Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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SUMTER. S. C.. WEDNESDAY. AUG-UST 9.1899 New Series-Yoi. XIX. M 2 tfc SSatcjjBBK m ^milton. ggbllshtd rary "STe&ziesiay, -BY S MTER, S. C. TBRMS : $1.50 per annum-io advance. iDTiiriiixi KT: Ooo Square first insertion........00 Every subsequent insertion......... 50 Contracts for three months, or longer wil be made at reduced rates. AH communications which subserve private interests will be charged for as advertiemcnts. Obituaries and tributes of respects will be charged for. TILLMAN'S DAY. THE PICNIC A SUCCESS. Many Ladies and 500 People Present. Synopsis of Senator Tillman's Two Speeches. Peace as Unity and Pleasure in Morning-Fireworks and Gin ger in Afternoon. Senator Tillman arrived in tbe city Thurs day Afternoon and was met at the depot by Mayor Hugnson and Mr. C. W. Staosil! of the reception committee. He was takeo io a carriage and escorted to the Marion Hotel where be waa entertained. Later ia the after noon he was driven over the city by other members of the committee. Next morning Senator ^Tillman received a largo number of callers at bis room at the Marion, his numerous friends and political supporters from all parts of the county call ing to pay their respects and shake bands with him. At ll 30 o'clock the committee consisting of Mayor Haghsoa, Supervisor Dorn and Mr C. W. Staosill, called at tbe Marion with carriages sud escorted Senator Tillman sud Congressman Stokes ont to Richardson's grove, where tbe picnic and speaking were to be held. At the grove a crowd of perhaps fire han dred were gathered. There were at least a hundred ladies present, and seats were pro vided for them in front of tbe speakers' eland, which was erected beneath tbe spread ing oaks that famish a grateful shade from tbe san. Soon after Senator Tillman, Dr Stokes aod tbe coat mi ties arrived on the grounds, the meeting was called to order by Mayor Hugh BOD, who made a few remarks in a happy vein, welcoming tbe crowd and expressing tbe hope that all present would enjoy the day, and thea announced that tbe meeking would be opened with prayer by Dr. J. A. Clifton. After the iavocatioa by Dr. Clifton, Sena tor Tillman wi3 introduced by Dr H. T. Alcott, as follows : - Fellow Citizens : . Daring the eighteenth century there figured a man in Great Britain who conceived that a Reformation was needed in the established church of England. Those high in authority in both church and state treated him with contumely Tbe doors of the churches were locked against him He was abased and vilified, And, as he preached in the streets, and on the heaths around Moorefield, London and elsewhere the mobs would howl, stone and rotten egg him, and with their nefarious and diabolical anathemas pcrsne him like a beast of prey. But this man firm in his convictions of right, and opon whom it pleased God to confer those extraordinary gifts which command the homage and admiration of men, touched the main spring which pat in motion a church whose lever power is no parallel ed io the annals of church history. A church which from an insignificant beginning bas in a little over a hundred years not only equalled bat surpasses her sister denominations in numbers, wealth and colleges A church whose preachers are found in every town and D every hamlet A church whose doctrines are preach ed in the populous city, and to the border rnf ians of the far west. A church whose songs are sung in the palaces of the rich and buts of the poor. A church whose missionaries are found in every land and every clime. A church whose parish is the world A church which has restored the moral elements of human liberty and proclaims a free salvation to alf. And where is Mr Wesley buried ? The English people reaching the highest inspiration of which the high est type of which the human race is capable that of according to an enemy justice and recognizing worth wherever found, he reposes in Westminster Abbey. He sleeps with the kings of EDglaod. Ile sleeps with the greatest men of the greatest nation upon which the sun of Heaven shines Thi3 act will j ever redound to England's glory, j and dazzle and blaze with ail its meridian splendor and halo of glory upon her escutcheon as long as history records noble deeds. And today there is not io this broad land ao intelligent christian of whatever name or creed bot what regards it as a benefaction to the world that such a mao as John Wesley lived. In eighteen hundred acd ninety there appea red upon the political arena of South Carolina an anomaly in poli tics. man entirely unknown to fame A regular one galius, wool hat horny handed eon of toil. A full blooded hay seed clod hopper and who had only gaioe some/ little notoriety by newspaper controversies, in which he always made his adversaries come off" second beat. He soon gained the hatred, malice and envy of those in authority s'mp y because he advocat ed what Jefferson, Jackson and what every true democrat should, that of equal right? to ali and special privi leges to none. A Government of the people by the people and for the people, eqoal opportunities to ali, and that the offices should be divided among those who merited them, and not monopolized by a chosen few But it was not until the campaign opend in Greenville that his mighty powers were developed, and, like Anak of old towered head and shoulders above all bis compeers and proved himself to be an Olym pian of Olympia The opposing candidates flushed with previous victories, and intoxicated, as they supposed, with superior