The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-05-03

NdSHlISbOus -. Us May -
Quite unannounced, Senator Fillman
arose yesterday same strange,
rough figure clad in smooth clerical
black
Nobody knew that he was coming
with his h-forl<-but he came all
the same In his last speech he
threatened to pay his respects later to
Senator HILL Yesterday he did it.
And this brought these two men face
to face for the first time-within a
few feet Of one another. They are
both 1inty, and so the sparks flew.
The antagonistic points We're en-
dorsation of the nominee of the Demo-
cratic convention and a refusal to say
any word against free silver or
against declaration to bolt any gold
nomination at the Chicago convention
and threat that more bonds might
be met with bIoodshed and repudia-
ton.
The man Tillman has power. Why?
/ met Senator Kyle on his way from
the Senate and asked him why"
He replied: 1T is the element Of
justice in the mantle element of
justice that sticks out all the way
through!"
Senator George said it was an inter-
tanning debate; Senator Hawley turn
ed up his nose at it, and Senator Vest,
strange, after his utterance, said: 1T
was disreputable business" But
Senator Vest was a close listener, and
seemed to enjoy everything that Till
man said; so that it is hard TO believe
that his words had any strong mean
ing behind them.
The Senate, galleries and Press Gal
Iery filed full IN half an hour. Till
man had warmed up and the picture
was sensational. He walked up and
down behind ais seat, sometimes with
his hands clasped behind his head;
and his voice. always the same, was
strident with unpleasant suggestion.
And his face had a brutal tightness Of
pugnacious lineament, and there was
scarcely anything in the exterior of
the man to invite good viii. But there
was just something definable-which
did invite, and which always holds the
people when he takes the floor Can
anybody tell what it Isl? is Senator
Kyle right2 / have met many people
who give this answer. 'sHe spoke the
TRUTH And yet, it may be that he
speaks many things which are notitrue.
and the two elements mingled i'm q
man of strong will force make him
a dangerous man or great man. From
what / have seen of Tillman. / believe
his power lies in his honesty, low
estate, with desperate will and intel
ligence enough. Without endorsing
all he says. it is well enogh to say
/ that he is partly right. He represents,
/ If not the exact remedy called for in
the present crisis. at least a revolt
against that social oppression which
seems nowadays to give certain peo-
pie an asserted right to lord it over the
middle classes, because forsooth these
great. great grand-daddies were con-
stables in the colonies This gag has,
no doubt, been worked in South Caro-
lima for all it is worth. and aristocacv
| is becomming to be a word OF sneer
almost on the lips of working men.
And Tillman represents working men
IF he does nothing more. He speaks
with confidence, because he is upheld
by an undertow Of the heart-throb of
1.-THE common people the people that
are to furnish the grist for the work
ing out Of God Almighty's great prob
lem. Men know this, and hence men
listened TO TlIlman Yesterday pro-
| foHndly when he said: II represent
a State-and I can speak for what the
State of South Carolina will do and
| that is more than you can dol" (and
here he pointed his finger sneeringly
at Hill, and Hill WINGED under it,
| Hill was not in the chamber when
/ Tillman began. But his friends soon
1 summoned him. He entered from the
/ lcloal<-room, somewhat white, and
/ walked around the South Carolinian,
and took his seat a few feet away He
/ had his hands full the rest Of the time
Not that Hill did not say what was
essentially sound: it seems to me he
! did He said he would endorse the
nominee of the Democratic party, and
he would not be drawn into any OPP
position to silver. But somehow the
people do not altogether believe in
many expressions Of many Senators.
And many hail Tillman as a man out
Of the rest. As / said, if he is not
right he is partly right.
As far as I have Observed" he be-
gan, II would say that the navy was
suffering more from ed-tape-bureau~
cracv-offieial dry-not than anything
else.''
Speaking Of the issuing Of bonds Mr..
Tillman said. ''This is a hellish pro-
gress towards bankruptcy and uni
versal ruin" And then he added: SIS
there any law which viii give the Pres
| ident a right to do by indirection what
he cannot do by direction. 1t is a
| hocus-pocus, bamboozle and foll-a-
bout"
/ At this moment he picked up Hills
speech from his desk, and o little after
Hill entered. Then the Senators faces
were all focused toward Tillman as if
they had been blown that way by a
sweep of wind. And the sofas were
filed with Representative and other
distinguished personages. The Sem
ate chamber was simply an eager
thousand of ears.
and the Senator from New York
Il speaks of necessity i'm issuing these
. bondsl It is the tyrant's plea OF neces-
/, sityl" exclaimed the South Carolinian
( l..rhe President overrides all decency-