Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Sketch of Senator Tillman's Early Achievements. (From The State.) In 1895 when the constitutional convention was in session, The World of New York sent its special corres pondent, James Creeland to Colum bia. Mr. Creeland wrote a series of articles describing men and condi tions here. Senator Tillman had been elected to the United States senate to succeed Gen. M. C. Butler, and he was then a member of the constitu tional convention. He had served as governor for two years, his term of office having expired in November, 1S94. John Gary Evans was governor at the time of the meeting of the con stitutional convention. The following sketch of Senator Tillman was written by Mr. Creeland who was considered an expert and impartial newspaper man. (Special Correspondence of The World.) Columbia, S. C. Oct. 3.-This an cient and peculiar commonwealth is at this moment under the domination of the most notable and exasperat ing leader the South has known since the war. With one or two exceptions he is actually dictating the terms of the new constitution to the conven tion that has been sitting in the fam ous old State house. Benjamin Ryan Tillman is the ab solute ruler of the State, overriding all other authority and trampling down friends alike when they oppose his will. When Tillman enters the emited States senate next winter that aug ust body will receive a shock, for this is no sing-songy whiskerado like Mr. Peffer, but the incarnation of agricultural socialism armed with lightning that can blast and scarify. There is,not a man on the floor of the senate today fit to cope with Till man when his oratorical bowie-knife is out. He thinks in pictures and has a nimble wit. Even the unterrified John James Ingall would have a hard time of it with this one-eyed leader of the agrarian revolution, who has smashed the saloon power, over thrown the heirs of the old-time oli archy of landed proprietors, humbled the pride of cities and towns and let loose seas of reckless rhetoric, engulf ing the traditions of South Carolina in a flood of Greek, Latin, slang, pro fanity, crankiness and common sense. He towers up in the South. The sergeant at arms of the senate has my sympathy, but the senate it self has a stirring experience in store for it. Tillmans Die in Their Boots. The Tillmans of this generation have mostly died in their boots. One . of the senator's brothers was killed ? in the Mexican war, another died from wounds received in the battle of Chickamauga and two others were . shot dead in personal encounters. The , whole family is high strung and full of grit. "Uncle" George Tillman who ; served in congress for 14 years, was ? actually turned out of his seat for ; daring to oppose the will of his young er brother. Today you may see the j two brothers grappling with each , other in this curious convention, , which has met chiefly to provide for ( the permanent disfranchisment of the negro race and to recognize the So- , cialistic principle of State ownership | of saloons in the Constitution. j Senator Benjamin Ryan Tillman , was born 48 years ago on his father's plantation at Chester, in Edgefield , county, South Carolina. Shortly aft- , erwards his father died, and his moth- . er, assisted by her elder sons, con j ducted the hilly cotton farm on the j edge of Chevis Creek. They had a hundred slaves when the war broke out. Mrs. Tillman was an intelligent, not to say brilliant woman, for a 1 plain planter's wife. During the war 1 young Tillman went to school at Lib- ? erty Hill, 30 miles from home, under 1 the tutelage of George Golphin, a 1 teacher and linguist of local renown. ; The lad's thirst for knowledge and ! his indomitable will were displayed in his 15th year. He knew that at 16 ' he must enter the Confedrate army. His brothers, then serving in the field wrote back, urging him to get a good foundation of knowledge, for the wa , might last so long that he would never have another opportunity for education. When school hours were over and supper was eaten, young ! Tillman would carry a lighted pine J knot into the woods and ?lying down .' in the leafy solitude, would ponder * over Greek roots and Latin conjuga tions by the dim, flickering light. He * was a lank, sinewy, silent and dicta- 1 norial youth, expressing his opinions in short, sharp and sometimes furi ons sentences, brooking no contra- . diction and forgetting nothing that he ever learned. How He Injured His Eye. ^ The heat of the pine blaze injured i his left eye, and an indiscreet plunge I in cold water brought on a pulpy tu- s mor. For nearly two years young Till- i man wt'?? an invalid. When he was I well again the war was over and his s eye was gone. From that time on, c he labored to improve his mind. He was an omnivorous student, rea without system, but gathering toj er an array of facts and ideas, cient and modern, which asto those who hear him in a debat< day. He was a great hunter and er. On the