The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-02-05
TILLMAN'S PlTCHFORK.
HE USES 1T UNsPARlNGLY ON CLEVE-
LAND AND CARLISLE.

HE USES 1T UNSPARlN1Ir ONSIcfE
LAND AND CARLISLE.
Terrific Arraignment Of the Oppressors o
the People--The Crowds in the Gallerie
Could Not be Restrained, but Applaudet
Him Again and Again.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29.-The presen
tation of committee reports on Cuoa
and a highly dramatic and sensational
speech from Mr.. Tillman, the new
Senator from South Carolina, 1ur'
nished two stirring events in the Sen
ate today. The majority resolutlon
on Cuba, presented by Chairman Nor
gan, asks the President to urge SPAN
to grant belligerent rights to the IN
surgents, while the minority report,
offered by Mr.. Cameron, directs the
President to take steps towards secur
ing from Spain the complete indie
pendence of Cuba. Both resolutions
went to the Senate calendar.
Such o torrent of invective has sci,
dom been heard in the Senate as that
in the speech of Mr.. Tillman. Veter.
an members of the body characterized
the speech as one of the most remarS-
able in the history of the upper branch
of Congress. 1t abounded IN state
ments of a sensational character, ar
raigning President Cleveland, Secre-
tary Carlisle and other men IN hlgh
places. There was directness OF state
ment and a dramatic manner OF dellv-
ery which awed floor and galleries:
The gestures of the Senator We're used
frequently in acting his words. AT
one point he made a profound salute
and "tipped his hat to Sherman as the
financial victor of quarter OF a CEN
tury. The galleries were moved alter
nately to applause and laughter.
Pausing for sip of water amid roars
of laughter, he remarked, II seldom
wet nv whistle while I speak; still
YOU can't run windmill on water"
The next moment there was husn
through the chamber as the Senator
applied such names as Judas" to a
member of the Cabinet, or character
lied the President in superlative bit
terness. At times the Senator's voice
sank to a whisper, as for instance
when he gave warning Of the approach
of popular revolution and commu-
nism and the marching on Washing
ton of host with rifles in their hands.
Again his voice resounded through the
chamber and the outer corridors as he
called Senators and members cow
ards" for not resorting to impeach-
ment.
Mr.. Tillman took the floor at 3
O'Clock. The galleries filed quickly
and the Senator was accorded close
attention. He moved down from his
rear seat to one in the front row i'm
mediately in front of the presiding Of
ficer. Although provided with manu-
script he began extemporaneously.
During Mr.. Tillman's bitter criticisms
of the President, he laid aside his
notes and put Senators and galleries
in roars of laughter by telling how,
as Governor of South Carolina, he had
come here to maugurate the President
and had stood four hours out in the
snow and sleet until he was nearly
frozen to death to do honor to this
President. "And," concluded the Sen
ator, II ask God to forgive me for
doing it"
At one point, after bitterly arraign-
ing the President, the Senator address
ed himself to the Republicans and ex-
claimed: "Why have you not i'm
peached hims You have the majority
to do it."
. Mr.. Hawley interrupted with the
query: "Why didn't the last Congress
do this9'
''He is not impeached." continued
the Senator, because he carries out
your Republican policy. The last
Congress was no better than this"
Senator Tillman, in his introducto-
ry remarks, referred to the so-called
Senatorial dignity which does not per-
NIT applause from the floor or gale
ries. He was a farmer pure and sim
pie, he said, accustomed to speaking
in the open air upon the hustings,
where men were free to applaud if
they felt so disposed. In the Senate it
was considered undignifed tn applaud
the galleries being reprimanded and
the Senators confronting the orator
with "a Senatorial stare which turned
him into stone" Senators got up like
school boys and read essays in mon
otonous tone to empty chairs. Where
was the purpose of the founders of the
country when they made the Senate
the greatest deliberative body in the
word9 1t was never intended that the
speeches of a Senator should be buried
in the archives, which was now the
case.
"How much of this, Mr.. President u
exclaimed Mr.. Tillman, lis due to self
complacency, to the feeling among
you-I hardly feel prepared yet to say
among us-that you are the Senate:
How much of.this so-called Senatorial
dignity, of which we hear so much
is worthy of preservation 1t hangs
over this chamber like a wet blanket;
it smothers down independent action
it obliterates the man and we are here
the puppets, the cogs in. the wheel OF
party, to do the bidding of the manip'
ulators of the party machines" :"
These words, uttered with much en-
ergy, provoked the first manifestation
of applause in the gaftisries, which the
Senator hardly SCENE, - 'rotice. He
returned to the assertion that he was
the only farmer, pure and simple, in
the Senate, although out OF seventy
million people, thirty-fve million were
engaged in agricultural pursuits. As
a farmer he had broken the barrier