New-York tribune., 1896-04-14
TTLLMAN DISAPPOINTS KENTUCKY.

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| TILLMAN DISAPPOINTS KENTUCKY.
| 1t is reported from Lexington. Ky. that the
speech which Senator Tillman. Of South Caro-
| lina delivered in that town on Saturday last
was a disappointment to the audience, for the
reason that being advertised to speak on the
currency question and its relation to the Presi-
dental contest. he devoted but few words to
the financial Issue, but occupied the time chiefly
! with abuse of persons who disagreed with him
about il. They have had first and last some
| pretty hot politics in Kentucky. and there have
| been occasions when political debates have been
| punctuated with guns on account of the rank
language with which they were pursued. But
| 1t Is said that Tillman was a revelation to his
audience, who had never before witnessed such
an exhibition. They were in entire sympathy
with him OH the silver question. but the torrent
OF his invective and the wildness Of his gesticu-
laton SO dumfounded them that they forgot all
about the silver question and just sat and looked
at the show. Afterward they expressed disap-
pointment that, though he had poured out tor
rents Of redhot language and swung his arms
and pranced up and down. he really had not
said anything about the currency question and
its relation to the Presidential contest.
| And yet why should the Kentuckians have
been disappointed? They should know by this
| time that the argument in favor Of free silver
| coinage which they expected to hear Is too brief
| and compact to last more than minute. 1t Is
| addressed to the man who owes dollar, and
| consists in telling him that the way to get out
| of debt Is to get the Government to stamp 6S
| cents worth Of silver as a good honest, legal
tender dollar and so save 80 cents on every dol
| lar he owes. 1t doesn't take but a minute to
state that argument, and once stated 10 the
receptive mind Of delinquent debtor who
| doesn't feel quite like paying. and Is yet too
| conscientious to cheat his creditor without the
sanction Of the General Government, needs
| no amplfcation. When that argument once
finds its restngp place In the debtors conscious
ness nothing remains but to pour out with wild
gestlculation the hot and seething vocabulary Of
invective upon the Oppressors Of the poor, the
usurers. highwaymen, thieves and cutthr0ats,
who insist on being paid in full in the rascally
coin In which the debt was contracted. All the
discussion has run upon this line from the open
| ing Of the debate 1t was really a necessity Of
| the situation. For nothing could be more obvi-
GUS than that from the moment the issue was
raised the vast majority Of voters-actuated as
| the majority usually are. by a sentimental no.
tion that National honesty Is essential to Na-
tional credit-actually favored paying on all Ma
tional and individual obligations 100 cents in
the dollar.
To bring about change in public opinion In
this regard 1t was absolutely necessary for the
minority to resort to gesticulaton and language.
And 1t was also necessary that the language
should include threats of the most blood curdling
character 1t Is only by such means that an
earnest and aggressive minority, bent on saving
to the Nation and to individual debtors the
handsome margin Of 32 cents In the dollar, can
bring to terms foolish, timid and time serving
majority, who, If they were permitted to have
their way, would have the Nation and individ-
uals pay In full and so fool away 32 cents on
every dollar Of National and Individual debt 1t
was with this high purpose in view that Waite.
Of Colorado, proclaimed the purpose OF the free
silver advocates to ride In blood to the horses
brides unless their demand for free coinage was
complied with In the same cause were enlisted
Pennoyer, Of Oregon; Llewelling, OF Kansas
Stone, of Missouri Atged, Of Illinois,; Tlman,
| Of South Carolina, and others. 1t is now some
what dimly remembered that at one time all
Of them-all Governors. and all very much In
earnest-were simultaneously In eruption on this
| great ISSUE and all agreed that If the Federal
Government did not presently establish the rule
that 80 cents worth, or thereabOuts, Of silver
was worth dollar the land would be deluged
with blood
1t Is a fact-not entirely without significance
perhaps-that Of all these statesmen no one re
mains very much In evidence except Tillman
though Atgeld Is still on deck and occasionally
heard, not to threaten, but merely to murmur
South Carolina Is little out Of the current
Tillman Is still raging. But there was no rea
son for the Kentuckians to be disappointed in
him. He was quite himself at Lexington. He
still believes that minority can qucll a ma
jority by the finging Of arms and pranclng ur
and down and hurting abroad blankety blank
figures Of speech. 1t Is all more or less interest
Ing as a phase Of current politics. But the fact
remains, and very stubborn fact 1t is, that a
majority Of honest voters, going along doine
honest days works for honest days pay and
paying honest debts in honest money. has never
yet in this country been very much scared by
blankety blank language from red-mouthed
blatherskites raised into prominence on tho
wave of a momentary popular craze. Senator
Tilman addressing a sympathetic audience In
Kentucky, and surprising them with his gtish OF
invectve and lack Of argument only empha
sizes the fact that the whole country has passed
out of the period In which that sort Of bombastIt
bullying either interested or amused anybody
This country 10 not going to be held up eitheI
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