Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-12-29
SOMETHING OF SENATOR TILLhAN
AN UNIQUE CHARACTER IN ANERf-
CAN POLITICS.
FUN of Fight lie Asks and Gives
No aanrter-How He Accomplished
n Political Revolution in south
Carolina.

|
No Qunrter-How He Accomplished
n Political Revolution in south
caroIiDn.
Columbia, s. c., Dec. 2o.-(staff Corr
respondent in New York Tribune.)-
While Virginia and North Carolina
! have always been strongholds OF con-
servatism, South Carolina has repre-
scented pre-eminently the radlcallsm OF
the cotton belt. Intensity is the wora
that describes the character Of the
people. In every crisis Of their his
tory they have been wrought into
white heat OF conviction and action.
In early colonial times there were TWO
antagonlstic elements of population;
the English cavalier In the coast dis
tricts, loyal to his mother country
devoted to Episcopacy and aristocratic
In his tendencies; and the Roundhead
Of the uplands, English. Scotch Irish
or Huguenot by birth. Nonconformisi IN
religion and Democratic in principles.
These opposing camps We're in open
conflict during the storm and stress pc
Rod of the American revoluuoni and
subsequently, when Notification was
proclaimed by Calhoun. they were
again pitted against each other. The
Secession movement brought the Two
political forces into harmonious rela-
lions. The South Carolina regiments
were well Differed, and were conspicu-
Gus always for gallantry aud ilghting
power. During the reconstruction pc
Rod the two divisions of the white
population continued to act together,
but when the control Of the state was
wrested from the negroes IN 1876. old
time preiudices feuds and discussions
were revived It Is to this irrepressl-
bic conflict between antagOnistic Gle
ments which had been going on for sey-
eral generations that the present strug-
gle between Tillmanism and Cons rvg-
tism may be distinctly and uncrringly
traced The Intensity Of feeling evolved
marks the survival of historic lcuds
between uplnnds ana lowlunds, rural
communities ana towns, the plain peO-
pie and the better educated and more
highly favored clusses.
The conditions Tor this social and
political revolution were the stage
setting or background for the app, ar
ance Of one OF The most singular fig
ures In Southern politics. Captain
Benjamin II, Tillmnn. who has sue
cecdcd at once IN arousing the most
passionate enthusiasm among his par
tlgans and the most rancorous res mt.
mont and hostility among his enemies.
Is lacking neither In originality. nor
IN Intelligence, nor in intensity Of feel
Ing. With his plain. weather-beaton
farmers face, with enc quicly-rolling,
flashing eye and a ghnstly. shrunken'
socket where the other one ought to be-
ana with the preoccupled manner of
stern warrior whose thoughts are nl-
ways of battle, he is most remarkable
physically. As a political leader he is
altogether unique.
There has been no one ut all like him
IN the history of South Carolina, yet in
Inherent strength of character invinci-
bic VIII and power of discerning the
forces of public opinion, he represents
Ills state, His flattcrers salute him az
Nincinnntus Dr Gracchus. and his cue
mics revile him as a pinchback Crom-
well or distorted Robpspierre. but he
has neither Roman nor English nor
French traits, ana Is simply Il degcucr-
ate son of South Carolina, who has
understood and taken advantage of the
social and political condltiOus-the
broodlng spirit of unrest pervading The
rural communities discomfort with tho
superior Importance Of Charleston as a
centor' of Influence, implacable hostility I
to corporations and jealousy Of the
ruling classes-and has succeeded In
making his VIII the strongest force IN
the state.
Many OF Tlllman's methods are those
OF tho ordinary political boss, He Inns
attached young men like Governor
Evans 10 his fortunes by ovcrthrowing
what he calls the uligarchy nnd IN
opening public life to them He bns
round places for swarms of partlsnus
IN the civil service. enlarged al n Ia In.
az
state business, He has lowered The
character OF the courts by elevating TO
tho bench Inexperienced and unfit
Judges. and In order to Introduce Ms
dispcnsary ayatem after the FIRST law
mad been pronounced uncouatltutinunl.
he appointed 10 the supreme court
judge who could be depended upon To
reverse the previous deoislon. He IA a
stern discipllnarian and exacts unques.
tlonlng obedience from his followers
lie mas the demng0gue's trick OF an
pehllng to the preiudices or sclf-interest
OF one class against nnother-the FARM
or AGAINST the merchant and the rail-
way. the country against the town, pow I
erty against wealth. An these are I'm
miliar devices OF machine politics. but
he has the knnol< Of employing them IN
an unconventional way, so as 10 dis.
arm criticism within his own PARTY
What Senator rillman has done 10 i'm.
F'sNc tut lpt " Nut hEflcultural clnsspg
noboy can tell. hut all the fnrners
look upon him as their champion. II Ia
blind, infatuated. irrational ora
worship which he inspires among hia
followers, They are subject Ia NJ
them.
Possibly l can dhst one or two strong
side lights upon the character of this
strange man. who has reached the goal
OF his ambition IN his election TO the
United States senate, by recording my
personal Impressions OF him during an
hours conversation. / shall rencat
only few things that he said. ana
lhese only for the purpose of explain
ing his peculiaritios and the secrets ~
his power over men. Governor Evans
who Ia model of courtesy TO strangers.
whatever may be said about his no.
liticm views, had made an appolnt.
1n0nt for me with the senator ANA
although we were Interrupted several
times by visit0ra. 1 had an excellent
chance OF watching and STUDYING ina
man | opened the conversation In n
diplomatic way by remarking that he
was generally referred to in Northern
Journals MS Q Populst. aud possibly ho
was misunderstood, and that | might
helm 70 set him right.
mo, am a Democrat" said the sen.
ntor' But not the kind OF Democrat
they have az Washington. What passSs
for Democracy there / do not cali M
mocracN. | am not neuncrot ~,