plantation he was "a si engine in breeches." Although he is the most rem< less enemy of negro suffrage in S Carolina, his whole history is fu acts of generosity towards his b farm laborers. Before 20 he married, and he now six children. One son is at C son Agricultural College, on the Calhoun est?ate, to establish w the senator made his first entry public life, and his eldest daugr Miss Addie Tillman, is studying the Hollins Institute, Virginia bright, pretty, high-spirited girl, son Henry, 12 years old, has inht ed his father's extraordinary mom and can tell you off hand any 5 in the World Almanac, the names congressmen and the majorities which they were elected, how m gallons of liquor are consumed in country and how much money is circulation. Often when the fierce, ruthi leader returns from battle with enemies, he lies down on the floor J in a minute his children are piled top of him, pulling his hair, pinch his cheeks, and searching his pocki Like all really strong men, he is g tie at home. The loss of the left eye and the cessity for care in the use of right eye prevented Tillman fr studying law. But for this fact would have been another Ros< Conkling. In Reconstruction Days. Tillman's young manhood deveh ed in the reconstruction days wh the white population threatened to commence the war unless they wt relieved of the horrors and humil tions of negro domination. The ] publican party was pitiless. It deb; ed and defrauded the State. Tillm was captain ofi a company of volu teer hussars in Edgefield*county a in 187G his cavalrymen were led him in the anti negro riots of Elle ton and Hamburg. Later on he ro with his company into Aiken to stai trial for insurrection. As a taunt to John Sherman ai his friends, the whole company, i eluding its captain, were attired blood-red shirts presented by Sou Carolina women. The ladies of Aik< gave a flag of honor to the hussa and Tillman was chosen to respon but he was unable to make a speec He has since gotten over that dirncn ty bravely. There is not a more remarkable o ator and debater in the country. H invectives bite to the bone. He ca turn and twist around, corner wit astonishing with dexterity, deludin and confusing his opponents. He d< spises and ignores politicians, slasl ing and stabbing them indiscriminate ly, whether they support him or no' The secret of his power is his stron hold upon the mass of the white pee pie. He is the god, the redeemer o the "poor whites." Nothing in heavei Dr earth escapes his vehement irrev ?renee. He has an especial hatred am contempt for President Cleveland. "When I get to the United State senate," he says, "I'll punch that ol< jag of beef in the ribs with my pitch fork and make him show up some ming about these Wall Street deals.' Whereat enthuosanded hayseedisn vags its head, sticks its tongue in it.? meek and swears that Benjamin R> m Tillman is the mightiest man thal ives, has lived, or ever will live. And ;hey really believe it. Farms to Rule the Towns. In 188G Tillman was a domineer ng, somewhat unpopular and tbngue :ied planter. But he had a vigilant ?ye. Nothing escaped him. He was nvitc-d to a meeting of the State Ag ricultural Board, which met at Ben ?ettsville. This body was composed of "oiiticians backed by the old fann ies. It spent something like $50,000 i year-certainly a large sum-in experimental work. Tillman was in cited to make a speech. He stumped iwkwardly through written address, lemanding that the agricultural joard should be extended: that it ihould consist principally of farmers, ind that a college for the instruction )f the rural youth on agricultural ndustrial lines should be established. That sounded the keynote of the pol ey that was afterwards to embrace i scheme of modified socialism found :d upon the right ol the farm to rule ;he town. The brutalities of Reconstruction lays brought about a solidarity of he white race in South Carolina. No ssue could divide them. They pre ;ented a united front to the emanci >ated and enfranchised negroes, who vere debauching the commonwealth mder the protection of the federal >ayonets. But in 1876 the whites hook off the control of the blacks, ind what was left of the proud old bourbon aristocracy -or rather, its omewhat abashed lagatees, resumed ontrol. The city, the town, the factory and the store worked together. The "poor whites" scattered throughout the State had a majority, but they were disorganized and had neither leaders nor a formulated policy. From 1876 till 1890. there seven primary elec tions for the State, county and muni cipal officers; and it must be remem bered that, as there was only one par ty in the State that had any possibili ty of power-the white man's party -all struggles for office were virtu ally settled in the primaries rather than rather than at the polls. The majority of defeated candidates dur ing this period sulked and their fol lowers gradually ceased to go to the polls. The white vote grew smaller and smaller, but it was always