The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-10-18
GOV. TILLNAN'S SPEECH.
What He Said Before the Bi.Metal
Convention in st. Louis Is Well
Worth Reading.

worm heauInS.
The Governor of South Carolina is in Allan
Ia this morning.
cally, Governor Tillman alIghted from day
coach OF the Western and Atlantic vestibuled
train, which was over an hour and hall
from st. Louis, and the delay kept him here
all night, as IT caused him 10 miss the Sea-
board train.
the convention of silver men which he had
lust attended and Of which he was one OF the
prominent figures.
~ believe the outlook for practical union
which will accomplish much for silver IL very
favorable" said he. "Some OF the go!dbuS Or
guns have been sneerlng at the convention
and declaring that IL was not a success, but,
although the attendance was not as large as
i am not at all discouraged oy sne
nor about its results. find that
not many OF our friends in the South under
stood about the con vention, and OF me South
ern States only South Carolina. MISSISSIPPI
Texas, Alabama and Arkansas sent ueIesates.
Yes" in response to a question. "there were
other rGovernors-Governor stone, OF MlsSou-
ri: Governor Lewelling, of Kansas, ana Gov
ernor Waite Of Colorado. Then there were a
esaies. n who ia numbered about i7O in ali"
"What will be the result OF lt!'
"The interests o: the people OF the Soutn
and West are Identical. | believe ii the SEN
ate passes the unconditional repeal bill the
peopie OF the West will hold one convention
and the people of the South another, and that
these two Will be welded together by the ap-
pointment of delegates from one to the other,
drawing to them all the silver men of both
sections. And that would mean force that
would sweep the country. I'm glad went up
there; glad met them face to face. reel
that have gotten on the inside OF the situa-
tion up there and have learned how deeply
sincere those people are, The cause Is Il rlah-
teous one, and 1t is bound TO triumph IN the
end"
Atlanta is to have the next convention.
The ST. Lons convention left the matter OF 10,
cation to the president and secretary, and
while no definite action has been taken, rs
nothing will be done until after the Senate
acts, the sentiment of the convention was
clearly expressed at conference held after
ad iourn ment. all of the leaders were pres
pnt and Atlanta was the unanimous choice.
Gov. Tillman was chairman Of the com nit
tee on resolutions. and In presenting his re-
port made stirring and striking speech 10
the convention. The speech Is well worth
reading and Is given here as reported In the
st. Louis papers.
GOVERNOR TILLMAN's SPEECH.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the Con-
vention II Is not my habit to make any e9.
cuses for my style OF speaking or my lack OF
what men call oratory. And will simply
make q brief explanation IN order that you
may not believe, since have told you that !
came here to make speech, that have amy
specially prepared speech, that / have elabo-
rated anything. that I have polished arJ-
thing.
1t has been five years since wrote any
thing on paper that I expected 10 speak.
When first began my career MS a politician,
which was in 1856. being unused to public dis
cassion, and naturally nervous, wrote down
what wanted TO say In order TO Keep from
forgetting 1t. Well, I have had pretty
time since then. and have
learned to depend on my head to furnish me
r@rAIy n her hay ORC q " 4.
cal or polished or rhetorical, and II have
found the facts and the ideas don't care a
snap for the mlnner In which they are dress
ed. (Applause9
Now, In rising to address you upon the sub
ject matter OF the resolutions presented by
the committee, if what / shall say should
really cause any good or do me any credit,
must necessarily thresh some straw which
others have beaten and who have done ii
more eloquently and ably than can.
propose TO take a bird's.eye view OF the
political, financia and commercial condition
OF the country
Lam plain, blunt man. as you have dis.
covered. say what think and believe, and
when 1 get through / quit. daughter and
applause.) Therefore, L shall not worry you.
TWO POLITICAL QUESTIONS.
In turning your eyes back ward over the
pages OF our past history you find that prior
10 the war there were two great prevailing po-
litical issues-slavery and the tariff. The war
grew out OF the desire OF the South for free
trade rather than the preservation OF slavery
sell our products In the best market and buy
In the cheapest market. There were then
only two great questions, and last year we
were told that there were still two great Ques.
tions-the financial question-slavery having
happily passed away and The tariff. We were
leu 10 expect that when this Democratic Con-
vention mel, with majority In both branch
es and the executive sent there by the people
G,r 10 hrsf N
It would address ITSELF We find, however
that Congress has been called In extra session
To solve the other question, the financial ques
tion, which have always contended was the
burning question. (Appause) And to-day
1t is the burning question IN American poll
tics and has brought the West and the South
together aud made men who ior twenty years
have been mortal political enemies act here
as 8 band o! brothers. (Applause.)
II Is true that for short period before the
war, during the time ot Andrew Jackson
Old lick ory-the 1ancial question and the
question as W whether money In the hands
OF a few, to be manipulated by them, should
run the country or the people should run It,
was burning question, and the tariff and
slavery questions both dropped aside until
that matter was settled TO the satisfaction o
the people, jackson won his fight againstthe
bank in spite of subsidized press such AZ we
now have advocating the golG standard. Now
the same Issue confrontS US.
THE WHITE SLAVE.
question. While we had hoped that the ques.
lion of slavery had forever been settled and
that 1t would neeer again be an Issue before
the American people, II confronts US now
But alas. the color OF the slave has changed
the slaves are no longer black, but are white
men. (Appiause) What do mean by slave?
Tell me, gentlemen, what more absolute con
dition OF servitade can possibly exist than
tho Of fur W n
the eloquent gentleman from Missouri this
morning (Mr. Cochran) has for twenty years
since 1873, been making his crops on a failing
market and has grown old hoping TO pay o1
Who, in The language Of Cowper,
Has lowered his bucket into an empty we'll,
And grown old In drawing nothing up.
(Applause.)
All the same time he has seen men reap the
fruits of bis labor, and grow rich beyond the
dl cam of avarlce, miliiouaries multiplied un.
til they cannot count them, while paupers-
white slaves-have been multiplied ten thou
sand fold for every millionaire.
And what are we confronting now? The
single golu standard face 10 lace right here
1t Isn't a theory but pena ty that confronts
us, at is q condition." in the language oil
MIR. Cleveland. The Sherman law repealed
and silver demonetiZed as a money OF final
account con fronts us. believe the people OF
fore they will permit such wrong. But with
that law repealed and silver no longer legal
tender, before the terrible wrong 10 The debtor
class can be righted, millions Will be pauper-
lied and become tenants where they now
own homes in fee simple. The liquidation OF
debis and mortgages Will 30 ON under the
gold standard with one-half OF the metallic
currency Of the world destroyed and the ca
pacty 10 pay debts reduced one-half. IL will
take two bushels of wheat or two pounds OF
cotton TO pay where 1t took Que before. l say.
If we are not confronted with human slavery
OF the white race in this country, where are
we? (Applause.) Because, If the titles are