The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-03-13
THREE POPULIST SENATORS.
An Interesting Description of
Them.-The Youngest Senator.
From the Chicago Times. !

lFrOm the Chicago TimeS.]
The youngest member of the next
senate, Butler, is native of North
Carolina. He is university graduate
and a school teacher, but has been
obliged to turn farmer owing to the
death of his father and the necessity
OF supporting large family. He was
brought to the front by the Farmers
Alliance movement. He became his
county leader when he was 25, and
was elected to the state senate. He
was made president of the State Alli-
ance in 1894. With great political
tact he brought the Alliance and the
Republicans together on the issues of
home rule and honest elections, and
the combination swept the state. He
will consort with the Populists, but
will not sanction the socialistic ideas
OF Allen and PETER. Butler will prob
ably be the Adonis of the senate.
He is free-silver man and a moder-
ate protectionist.
Joter c. Pritchard, is another young
senator, also from North Carolina
He has already taken the seat vacated
by Senator Vance. He is tall, grace
full, blue-eyed, and of the New South.
He was born in Tennessee, and for
years worked as a printer-a tramp
printer at that-drifting about and
getting few weeks schooling when
ever he could. He had hardly been in
Bakersville, n. c., twenty-four hours
before he persuaded a minister to
start a newspaper and place him in
charge as foreman. At 26 he was
elected to the legislature as a repu bill
can, at "a he was nominated for Con
gress and cut down the Democratic
majority materially. Being the lead
er Of the Republican state machine in
the last campaign he was Marion
Buffers chief lieutenant in the fusion
fight. The high prOtectionists and
the silver men have rallied around
him in the senate, for both claim
him.
LOOK OUT FOR TILLMAN.
One of the most interesting new
senators is Ben Tillman, of South
Carolina, the governor who turned the
state upside down on the liquor queS-
tion. Senator Butler, whom he sue
ceeds, has made him out frightful
bugabOO. Therefore, there is great
deal of curiosity to see what he will
do when he takes his seat. Although
he is Al years old he is classed among
the young men of the next senate.
AS one of the South Carolina repre-
Sentatives expresses it, "Tillman has
the energy, tenacity, and perseverance
be courteous under all ordinary cir
cumstances. If there is an attempt
on the part Of Buffers friends to
crush him it is predicted that he will
fight back in lively style, for he is alb
solutely fearless and talks like a Cat
ling gun when aroused. He is said to
be at his best when the odds are
against him. In hot debates he never
ltses his temper, but uses wealth of
invective and most bitter sarcasm
and irony. 1t is possible that Mr..
Buffers friends will let him alone.
Tillman is a child of fortuna. Up
to 1897 his butter was better known
in South Carolina than he was. He
had been deep student, and was a
leader among the farmers of his coun-
ty. When the revolt against the po-
litical machine came the reform
nor because they had no politicians
among them. He was laughed at. but
he rallied the farmers and carried the
state, crushing his brother in the
fight. Judge Earle, who ran against
him, Immediately joined the Tillman
party and was elected judge under
that banner at the last election.
Tillman is an impressive man in ap-
pearance, though his face is disfgured
by the loss OF an eye. He dresses
we'll, is witty in conversation, and
will prove one Of the best stump
speakers of the senate. Tillman is
classed as Populist, but he is a
Democrat, although he says he will
leave the party unless it restores sill
yer as money metal. One of his
hobbies is the union of the West and
South against the East and North in
the next presidential campaign. He
will act with the Democrats in the
senate if they treat him right; if not,
he will be free lance.