able to control the overwhelming negro population. Tillman Sees Kis Chance. Meanwhile the wealthier farmers and the "poor whites" were growing closer together. They were in time to make common cause. The successors of the old aristocracy were to fall out of power and give place to the great white middle class. Tillman seemed to be the first man to comprehend the meaning of these blind giant stirrings. He put himself at the head of the discontented rural mob and fashioned into an army, the Farmers' Alliance was organized in 1889, and was in full swing by 1890. Tillman taught the farmers that the bankers and merchants were sucking their life blood and that, unless they organized themselves against the money-lending element in the cities, they would in time lose the title to their farms and become mere agricul tural serfs. In March, 1890 the farmers held a convention in Columbia to suggest a candidate for governor and secure his nomination within the "solid Dem ocratic Party." They selected Tillman as their candidate. The regular Dem ocratic primaries were to be held that complete organization of a new party in every county and precinct. With an innocent face he went to the Demo cratic State committee and persuaded the politicians to allow the Farmers' Alliance to be represented on the va rious boards of election officers and on the executive committees of the State and counties. The moment that was clone Tillman was master of South Carolina. In all other Southern States the Democrats treated the Far mers' Alliance as an independent par ty and would allow it no representa tion. Tillman was nominated for gover nor. . ? ? '? -. - &\'i?b&?&? A Strange and Bitter Campaign. Then came one of the strangest and bitterest campaigns in the history of this restless and unconquerably proud State. The man who has not visited Charleston, the home of the most charming and exclusive aristoc racy in the South, can scarcely under stand the horror with which the con servative element viewed the pros pect of an uncouth, profane farmer, in a rusty coat and shocking hat, sit ting in the chair of Wade Hampton. There was not more anguish in Mass achusetts when Benjamin F. Butler was elected governor. Revolvers bulged out under coat tails at all of the political meetings. Tillman forced the rival candidate, General Earle, to agree to a joint de bate. It was a terrific struggle. The most critical moment in that memo rable fight occurred at a great mass meeting here. Three-quarters of the audience were anti-Tillmanites. Near ly every man was armed. Most of the speakers on the platform had revolv ers in their satchels. Everybody ex pected a bloody fight. While Tillman was speaking his opponent arose and asked him how old he was when the war closed and why he was not in the Confederate army. Tillman turned upon General Earle in a fury. A hundred fingers were on triggers. There was a mom ent of silence. The new leader declar ed that he was sick in bed when the war closed. Tillman Won the Day. "As for your insinuations of cow ardice and lack of patriotism," he shouted at his adversary, "I spit them out at you, and spurn you and them with contempt." Not a shot was fired. It was a mir acle. A thunderclap of applause greet ed his daring speech, and from that moment Tillman had control of the multitude. He was elected governor by a large majority at the end of a crusade for agricultural independ ence, the overthrow of corruption in the State government, a state agri cultural college, the control of the barroom politicians, low taxes and free silver. So terrible did he become to his enemies on the stump that few men could face him. He is profane sometimes, but the. explosive force af his personality and the pictur esqueness of his language ?"ive an impression that he is appallingly in Jecent. We have on hand a beautiful as sortment of ladies silk waists in va rious colors. We are selling at a very reasonable price. ISRAEL MUKASHY. ANTS MILK THE APHIDS Insects Give Up ac Contentedly ?8 a Cow, in Return for Food and Shelter. How successive generations of ants learn to milk the aphids is a mystery that cannot be explained on any theory of heredity, for, as the Journal of Heredity points out, the ?nts which do the milking are work ers, sexless insects that leave no off spring. "It is, therefore, quite im possible that they should transmit their training to offspring which they do not leave." The "milk" which the aphids give up to tlie ants as contentedly as a cow gives her milk, is the juice of plants sucked up by the aphids and transformed in their bodies to a sirup of invert sugar or glucose. This is the so-called "honey dew" often found in vast quantities on plants. Some species of ants merely lick this up, but others strike* the aphids to persuade them to "give down," just as the hired man of the farm induces the cow. In return for this service the ants fight the enemies of the aphids, carry them to safety in times of dan ger, take care of their