December j 4th, that the committee requc t Gov. | McSweenev to withhold action until [ the result of the primary Is announced, and then appoint the man receiving J the highest number of votes. Let tho legislature elect my successor as it is only for a short time, or let you gentlemen who desire to contest arrange your canvass entirely apart from mine and Tillman's. I would ti'so suggest that you permit lie and I to arrange tho schedule for our meetings. It is my desire to conduct a clean, decent canvass, tree from personalities, if permitted to do so; but I am ready to take what comes. I wish it distinctly understood, however. that I cannot entertain the idea of canvassing in August, and that one man at a time i3 all I care to fight. I had enough of the four to one busine 3 in lSt'T. I appeal to you as men and chairman of the party fcr fa:r play. The reason I suggest withholding action on cur resignations until aft.'r the primary is that there are many postofTlces and other matters of inter'?t to the State, among which I might mention the Charleston Exposition, which demands the attention of a sono. j tor. To take away from th* State th'3 < protection of even six weeks may 1 cause trouble. I do r.ot care personal- i ly. however, what is done about th s, | hut think it m> duty to mention it.' * " ? yours respectuiuy, John L. MoLaurin. JONES REPLIES. Col. Wiley Jont s. c hairman cf tho State Democratic Executive committee, addressed the following to Senator McLaurin in reply to the latter's protest against a canvass of the State in the month of August. "Dear Sir: Upon mv return home from Chiekamauga I read your opm letter addressed to me in The Evening Record, and I will now answer it. I simply stated that I though: that the canvass would commen ce in .august next becaus?* at that t n:e the crops are laid by and the farmers arc at leisure, and the merchants have Ittle to do, and I thought that it was the best time for tne people to hear public speaking. It has always been customary since we have had the prim- [ ? A rtrtni-oeo rliir'rto- All- I aries 10 na>c uu huimo gust. This is a matter entirely for the committee to decide I really have r.o authority to do anything in thi3 matter except to cad the committee together. This i will do in a short time. You can rest assured of one thing, and that is that the State Democratic Executive committee will be absolutely fair in all that it has to do. I have never been associated in my life with a body of men who desired to act more fairly, and did act fairer, than this committee has always done. It is composed of some of the best men cf our State, and they will give everybody ah-1 solute justice," MACHINISTS STRIKE A Number Employed In Souther's Railway Shops Walk Out. DEMAND IS EOR A NINE HOUR DAY The Shops at a Number of Points Af fected?The Causes of the Difficulty Explained. Salisbury, Special.?At 9 o'clock Thursday morning G2 of the 71 machinists employed in the Southern Railway's Spencer shops went on strike. There was no demonstration of any kind, the men merely laying down their instruments and going quietly to their homes. Five of the 25 apprentices also struck. It is claimed by the strikers and denied at the office of General Superintendent Sands, of the eastern division .that the strike has been successful all over the system. Strikers' telegrams claim that President O'Connell's order was almost unanimously obeyed at Columbia, Asheville, Knoxville, Greensboro, Atlanta, Charleston, Birmingham, Columbia, Memphis and Macon. At the railroad office it wis said that none were out at Alexandria, Greenville and Charlotte. Four were said to have gone out at Greensboro and 17 at Manchester. It is admitted that the strike was general at Columbia, not only the machinists going out, but other classes of workmen In sym pathy with them. It appears that at the large shops, where the employes are acted upon by local unions, the strike has been much more general then at minor points. The strike, in the opinion of the officials, has signally failed. They do not expect serious embarrassment to result from it and they are confident that ' two-thirds of th estrikers went out unwillingly and simply because, they were ordered out by their union. None of any other class of employes quit. Thi3 is a small defection out of a total of 500 employes and it is said will not cripple the shops. It is learned at the office of the general superintendent that the total number of employes out on the eastern division of the Southern on account of the strike is 189. This included 30 at Charleston, 64 at Columbia, 69 at Salisbury, 17 at Manchester and 9 at all other points. This includes all classes of employes now on strike. This statement covers the four shops mentioned and also those at Alexandria and Lawrenceville, Va.; also seven junction points, such as Charlton CrMtiahnm whf?rp machinists are employed. Master Mechanic Robinson said at night that the shops would go on regularly and could attend to all necessary work thrown upon it. the more easily, as the engines and other rolling stock were in first-class condition and could dispense with much overhauling for some time. It is believed at the general superintendent's office that the condition just described as existing at Spencer, is about as it is on the whole system; that it is some slight embarrassment to the railroad company, but not presenting any serious problem. In Knoxville. Knoxville, Tenn., Special.?All the machinists, apprentices and helpers in ' the Lonsdale shops of the Soutnern Railway, with the exception of six, are / on strike. Three foremen in the wrecking shop, it is reported, were Thursady morning requested to take up machinists' work and they refused and quit. The strikers claim 127 men are out, and the railroad officials say 113. President Henry of the district lodge, says he knew nothing of the men striking here until after it had been made. The order to strike was not made through him. The Knoxville board of public works denied the request of Superintendent C. L. Ewing of the Southern, that policemen be stationed in the Southern Railway yards, to guard engines and other property and prevent any disorder. The board claim that no reason existed to believe the strikers would give trouble. Ashaville riachinists Quit. Asheville, N. C., Special.?AH the machinists in the repair shops of the Southern Railway here went out on strike Thursday morning. The force here is not large. Out In Greensboro. Greensboro, Special.?Four machin. ists engaged in repair work for the Southern Railway here struck Thursday morning. Forty Out in Atlanta. Atlanta. Ca.. Special.?-Forty machinists and 300 apprentices in the employ of the Southern railway here, struck Thursday. Seventy-Nine Out in Columbia. Columbia. S. C.. Special.?This morning 19 machinists walked out of the Columbia shops cX the Southern ra.lwav. In Birmingham. Birmingham, Ala., Special.?Fortyfive machinists in the employ of the Southern Raill-way here, struck at 9 O'clock Thursday morning, to enforce the nine-hour aeraand. The machinists of the Alabama Great Southern shops, controlled by the Southern Railway, are still at work. .VjJ