Birmingham state herald., 1896-02-18
PULLMAN TO HIS CRITICS
He Defends His Famous Speech
 in the Senate.
THE NEED OF PLAIN WORDS
What Others Have Whispered Among Them selves He Has Spoken AIoud-He 0ares
 His Critics to Publish His Speech.

Senator Tillman has written the fol- lowing letter to New York paper in an swer to criticisms of his recent speech in the senate: s*
 Washington D. C., Feb. 14-My uni form rule has been to treat criticism with silence. I break that rule now for a pur- pose, and that is to challenge those who have found so much to condemn in my recent speech in the senate to d trial be- fore the jury of their readers in which | can have at least a show of justice. The New York Times editorially terms me "a filthy baboon;" the New York Post, "a political anarchist;' the World has used the word "blatherskite;" the Phila- delphia Record calls me "the chief of an archists," and the St. Paul Globe says: This fellow brings to the senate the un- sayory record he made in his state character tattooed with dishonesty
 These are few of the elegant phrases employed by the polite editors Of some Of the leading newspapers as applied to my self. They have not read my speech, they dare not publish it in full, and passing their criticisms upon few garbled ex- tracts in which 1 use strong language to express indignation and contempt, they ask the people to render verdict agaihs me as a coarse, brutal, ignorant piach- guard ,,, ,,r in the speech to which they make eXcep- ton do not exceed dozen. Ihey neisiei add to nor take from the arguments ana facts as presented. Not single one ol them is unparliamentary ana Irequehlis in the senate language as violent coarse and brutal has been uttered in the past by dozen men whose names are written high in our country's history
 If my language was unparliamentary, why did no senator call me to order! IT the charges were untrue, why has no sen ator answered them and why do my newspaper critics not attempt to answer them? Is it unpa arliamentary and inde- cent to tell the truth? Are we sunk to that low estate that falsehood and treachery and official dishonesty cannot be mentioned without calling down an avalanche of abuse and islander? What other senators have whispered among themselves l have spoken aloud and In plain words. What a majority of the people have thought and felt, have ut tered.
 This is the sum of my offending, and the hireling editors and reporters who now degrade the so-called freedom Of the press to so despicable level may llatter themselves that they create and control public opinion, but the thousands of let ters that have poured In on me from every quarter of the union. and mostly from the north, and from men in every pursuit in life, have given me assurances that the scales are falling from the eyes of the people and that the truth bravely told has a sweet and wholesome sound.
 The American people, as whole the great common people, love the truth and love their country. They despise trai- tors thieves and towards. It is large mass to move, but the leaven is at work. and the issue is joined and the result will 6axv fn n am individually concerned, and as Tar as my speech is concerned, l care nothing for the abuse heaped on me, and thank my critics for directing attention to my utterances. When my facts and argu- ments have been disproved, l will apol- ogiZe. Until then decency demands that men who abuse me for speaking the truth should let their readers see 1t and judge for themselves or reserve their ep- ithets for men of their kind who dread the truth and love cowardice.
 If there is no need for reform. reform will not come. If I represent nothing hut ignorance and anarchy, why was elected governor of South Carolina twice by such overwhelming ma1oritles! For four years as chief executive l fought and was abused by corporations and their hireling newspapers. Why did my state send me to the senate by vote of 131 out of 160 in the general assembly During these four years the state ad- yanced in material growth and increase af of taxable values more rapidly than in any previous period in its history. 1t spent S5O0000 in the erection and equip ment of two of the largest colleges for industrial, technical and normal training in the south, one for each sex And the constitutional convention, with which had a great deal to do fixed constltu- tional taxes so as to double the free school fund The saloons have been ban ished from the state, while three-fourths of the people, if not more, are firm sup porters of the new method Of handling the liquor traffic.
 These facts, which are history, cannot be sneered at nor obliterated. Anarchists don't write such history. l have never shrunk from the lashngs of newspaper scribblers in the arena of state politics and I will not begin to do so in the broader field to which my commission from the people has transferred me. II 1t is to be the fate of this great republic to sink to the level of Rome when the Praetorian guards were wont to put the emperorship up to the highest bidder, II congress is to become or to remain the cowardly tool and purchasable agent of the wealthy, if the federal judiciary are to undermine and destroy the constitu- tion as foretold by Jefferson, If our liber- ties are to be lost through supine igno- rance and venality. I, as sentinel on the watch tower, holding sacred trust, can not be charged with having assisted my country to its degradation by giving a note of warning. B. R. PULLMAN.
 IS CENTS