eggs, place the aphids where they will get the best of food and shelter them ii) their nests in colcT weather. The aphids like the arrangement, for they never try to escape. HOW TO RESTORE CLOTHING Carefully Brush Before Laying Away and lt Will Regain Its Original Luster. It is surprising to see how a suit of clothes carefully brushed and put away renews itself and comes out with almost the original luster. In these days of renunciation, the Christian Register ^otes, it is worth while to postpone the buying of the usual supply of clothing until a test is made of the respectability of the suit in its second year. Respectability in men and women is in England not dependent upon clothes. Indeed, it is wonderful to see an aged couple of high rank traveling, waited on by flunkies in sjjoiless livery, while the noble lord and lady are as do^y asi if th,ey liad, cm^'ouToFjn ola coupe's, home. AtLone of OTK conferences at Sanjg toga the "president one day carried on his arm a light overcoat so shabby that a young minister said1 that-rio'minister would dare to wear such a coat. It takes some courage and much self-respect to make a man independent of his clothes. Just now it might be considered a mark of patriotism if a man should be believed to contribute to the com mon cause of national defense and foreign good-fellowship the money he saved by not replenishing his wardrobe this season. THE INSTALLMENT PLAN. "They must be very rich?" "Why so?" "Their house is filled with period furniture." "And mine is full of periodic fur niture." "What kind is that?" "It was paid for at thirty-day in tervals." HIS INHERITANCE. Father-When I was a small boy I was left an orphan. Tommy-What did you do with it?-Tit-Bits. AN ISLAND. "Chimmie, what's a island?" "Why, it's a place where you can't git away from without a boat." People's Home Journal. SELDOM WHAT THEY SEEM. She-The devjl^jsn't always as black as he's painted. " ' ~ . He-Nor is a woman always as pink.-London Answers. UNUSUALLY GOOD. "Is he good to his wife?" "Very. He never even, reminds her that it is his money she ie spending." THE SITUATION. Friend (gayly)-Say, how did you get in the house when you went home so late last night? Staylate (glumly)-I got in bad. CAUSE AND EFFECT. "He generally has such loose methods." "That's so and they usually land him in tight placee-" WHERE ?O GO THIS SUMMER The "Land of the Sky" is Delightful at All Seasons The vast platean, with a minimum altitude of 2,000 feet above the sea level, amid a setting of beautiful mountains and giant peaks. Summer in this region is one of constant enjoyment and health ful diversion. ' LIVE OUTDOORS E?SS3 Camp in Mount Michell Forest Reserve or Pisgah Forest Reserve GOLF TENNIS MOTORING MOUNTAIN CLIMBING HORSE-BACK RIDING * CANOEING FISHING HUNTJNG NUMEROUS FAMOUS RESORTS . EXCELLENT HOTELS CHARMING SOCIAL LIFE SUMMER CAMPS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS MANY NOTED RESORTS IN NORTH CAROLINA KENTUCKY INDIANA TENNESSEE GEORGIA VIRGINIA SOUTH CAROLINA FLORIDA ALABAMA MISSISSIPPI and LOUISIANA SEASHORE RESORTS CUMBERLAND ISLAND, GA. VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. OCEAN VIEW, VA. OLD POINT COMFORT, VA MOREHEAD CITY, N. C. ? ISLE OF PALMS, S. C. SULLIVAN'S ISLAND, S. C. TYREE, GA. ST. SIMON'S ISLAND, GA. ATLANTIC BEACH, FLA. , Reached by Convenient Service of Southern Railway System SUMMER EXCURSION RATES F. E. GIBSON, Presidenta LANSING B. LEE, Sec. and Treas. R The Best Time to Build is Now Free booklets on Silos, Barns, implement Houses, Residences, etc., with suggestions of great value. Also "Ye Planary" service through the Lumber Exchange of Augusta. Ask for further information it interested. The servicejs with out cost.. Woodard Lumber Co. 'Phone - - 158 AUGUSTA - - - - GEORGIA Quality ?MOTTO Service Buy War Saving Stamps until you can't see. Then see nie, Geo. F. Minis, Optometrist. Edgefield,S. C. Now is the time to protect your crop from bail. I can place you in a good company. I can also pro tect your home with tornado insur ance. E. J. Norris. Whenever You Need a General Tonic Take Grove's The Old Standard Grove's Tasteless chill Tonic is equally valuable as a General Tonic because it contains the ?veil known tonic properties of QUININE and IRON. It acts on the Liver, Drives out Malaria, Enriches the Blood and Builds up the Whole System. 50 cents. ELECT?IC Dil 1 Tns Best Tonic, Mild - Laxative I Family Medicine. HARRIS' PRESSING CLUB I take thisrmeans of letting the people know that I have re-opened my pressing club, and will appre ciate their patronage. I am better prepared than ever to clean and press all kinds of garments, both for ladies and gentlemen. All work guaranteed. Let me know when you have work and I will send for it and make prompt delivery. Wallace Harris Sheppard Building Down Starra A. H. Cori ey, Surgeon Dentist Appointments at Trenton On Wednesdays. ' DR J.S. BYRD, Dental Surgeon OFFICE OVER POSTOFFICE Residence 'Phone 17-R. Office 3