intellect and training laughed him to scorn and expected after a few speeches on the hastings to send this presumptuous plebeian, this demagogue, this crank, back to plough handles and cornfield, were he rightly belonged. Little did they know the strength which patriotism lends when liberty strikes with every blow. For as a mountain 3tands while wind storms roar so did he meet bis relentless foes, and again and again sent them back shamefully beaten. By the subtlety of his logic, the spell of his eloquence, the force of his genius, and the magnetism of his person be swayed the multitudes and soon con vinced bis antagonist and the country he was no ordinary man. At the very first meeting be gen erated an embryo whirlwind which gathered strength and velocity at every meeting until soon the boasted intelligence, wealth and press with the bull dozing, jeers, sneers, vilifications, vituperation, misrepre sentation and aspersions joioed in one miscellaneous, heterogeneous conglomeration of propagandism to stem the tide. But all in vain. Io his herculean strength he scattered them like chaff before the wind Seeing the helplessness and impo tency of their cause they actually sent to Washington and Georgia for help. But these imported politicians, like trees in the forest before a tornado, he swept aside carrying everything before him and'was triumphantly elect ed governor of South Carolina; and in four years, having outwitted the statesmen, puzzled the lawyers and confused the judges, and having the legislative, executive and judiciary departments of the government, he was complete master of the situation to the delight of his friends and the chagrin of his enemies and the utter amazement the country, and placed upon the statute books some of our most salutary laws : instance, the pri mary law, in wh'ch the people are allowed to choose their own candi dates from coroner to United States Senator, a privilege all free people should have, and which you never had before ; Floating the State bonds at a lower rate of interest, nr.der the most trying circumstances, thus sav ing to the tax payers seventy five thousand dollars a year ; protecting the farmers" interests by really and not by going through the farce of punishing those who deal in fraudu lent fertilizers ; the dispensary law, which some of the best minds in the country, both clerical and laymen, pronounce the best solution of the liquor question that was ever formu lated, and which Gladstone pro j nounced the most difficult problem ! which the statesmen of all civilized ! and enlightened countries had to con tend And a constitutional conven tion by practically eliminating a cer tain vote from the politics of South Carolina, of itself was worth the re form movement. While supporting every education al iostituion he fouud, he did what no other administration has ever done, founded fwo large colleges which in their stately beauty and grand pro portions are not only ornaments to South Carolina but to the South. And ladies, right here let me say a word to you. Women, the admired of all the world, it would seem like sacrilege to approach such objects of universal admiration with other ofter ings than hearts of devotiou and words of praise She who is, has been and ever will be the paragon of all beauty, the cynosure of all eyes It is at her shrine that the prince and the poet, the warrior lay their richest offerings lt is to gain her approv ing smile that stirs within the youth those deep aspirations for fame, that craving for boundless ambition, that quenchless thirst for renown which in his wild imagination he hopes to make earth's teeming millions shout his praise and the very stars to echo with the thunders of his name. Yet you, the acme of benignity, the ne plus ultra of perfection, the cfaef d'ouvre of creation, the crowning jewel of the casket, the rose leaf upon the mantling cup of bliss, the summum bonum of God's gifts to man. Yet South Carolina never ap propriated a dollar to build a College for your especial benefit until the Tillman administration did this crown ing act of justice to your sex, and fe male education will be inseparably connected with bis name, and the daughters and grand-daughters and great grand daughters will ever hon or his name, thus "The mist of time which lesser lights obscure, Will augment his glory more and more.1' And ladies it was he who from the executive chair openly and boldly declared that under all circumstances and at all hazards, even with life itself, would protect women's virtue After another thoroughly organized campaign and being opposed by the best talent the State could afford and again backed.by the wealth, intelli gence and press and all the outside pressure that could be brought to bear against him, he .was triumphantly elected United States Senator; a posi tion to attain which was at once the height of man's ambitions, the con summation of political aspiration. But it was said that when he coped with those intel lectual giants of the senate he would be a cypher. What was the sequel? When it was known that the mogui of South Carolina was to speak, the newspapers tell us every Senator was in bia place, the galleries were crowded to overflowing. Not a paper perhaps in the U. S. but com mented upon his speech, and two thousand congratulatory letters piled Pelion upon Ossa high on his desk, tell in unmistakable language how the speech thrilled and received a respon sive echo in the hearts of the Amer ican people from the Gulf of the south to the lakes of the north, from the shores of the Atlantic to the shores