The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-02-05
Tillman Makes q Speech.

WASHINGTON, January Ex-senator
Tillman and his %pitchfork were in evil
dence in the Senate to day and he amused
the members of the Senate and the occu-
pants of the galleries with his plain, blunt
utterances so familiar to South Carolina
audiences. He left his seat on the back
row and moved down to the seat in the
front row vacated by his late rival and
immediate predecessor, Gen. Butler. At
Q O'Clock he took the floor to discuss the
pending bond bill, with the free silver
substitutes. He wore a long black Prince
albert coat, closely buttoned across his
breast, with trousers to match. A stand
ing collar and q black necktie completed
his costume. II was his maiden effort,
and there was considerable curiosity
among Senators to Witness the great
rough and tumble debater from South
Carolina on the occasion of his debut.
Representatives Latimer, Talbert, Stokes,
Elliott, McLaurin, Strait and Wilson, Of
the South Carolina delegation, together
with a number Of other members Of the
House, were present. Senator; Irby sat
far over to the right Of the presiding off,
Ger, next to Senator Hill, and followed
closely the remarks of his erstwhile idol,
but now political enemy. Tillman was
q Senatorial novelty for the first ten min
utes of his speech, during which he spoke
without notes, but when he settled down
to talk finance seriously interest seemed
to languish. His introduction, which
was not prepared, was about as breezy
and, at the am time, sarcastic as any
thing that has appeared on the records of
the Senate for many years. Senatorial
courtesy and Senatorial dignity were
rudely tossed on Farmer Ben's pitchfork
when he described with keen humor, and
more truth than poetry, the difficulties Of
tinguished body. He said he had been q
close observer and a regular attendant
during the present session, and he had
learned that according to the traditions
of the body and Senatorial courtesy a
newcomer was expected to be seen and
not heard. He added that If a newcomer
attempted to make himself conspicuous
be was greeted with what is known as the
Senatorial STARE" as if to warn the
offender that he was 'stoo previous"
He then provoked much merriment by
describing his plain, common people way
of discussing public questions at home in
the open air, under the trees Of the old
Palmetto State. He then turned the
laugh on his Senatorial associates when
be ridiculed the so-called debate in the
Senate on great public questions. School
boy essays, he said, were solemnly read
to the presiding officer and the official
reporters, while Senators. afflicted with
that tired feeling, retired to the cloak
room. He declared that he was perhaps
the only practical farmer in the Senate,
and would therefore be %pardoned for the
He created a laugh by remarking that
the farmer has to use his pitchfork to
handle manure, and he would probably
have to use his pitchfork to clear his
path as he proceeded. He then took up
the printed sheets of his speech and read
one of the bitterest attacks upon Presi-
dent Cleveland ever heard in the Senate.
While he hurled his clumsy invective at
President Cleveland, the Democratic
Senators sat silently in their seats, while
the Republicans enjoyed the apparent
discontinue Of their political opponents
across the aisle. He charged openly that
President Cleveland had prostituted his
high office for personal gain, and had
wrecked the Democratic party 30 COM
pletely that he said he was warranted in
predicting that the Democratic party, es
now organized, will never again elect a
Democratic President OF the United
States.
From q senatorial Stan0 point the speech
was not a success, for after listening to a
few of the South Carolina Senator's
roughly carved sentences, they waited
patiently around wondering what he
would say next. He told some plain
truths with unusual frankness, but his
harangue would have sounded better in
the open air to a crowd of Populists and
| Anarchists than in the United States Sen
| ate, before an audience of intelligent and
law-abiding citizens. An idea of the i'm
preston he made upon his associates can
be drawn from the fact that he received
congratulations from but two Senators,
| Stewart, the venerable silver agiLator
| from Nevada, who forever sees visions of
| the "The Crime Of 49," and Kyle, the
Populist, from North Dakota.-Spccial to
News and Courier.