Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-08-18
M(istellaneuus &radiug.
SAMUEL J, TlLDEN.

SAMUEL, J. TILDEN.
Samuel Jones Tilden, whose death Oc-
Cured on the morning Of the 4th instant,
was born in New Lebanon, Columbia
county, New York, February 8, 1914,
where his grand father John Tilden, set
tied in 1890, and where his father, Elan
Tilden, was farmerand merchant. Sam
uel entered Yale College in 1888, but soon
left that institution and graduated at the
University of New York. He was admit
ted to the bar in 1911, and began practice
in New York city. In 1914 the Morning
Ne,rs, Il daily paper was established in
New York to advocate the election to the
Presidency of James X. Polk. Mr.. Til
den invested capital in this enterprise and
became the editor of the journal, which
position he held until after the election.
In 1915 he was elected to the New York
Assembly, and in 1916 was chosen men,
Der ofthe Constitutional Convention, where
he was made a member Of the Committee
on Finance and Canals. In 1855 he was
defeated as the "Soft Shell" Democratic
candidate for Attorney General of New
York. Mr.. Tilden now devoted himself
to his profession. His practice was very
extensive, and by it he amassed consider
able wealth. Besides other important
cases he was counsel in 1856 for Azariah G..
Flagg in his case growing out of the con-
tested election for the C0ntrOllership OF
New York city; in 1857 for the relatives
of DR.. Burdell against the claims of Mrs.
Cunningham, and for the Pennsylvania
Coal Company i'm the suit brought by the
Delaware and Hudson Coal Company.
Mr.. Tilden became Chairman Ofthe Dem
ocratic State Committee in 1866, and was
leading member of the Constitutional
Convention of 1867, serving with distinc-
tion on the Finance Committee. He be-
came an indefatigable labOrer in the cause
of judicial and political reform in the city
of New York, and in 1SG9-7O was active in
the formation of the Bar Association.
When the contest was waged against the
members of the "Tammany Ring" hold
ing city offices, who were charged with de-
frauding the city treasury of many mil
lions of dollars, Mr.. Tilden rendered in
valuable services to the cause of reform
by his famous analysis of the accounts of
the Broadway Bank, showing conclusively
how the alleged culprits had shared their
spoils, and furnishing legal proof for their
conviction. In 1872 he was again elected
to the General Assembly, where he con-
tinued his eXertions in the cause of reform.
In 1874 he was elected Governor of New
York bya plurality of 50,3l7 votes over
John A. Dix, Republican, and Myron II.
Clark, Prohibitionist. He was Inaugural
ted January !, 1875, and soon after de-
clared war against the "Canal Ring"
which resulted in the overthrow of that
organization. When the National Demo-
cratic Convention assembled in st. Louis,
in June, 1876, Governor Tilden was the
leading candidate for the first place on the
ticket. On the first ballot he received
4O34 of the 7l3 votes cast. When the vote
for the second ballot was announced, Gov
ernor TiIden had 5S5 in whole vote of 73S.
The nomination was made unanimous,
and he was declared the Democratic can
didae for the Presidency. He accepted
the nomination i'm a brief speech on July
1lth. His formal letter Of acceptance was
dated July 3lSt. He was elected TO the
high position to which he aSplred, but was
fraudulently deprived of the privilege OF
occupying the Presidents chair. Ruther-
ford B. Hayes being seated in his stead.
Since this important event in his life up
to the time of his death he has been llv-
ing in dignited retirement at his home IN
New York.
MYSTERY OF THE GROWTH OF TREES.
Mr.. John r. Campbell explains in the
american Naturalist, his discovery of
one of the causes Of the phenomena OF
particular tracts of land being covered
with simultaneous, nearly exclusive,
growth of trees of particular species.
Some have ascribed the phenomena to
peculiar fitness of the soil to particular
kinds of vegetation, which he does not
find to exist. His own explanation is
very simple, and is to the effect that the
matter lies wholly or mainly in the fact
of the ground being in fit condition to
receive the seeds of the various species
when they fall upon it. Seeds of differ
ent kinds fall at various seasons, and
when the ground is in various conditions
as to moisture, etc. Those that find the
ground in good condition sprout and grow,
if no accident occurs to remove the plants
when very young. Mr.. Campbell has
tested this view in his surveys in the oc-
casionally flooded bottOm-landS of the
Wabash River, and illustrates it by follow
ing the futures of the seeds of three species
of trees. The balls of the sycamore, or but
tOnwOod begin falling early in the spring
months, and if a flood is receding at the
time, they stick to the soft moist banks
wherever they touch them, and particu-
larly along the highest parts of the sand
bars. Were it not for the subsequent
floods in the same spring no other trees
could grow, for these would occupy the
ground. But they are easily killed dur
ing their infancy by overtlows, and this
is what happens to most of them. The
cottonwood is the next in order of she'd
ding seed, and if another flood is reced-
ing while this is taking place it will have
killed all the sycamores which it has
covered, and sprout the cOttonwoods.
These in turn may be killed by the next
floods. 1t is the turn of the NAPLES next to
shed their seed and try for the ground.
If either of these species succeeds in
making wood without a flood, it will hold
thn ground, and its rivals will not be