New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-24

ruinous to special localities Then ne enlarged
with an excited manner as II he were addressing
an audience. upon the awful sufferings and Inn
poverishment Of Southern farmers under hve-
cent cotton.
The Senator appearing in his favorite att
tude of the blunt, honest friend OF the plain
farmer, and his manner unconsciously became
theatrical Even as he was speaking. two rusty
looking planters came in to shake hands with
him and to express the hope that he would soon
Sc; matters right at Washington. Il shall do all
that one honest man can do. he remarked with
a stern. resOlute look and n clinching OF his
hand: and the two rustics passed out. convinced
that with Honest Ben Tillman' in Washington
there was some hope for farming interests. even
with fve-cent cotton.
TIM Senator spoke Of the various reforms in
troduCed under his administration. his warfare
upon moncpolies. the compulsory assessment of
taxes railroads on equitable rates. the refund
ing Of the State debt tie institution OF Clemson
College the enlargement Of educational facilities.
and the Inauguration of the primary system of
party nominations, which he considered n great
victory for democratic institutions, insurlng Sc
lection of candidates by the people. He also re-
ferred in detail to the operation of the dispensary
system. .
I'VE have removed" he said 'in this State 80
per cent of the drunkenness. Everybody admits
that It is a great moral reform. although 1t has
not been as marked "A financial success as was
anticipated but then ii has hardly yet had a
fair chance in that respect. Don't believe me In
this matter Go about and judge for yourself.
Find out for yourself whether the law is en-
forced. Go and ask the ministers or this town.
They will tell the truth about it-all but one or
two partisans-and when a minister is partisan
he is bigot and can't tell the truth II he
tries
There is the agsressveness which is popular
with political audiences. and leaves the impress
sion that Honest Ben cannot be beaten In an
argument On his face was the stamp OF SIN
cerity and conviction. and his voice vlbrated with
fervor. 1t is easy to understand how ne mas Cd,
tanned complete mastery over his audiences and
his party. They believe In him because he
seems to be terribly in earnest and downright
sincere.
If Senator Tillman be intense in his manner
and serious to the point of solemnity, MS OPP
ponents are equally in earnest in denouncing
him as one Of the most dangerous men VINO
have risen to power In the South Charies-
ton Columbia and the larger towns sehe'a,ly
are solidly arrayed against him. and he IS de-
tested with hatred almost fanatical. HIS OPP
ponents seem incapable Of talking OF anything
else. Tiilmanism Is their daily bread. ana IL Is
eaten with bitter herbs. They admit that he is
q man OF intellectual power and equipped win
more education and literary accompisnHen's
than he is credited WITH but they consider the
despotsm which he has established In state
politics as indefensible and dep,orable. ana de-
nounce with righteous indignation the warfare
which he has declared upon wealth, corporations.
cities the educational classes and all the most
conservative elements Of South Carolina society.
They think OF Tillman the demagogue In the
place of Calhoun and OF the weakiing irpy as as
his associate. and they hang Their heads III
humiliation over the degeneracy OF the tunes
The disgrace TO the State seems to them intoi-
cradle.
lima during the last four years. What Gam
BETA used TO describe as :he new soc!aI layers
arc now on top. The rich. fertile loan has been
underaid and the hard cays have been over
laid. But the worst features or ilHmanlsIh ar
NOT the substitution OF one ruling class Tor
another the establishment Of a degrading po-
itical dictatorship and the Introduction or crude
and in1pract.cable social reforms Ike the ds-
pensary system What is most dangerous IS tne
spirit Of class hostility which he has aroused.
Farmers have been trained by their champion
10 believe that their interests are wantohy sar
rifced for those Of merchants manufacturers ana
corpora lions The rural communities nave oe'H
arrayed against the cities. and the produc'iNe
classes have been brought into anlagonism WIN
CAPITALISTS Unrest pervades the state ana NE
masses believe that there l. no real community
~ interests but that ono class Is opposed -
another. the educated to the illiterate, inc icN
70 the poor the railroads TO the farmers tht
merchants to the producers ana the peop.e WHO
live in towns to the people who live IN V.lage,.
That is the worst tendency Of Timanism ana u
is esnecially dangerous In south Carohhd p'
cause IL is a survival Of feuds anlmoslties anu
resentments which have existed since coiohla
times senator Tillman processes t. nave saVeu
south Carolina from Popu.ism. The remedy may
he worse than the disease l. 49, -