of the Pacific. And that is not all, the news VMS soon sent on the wings of lightning to the capitals of Europe, and the next morning the dailies an uounced that the great Carolinan had thundered against the gold bugs. Since then he has been invited to speak in almost every state of the union, and again and again he bas been the recipient of the most enthu siastic ovations from the people. Now, fellow citizens of Sumter County, let us throw aside our pre judices and petty differences and imitate the example of our public spirited mayor and honored senator and other distinguished citizens, and like the peopie of Eogiand, honor him who honors you. and who, we hope, in nineteen hundred, under the lead ership of W. J. Bryan, will be the democratic candidate for vice presi dent of the United States. Senator Tillman spoke for forty min utes. The following is an outline, not i verbatim report of his speech. Ladies and Fellow Citizsca : There is an old adage that a prophet is never without booor save in bis own couotry, and I have occasion to realize from reading the South Carolina news papers that if I have any claim to be a propbet or if I have ever foretold aDy eveot with the true prophetic spirit these claim* have cot been recognized, nor have the papers realized that Ben Tillman is a prophet. if had known hew I was to be praised and belauded and how thick a coat of butter was to be spread over me, I think I woald have staid away from Sumter. I may have merited to be praised for some things, but have never before been tbe recipient of so much as Dr. Abbott bas bestowed. Perhaps ail present CJO no not agree with ali that Dr. Abbott has said, the wounds are too recent and the scars too ! fresh for all to feel as he feels, or think I as be thinks, and as I have always ad j mitted aud recognized tho right of men ! to differ in opinions, and I still re cog - ; oize that this right is a heritage of j free men, I bear no malice toward those i who differed with me in tbe past and ! fought me and the principles I advo cat d. Yet while sitting here and listening j to Dr Abbott's words of praise I could j not help thinking of what the News I and Courier and the State would do if Dr. Abbott's speeoh were to be prided in their columns. I believe the presses would explode with indignation, j Had I been consuited would have j advised Dr. Abbott against making tbe j speech he did in introducing UK-, but j as I was not consulted and was not ! j prepared for what was said take it as j it was intended. I am not here to rake up old feelings or to stir up strife that belonged to past years. We are getting along pretty well, and I would utter no word that would tend to incite feeling and pre judice. If I cannot find anything else to talk about I caa tell you what I koow, or rather what I don't know, about growing tobacco I am just starting to grow tobacco, and the more I learn about it and the further I get into it the blacker the tobacoo sterns to turn. But before I enter upon the discus sions of the "Questions of the Day'" I wish to refer to my attitude as your representative. When I went to Wash ington to take my seat in the senate I entirely sunk my personality in the position, and I have never inquired or sought to know whether a man was a reformer or a straightout when he wrote to me or asked my assistance as senator. I have striven to serve the people in every way possible and a man's political affiliation bas had no influence with me if I wa9 called upon to aid him. It has even been charged that when the appointment of officers in the army in the war with Spain were to be made I had ali of my worst political enemies appointed so as to get them out of the country. I merely recognized in this instance that certain men were deserv ing of recognition and I used my personal and official influence to secure fer them what they deserved. As I have said, I sunk my personality in the office, I have known no difference and have made no distinctions between men on account of factional lines and I shall continue to act in the future in the same way. I see that there are many ladies present here today and I am glad to see them. On none of my previous visits to Sumter-on four occasions-were the people of Sumter sufficiently cool and in their right minds, to permit their women to come out. But now they are here and I am glad to see them, and to know that the people are cool. A bot box was not to be compared with the meeting on the Court House square in 1890 when I came to Sumter. It seemed to me that ail four wheels were cot only hot, but almost on fire on that occasion. The difference today is striking and I am glad to see tba Sumter has calmed down, but I saw that there had been a great change from '90 when I attended subsequent cam paign meetings. But the "Qaestions of the Day." The national situation, as I see it, is very dark and gloomy. We South Carolinians, wbo are so conser vative, old fogyish, I may say, cannot realiza tho real condition of af fairs in the United States. The condi tions in the centers of population are far worse and the outlook is darker and more gloomy than you caa realize. Ever since I have been in the senate I have accepted every invitation possible to speak io other States in order to inform myself on the conditions in the country at large so that I might be able to serve you and the coao try better and more intelligently. Tbe country beyond the Potomac is teeming with wealth, but the people do not own it. There is more poverty, more suffering, mere grinding down of the mass of people there than in the .south. The wealth is concentrated in the bands of a few rich men, and the condition of the others is worse than we realize. Before the war there were but few millionaires in the United" States, the wealth of the country was more equally distributed and the con dition of the people was far better. Now there are four or five thousand millionaires, they hold the wealth of the country in their hands and they also own the government and ^control its policy. Some of these meo have fortunes of ten, twenty, fifty or a hun dred millions, and the combined power that they wield is almost beyond belief They own the government and select the officers. They are moving now to obtain a fuller control of the country and are aiming to establish an industrial slavery. Why is this ? The people of the north are not Americans, but foreign ers. The north has been filled up with foreigners who came over in such num bers that they have accomplished an industrial conquest. These people are not Amerioans and are ready tools in the hands of the bosses and of the money power They are corrupt aud sell their votes. They vote as they are told and have no voice in the selection of their officers or in the government. They simply obey their bosses. This condition of affairs makes it possible for cae man to control toe great State of New York, and today Thomas C. Platt is the bose who selects the officers and dictates the policy of the State It was thc same thing when Croker or Hill was the boss in New York. lo Pennsylvania, the next State in riches and population to New York, the same condition exists. Matthew C. Quay is boss, and he rules it abso lutely. All of this is the result of foreign immigration The country bas been Siled aod over crowded with ignorant classes who are slaves of tbe political maohioes. They obey absolutely thc command of their bosses and vote for their nominees. When the men thus elected go to Washington they are not free men and representatives of the people, but the tools of the money power and the puppets of the bosses who made them. It is ooly since the war with Spait that southern meo have had a show and the war was worth all it cost if i accomplished no other good to tht country. But ev Q at best, southern men cac do but little, they cannot speak freely and advocate their principles or work for the interests of their constituents. The system of boss rule extends tc congress, and men may not get up on the floor and speak or introduce a bil! without the permission of the speaker. Even the men cf the Republican part? may not speak without the permission of Reed, and then not more than so many hours or minutes. A Democrat may want io introduce a bill ; he must get up on the floor, address the speaker, who ask9 what the gentleman from South Carolina wishes to discuss; wheo told that he wishes to introduce a bill cu such and such a matter, the speaker looks the other way asd says, "the gentleman from Virginia has the floor," and the gentleman from South Carolina ma9t sit down and pocket his bill. What cao our poor little seven representatives from South Carolina do ? Very little What are we to do about it, with only twenty million against fifty million ? When asked, I say to thom. "We will stand up in the middle of the road and, so help us God, fight until we redeem the country and bring it baok to the uses of free* dom and liberty." The people of the South, and this applies especially to South Carolina, are a homogeneous people, descendants of Revolutionary sires, of Eogliub, French, Scotch, Sootcb-Irish, Dutch and Irish extraction, and they have married and inter-married until they are are Ameri cans. Aod io our people we have the only true Americans now to be found in the country. They are the seed corn of liberty, and I tell the people of the North when I speak to them that wheo they want seed they will have to come to us to get it for you have let yours rot. And every word of this is true, for io the Sooth and deeply im planted io the hearts of the people, developed and banded down through generations as a priceless heritage is the spirit of freedom and the true democratic principles that must redeem this cont try if it is ever redeemed from corruption aod the money power I am ofteo asked why the West, which is ground down by the money power, whose farmers have to cooteod against ten cent com aod fifty cent wheat, aod softer equally with the South from the UDproductiveoess of farm labor, does not join with the South io tbrowiog off the money power and restoriog the free coinage of silver. The principal reason is that the West has bad tbe flood of pension money that is poured into the pockets of her people to help them eke out a living Some States receive as mach a9 fifteen mil lion dollars a year aod they have beeo able to eodare teo ceot corn. The West has received this stream of money from Washington which we are taxed to help pay, while our old soldiers are in want. We give them a beggarly 100,000 a year, which is net much when there is so much need, ard I have often wished is was more, bat tho Stat* is not able to give more. After President McKioiey weet down to Atlacta aod made that flowery aod patriotic speech about wanting to help us take care of the graves of our soldiers, I was asked what I thought of his offer. I said that we waot DO help to take care of the graves of our dead uotil you do something for our oid soldiers who are living in want and. suffering and are going down to their graves io need. The peo6 oo business and nearly everything else is a big steal, and a9 I have said before, I