Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-05-27
@, WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1896

4 NA L ~, LOU.
his speech did he depart in the slight
est particular from Democratic princi-
Piles as Democrats understand them.
He spoke bluntly when dealing with
the conditions we see around us
when dealing with the results of what
be pithily called "Republican legisla-
tion and Democratic administration"
But the truth is ever blunt. 1t some.
times hurts, and ought to hurt. When
you begin to soften the natural asperi-
ty of truth, you must in the nature of
things, adulterate its essence. But a
political truth is never unpalatable to
those who are pledged to the peoples
interests.
listened in vain to hear some hint
of the "coarseness" and "vulgarity"
which the newspapers led me to ex-
pect. 1 listened in vain to hear some
intimation of "buffoonery." But these
were entirely lacking. What did
hear was an earnest and patriotic
appeal to Democratic voters to arouse
themselves to the crisis that now en-
dangers the country. In certain
picturesque employment of homely
metaphors he reminded me of Joe
Brown, who was South Carolinian.
In his fuency and vigor of expression
he reminded me of Colonel Tom How
ard, who was the greatest of our Geor-
gia orators. In force and fire and d.
rectness, he reminded me of Toombs.
In gesture and courage he was not
unlike Henry w. Grady.
And although these reminiscent
comparisons were thrust upon my
mind, they took nothing from the
vital and glaring individuality Of
Tillman himself.
As the speech progressed, it was
easy to see that Tillman was disap-
pointed. There were moments when
be would pause after making an ar.
gument or asking question, and /
soon discovered the cause. He had
come to Atlanta expecting to be "put
to the question:" as it were-to be laid
out on the rack of interruption and
Inquiry. He had expected to find at
least one.half of bis audience composed
of gold standard men. At one point
he paused and turned to the crowd
on the platform behind him saying:
"I know there must be some gold
bugs among you. Where arc they?
I see long lists of names in a newspa-
per here"
There was wild shout of derision
at this, and Tillman threw up his
hands in mock despair, but his face
wore as keen an expression Of dis
appointment as I have ever seen on q
speakers face. Up to that moment
bis attitude had been one of eager ex-
pectation. He had come expecting to
face a crowd of goldbugs, and had
prepared himself for the occasion. He
was anxious for the fray. He would
pause in the midst of sentence and
listen to what some one in the audi
ence was saying, and if any remark
was addressed to him, his answer
came quick as flash. Once when he
was complaining of Democratic NAL
administration, Populist standing
near asked:
"Why didn't you follow US out"
"Where have you got to that I should
have followed you ?" cried Tillman, 80
promptly and vigorously that the man
lodged involuntarily.
This gave the speaker q cue, and his
rebuke to men who have left the Dem
ocratic party was both eloquent and
truthful. It was blunt and yet kindly.
"You could have had everything you
wanted except the subtreasury and
government ownership ofrailroads," he
said, "and these are not Democratic" /"
He then went on to show how the sub.
treasury plan is simply the national
bank scheme applied to farm products,
"and two wrongs don't make a right"
he declared. His exposition of the
railway ownership scheme was felici-
tous. "Before you can own the rail-
roads," he said, "you've got to make
them quit owning you. They've got
you nearly swallowed now, and they'll
have to unswallow you before you can
swallow them"
Then, more seriously, he went on to
show that government ownership OF
railroads meant not only vast increase
in the army of superserviceable Federal
officials, but an increase of the public
debt to the extent of at least Sc, ,0OO,-
100000. Concluding this branch OF
his subject, he urged the Populists of
Georgia to return to the Democratic
party and join hands with those in
that party who are true to Democratic
principles and he warned them
against the men who are leading them
away from the party in the hope of
getting some small Office out of them.
This portion of his speech was earn
est, vigorous and mastery, and the
Populist who had called it forth had
nothing more to say. But it was
plain to see that what Tillman need.
ed, in order to display the full power of
his remarkable gifts, was contradic-
ton, opposition, the antagonism that
finds vent in questions inviting repar.
tee, or leading to suggestions. An old
gentleman, sitting just below Tillman,
asked:
"Why not legislate value into wheat
as well as into silver?"
He received his answer before he
could sit down again.
because it was legislated out of
silver. Because silver has been lawful
money ever.since the days of Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob !"