The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-05-27
"UNCLE REMUS' ON BEN.

"UNCLE MENUS wv bC-N'
Joel Chandler Harris, the Cracker
Humorist, Writes of Tillman-
Heard Him Speak in Atlanta and
Was Observation-Disclosures the
Unique Character Of the Young
South Carolina Senator.
What is the truth about Tilln2a.:: |
have asked myself TIE question huli-
dreds of times, and I presume that a
great many other people who care
more for ideas and principles than
they do for politicians have asked
themselves the same question. WhT
Because, on the one hand, we have
heard lot Of newspaper editors,
correspondents and reporters de-
nouncing the South Carolinian as 4
Populst and an anarchist, and des-
cribing him as blackguard and d
bufoon; while, on the other hand, we
have seen the Democratic voters of
South Carolina standing almost as Il
unit in his support.
Naturally, therefore, the question
arose in my mind, what is the truth
about Tillman? II be is not what
various newspapers describe him TO
be, what profit do they find III 4
monstrous perversion OF the truth:
But if the newspapers are correct,
what is the secret of the mans hold
on the people of South Carolina.
Here was mystery, indeed. [ re-
membered fact that a great niaay
people seem to have forgottcn-that,
from the foundation OF the republic
down to the present hour, there has
never arisen a genuine Democrat-a
man of the people-of any degree Of
prominence who has been denounced
by the so-called conservatives" as a
communist and an anarchist. In his
day and time, Jefersonwas an "anar-
chist" and communist" and his
doctrines were denoun ced as danger
GUS" Andrew Jackson was "a dirty
blackguard." Toombs was an "anar.
chist." Stephens was "demagogue."
And even poor AIr. Tilden was said
to be in favor of promoting danger
Gus doctrines"
l remembered these things but .hey
failed to solve the Tiliman mystery,
for the very newspapers that de-
nounced him as .;blacksuard and
a "bufoon" were loud in their pre-
tentions OF Democracy. Then came
Tillmau's promotion to the United
States Senate, and, at the first op-
portunity, he made a speech before
that body. Practically, the speech
was suppressed by many of the news
papers both North and South, East
and West. But the Washington cor
respondents described it as "unparlia-
mentary, .''coarse" and "urdignified"
I made haste to get hold of a copy Of
the speech, and read it through in the
Record from beginning to end. To
my utter bewilderment I found not a
paragraph, nor sentence, nor phrase,
nor word, nor a allusion to public
matters that the condition of affairs
did not call for and the occasion DO
mand. I found marks of indignation
in it, but from the first word to the
last the sentiments expressed on pub
lie matters were those ola Democrat.
Hundred of speeches fuller of in
vective and more ''unGignifed" have
been delivered in both houses OF
Congress. But this only deepenea
the mystery. Perhaps Tillmau had
delivered coarse" speech and af-
terwards revised for publication. Con-
sequently, when Alr. 1illman was an.
nounced to make a speech in the
tabernacle, I resolved to make one of
the audience and see and hear for
myself.
What saw was a trim, vigorous
man, full OF energy and ire, standing
before vast assemblage of men ap-
parently as much in earnest as he was.
Behind him on the platform there
was the hutter of fans il feminine
hands. Before him stretched a sea Of
faces, many Of them, perhaps the ma
jority, belonging to middle-aged men.
In the seats to the right Of the plat
form were gathered an audience oil
younger nen-as if though the CO.
hesion of youth had brought them to-
gether A more thoughtful audience
I have never seen.
What I heard was speech as
purely and as truly democratic as
has ever been delivered il Atlanta, or
anywhere else, for that matter. HE
carries his Jefferson with him." said a
man at my side, and this was the fact.
Tillman went to the fountain head of
Democracy for his doctrine. He
quoted from Jeferson's first inaugu-
raj. He quoted from Jackson's mes
sage vetoing the renewal Of the
United States bank charter. In no
part OF his speech did he depart il
the slightest particular from Demo-
cratic principles as Democrats under
stand them. He spoke bluntiy VIXEN
dealing with the conditions we see
around us--when dealing with the
results Of what be pithily called Gre
publican legislation and Democratic
administration" But the truth is
ever blunt. It sometimes hurts, and
ought to hurt. When you begin to
soften the natural asperity OF truth,
you must, in the nature of things,
adulterate its essence. But politi-