The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-04-30
TiNmaD in the West.
ADAPTS HIMSELF TO THE SURROUNDINGS

An Audience often Thousand Grccts
Him in Kansas-Charactcris
Boldness and Independence.
The Topeka State Journal says that
10000 people tried to gain admittancc
Kansas, to hear Senator Tillman,
South Carolinas favorite son, but OF
necessity many were disappointed
The speech was punctuated with
cheers ard laughter and was regarded
as Il remarkably powerful one.
Senator Tillman was in fine form
and spoke as follows
Ladies and Fellow Citizons---I must
be excused when | say that this out
pouring Of the citlZons OF this State to
greet stranger touches me deeply.
am especially glad to sec SO many OF
Kansas; fair daughters herc.
We need u new Declaration OF Indc-
pendence, and we are here as free
American citizens to give it uttcrance.
1t is Il big question it is a moment
Gus question, and unless your impa-
tience shall indicate to me that | am
going into it too extensively, [ pro-
pose as best can to covor the ground
in one gener discussion. | could
write Il book should undertake to
elaborate all the details, but / will
at loast try to touch on the most sail
ont points anL present those arguments
and those facts bearing on the present
condition and the future Of this coun-
try which make it imperative that we
should como together as Americans.
That it is the watchwOrd, not Demo
crat, nor Republican, nor Populist,
but rs Americans.
| viii, however, have to begin with
Il discussion Of my subject. Politics in
my observation are largely a matter
Of inheritance. Those of you whose
fathers wore Republicans are today
Republicans those OF you whose IA
thers were Democrats are Democrats,
and those OF you who havc become dis
gustcd with both parties are Populists.
1t is like religion. We hear q great
deal about this mans religion and that
mans religion, hc belongs that church
and he belongs to another, and | must
say too few of us belong to any. He is
of tho religion which his parents pro-
fcssed. Think about it and you are
obliged to acknowledge that it is so.
Now what is the origin Of party :?
Constitutional government. That is q
government in which the people them
solves by some written or unwrittcn
instrumental or established charter try
to control their actions Mankind, after
two or three centuries Of experience
along that line, have como TO The con-
clusiOn that it requires par ties to
carry on that form OF government In
our country when this government
up two forces, tho centrifugal and tho
ccntripetal forces. One party con-
tended that the joints or the links
holding the country together were too
loose, that we were a nation: tho other
contendcd that they were too tight,
that the State must be sovereign. and
they will always bo here as long as the
people Of this country take any inter
est in public affairs or undertake to
govern themselves. Hamilton, the
representative of one, and Jefferson,
the representative Of the other. Ham
elton, the representative Of wealth and
Intelligence Jefferson, the represen-
tative of men. The forces began as
soon as Washington left the presi
dency; the struggle was on between
those who sought to fill his place.
Jefferson got the most votes in the first
electoral college, but ho lid not have
majority because the election was
determined in the house of represen-
tativcs, and the fight began in l77G
continued until now, as 60 whether We
1t IL necessary, my friends, for mo to
go back and bring you down in this
way historically, 80 that we may un-
derstand what is Democracy and what
are the true purposes OF this govern
ment. | will repeat phases here and
there from Jeiferson's inaugural ad-
dress, which Indicate the theory of
practice upon which he based his po-
litical faith. One was, "Trust the
people, and teach the people," indica-
ting his faith in their capacity for self
government.
Tho other was that error is never
dangerous as long as reason is left free
to combat it, and in his works / Stun
bled tho other day on IL brief para
graph from one of his letters written
from France in 1876, which contains
the whole problem Of government and
shows tho wonderful capacity Of tho
greatest OF Americans as far as the
philosophy Of government is concerned
1t embraces the whole proposition as
to the duty Of the people and the prob
lems which have confronted them
With your permission | will read it:
"Tho basis OF our government being
the opinion Of the people, tho very
first object should be to guide then
right, and were it left &C me to decide
whether we should have the govern
ment without newspapers or the
newspapers without tho govern
mont, should not hesitate for {;
moment to prefer the latter, but
name, mark you, u condition that every
man should receive those papers ant
be capable of reading them. | um con
y1nced that those societies such as Tho
Indians, who live without government
enjoy q greater degree of happinos
than those who live under Europeal
government. Among the former pub
nc opinion is in the place of law. Ii
the latter, undor protense of govern
mont they have divided their nation
into two classes, wolves and sheep"
The Republican party since Hamil
ton has been one of education and th,
classes They have monoplized th'
fruits Of the earth and imposed upo,
the people Of this country. We have
como to that pass where few million
oiroa than ~