want a share for thc south. I know it is not right or neces sary to steal, but while it is going on and when I see it [ want my share, and I tell them so. If the Dsmocrats were in control there would be no steals, and the government would be run honestly, but as long as the Republicans control and as long as the people of the north uphold boss rule 3nd they stick to the party and vote for anybody thc bosses put up, there will be no change. The steals will go on. Trusts are the progeny of thc Repub lican party. Capital no longer com petes against capital, and tbs prices of of articles are no Icnger 5xei by com petition. The day of reasonable profit is gone Combinations have taken the \ place of competition sod thc price is fixed, and thc people h&vj to pay thc price demanded You suffer, but that is nothing to the trusts There are trusts on everything from pianos to coffins, and there is no help ander the llspublican party. Trusts and capital ists are tbe favored of that party. Yestr ay the Philadelphia Times tele 1 . me for my opinion of William Waidorf Astor, the hundred million aire, descendant of the old for trader who invested his money in New York land that is now worth several hundred millions. This man moved to England a few years ago and has now renounced hie American citizenship, and does not pay an income tax on his American propsrty. I wired that paper: "If the people of New York cannot make him pa? taxes on his property they should kick themselves for asses.*' I made a speech in Chicago some weeks ago, and at the same time other members of the Democratic committee, among the number being William J. Bryan, spoke. The meeting was held in the largest theatre io the city. It seats six thousand people, and it was filled. I found the people more red hot on the Philippine war and the v i i 1 a r i e s that are being perpetrated in the oame of liberty tbao you are. The primary aod faodamental objec tion to the annexation of these islands is that the natives are a colored race, aod we have more Degrees now than we want. I want no more negroes. Another objection is that tbe Philip pines produce rice, sugar and cottoo, products that eome ioto competition with staple products of the sooth, unless the unheard of policy of shut ting out the products of one section of the country to protect another section is adopted. Theo there is the great standing army that must be maintained. It is a breeding ground for jobs for the crea tures of political bosses and it will prove as dangerous as it is burdensome. The talk about giving the Filipinos a chance is pretence. They will oever have a show. The people who howl about the negro io the South have fouod out there is notbiog in it for them aod they have thrown the negro overboard, except to give him a post office io South Carolina ooce io a while. The Philippines are filled with a colored race aod the republicans waot to hold them to furnish jobs io the islands and in the big standiog army. Mighty little show will the educated Filipinos get The standiog army is itself the great danger. What is to prevent an un scrupulous president from bringing the army ioto the United States to shoot down Americans ? With 100,000 men they cao control the election and put into office whoever they wish, aod they wiil do it if they are permitted to have fall swing. Talk about a big stacdiog army for the purpose of beoevoleot assimilation of the Fiiipioos What does the term mean ? lt; meaos to swallow and to digest. Some preachers have patted McKin ley on the back and endorse his schemes on the ground that the result will be the civilization and Christian ization of the Filipinos. God heip such preachers I do not belive io doing evil that good may come. Reli gioo by force aod ehootiog ii a farce. Bibles on the points of bayonets, tans tiaoity at the rifle's muzzle, oooversion by shooting the converts! What a spectacle ! Talk about duty aod beoevoieoce aod manifest destioy requiring tbs annexa tion aod cooquest of the Philippine?, a9 McKioley-and some others-has dooe, make me sick. I believe they are hypocrites. Wheo I bear such talk my insides stir up aod taro over. A set of hypocrites aod frauds ! What are we to do with the Philip pines ? .We hear that we oannot get out with honor, that our prestige ts at stake. Yet we are io honor bound to let them go. -Dewey Boot for Agui naldo took him to Manila, armed his fol' --rs and encouraged them to throw off the Spanish yoke. We are bound to carry out this compact to make them free if we have hoocr left. President McKinley has wi;hout au thority or warrant of law undertaken to subdue the Fiiipioos because they are said to be in rebellion. He went into this business with a mistaken impres sion, believing that a few thousand troops would be sufficient to break up the rebellion, so called, and hold the islands in subjection Now he finds bis mistake and don't know how to get out. I beiieve the war will go on and the army will be increased year after year, imposing inconceivable and intolerable burdens on t. e people, causing loss of life by thousands and breeding greater and greater corruption, unless the American people rise up in their strength and anger, turn McKinley out and put William Jennings Bryan at the helm. He will settle tbe matter quickly and honorably. The acquisition ot the Philippines from Spain was merely to fix the title, and we can now turn the country over CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE. ^^^^ ^BSSUJTEEV fojRE DAM NO POWDER Makes the food more delicious and wholesome ROYAL BAKING POWDER CO., NEW YORK.