The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-02-05
RANDALL'S VIEWS.
Tillman's Remarkable Speech Creates
a Great Sensation.
BE WILL NOT LIKELY BE POPULAR BUT
DREADED
The PitchfOrk MerciIessly Welded
by the Prophet Of Storm and RevO.
luton.
Augusta Chronicle.

Augusta Chronicle.
Washington, Jan. 29.-The curiosity TO
hear Senator Tillman speak was 30 great
that the galleries were crowded and the
the Cham Der, as ordinarily happens, senators
on both sides remained in their seats, with
few exceptions. One Of the notable absentees
was Senator sherman; who may have bad
Senator TIllman started to speak at his desk,
which is In the rear, but be accepted front
place on the invitation of Senator Cockrel.
His exordium was slowly spoken, and 1t was
senatorial dignity, freezing processes and the
custom OF reading competitions to empty
benches. He was vlsibly impressed with the
vast gathering of people and thanked sena-
tors for the uncommon distinction accorded
him. For about half an hour be spoke with
slowness, occasionally glancing at small
slip OF paper with notes upon 1t. His re-
rnarkable frankness and grim humor, as he
brushed the way for the body of his remarks,
awakened interest as to what this strange and
terrible farmer, who had "forced his way to
vernacular. Having expressed freely his
opinion OF senatorial dignity and explained
that he was son of the soil without learn ed
profession and used TO open air combat, he
pull from the desk q roll OF manuscript and
raised quite a laugh when he said that as he
was lust little frightened, he would read an
essay himself. He then delivered himself
with alternate impromptu bursts OF wit,
wonderful addresses ever heard on the floor
OF the Senate. He scored both parties with
merciless severity, and with what somebody
has called brutal candor." What thousands
privately uttered, he spoke fright out In
meeting" to the manifest amazeinent of not
a few senators, who were, directly or indirect.
". the subjects ecu oods,Ga OF eXsoriation. When he
"pitchtork." was in full and tremendous &c.
tion. The President was up the river shoot.
ing ducks, and possibly meditating Armen-
Ian or Cuban messages, but he may on his re-
turn, peruse The Congressional Record and
behold in type what this South Carolina man
of the new time thinks of him and his career.
may look for extravagant eulogy of Mr..
Cleveland as an offset TO Tllman's vitrolic
attack. Only one senator ventured to inter-
rupt the South Carolina farmer-statesman
had remained silent. The venerable Senator
Hoar, of Massachusetts, who can be quite
peppery himself disclamed an interpreta-
zion put upon some words Of his about South
ern men, but Tillman answered him so tart.
~ that the old gentleman, though he refrain
ed from pushing the encounter was visibly
confused and wrathful. Something like an
awful hush, broken only by the stabblng
language of the speaker, fell upon the whole
audience when he solemnly warned the gold
conpirators and mllionaires" to beware OF
the wrath TO come un less they took their grip
with flushed brow and vehement gesture
grew into prophet of storm and revolution.
What his brother said In Augusta and repeats
at Clark's Hills to his neighbors. Ben Till
man disclosed upon the floor of the Senate
and predicted that the people would right
their wrongs with the ballot or the bullet
unl less legislators and Presidents. who had
their desolating work. No doubt, he will be
censured, ridiculed, and taunted by some
metropolitan papers and the bondholding or
moneyed classes, but no matter what may be
Nf Ntt,t.
that IT Is just as well somebody, in Congress,
disclosed the truth or what seems TO many
thousands the truth, and so cleaned the at
our earlier history and you will see that what
Calhoun, John Randolph, Thos. Jefferson,
Patrick Henry and other mighty spirits fear
ed Is no less apprehensive today, and that
Tillman Is announcing in uncon ventIonal,
possibly unchartable. plainness what they
proclaimed In more stately or classic phrase.
II must have made the old goldbug aboli-