The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-25
PITCHFORK
May RUN.
Senator TiIIman Says liz the
Pressure Keeps On
He May Be a Candidate For
President.
SCOTDS THE POPULlSIS
Asks Them What They Have
Got After All
By Leaving the Democratic Par
ty Ofthe South.
sCOLDS THEPOPULISTS

Atlanta. Ca. May Ex-senator Ben
Tfuman left yesterday for Columbia.
FFa has been on a tour Of the west and
southwest recently. He went out as
far as Denver and spoke in Kansas,
Nebraska, St Louis and Chicago At
some points he had immense auoi-
enees. When he returned from that
tour he dropped down into Florida
made two speeches and then Jumped
over to Texas. He spoke at two or
three places in the Lone Star state,
addressed one Arkansas audience ana
jumped back to Atlanta
Senator Tillman has a strong grip on
his state. There is not such another
leader In the United Estates. Three
fourths of the white population Of his
state believe strongly in him He ex-
plains this very simply. II have been
in public affairs in my state for ten
years. I have made three tours or the
state and have spoken in every county
at least three times. Nearly every man
in South Carolina has seen me. Most
of them have heard me and they nave
never caught me in a lie tell them
the truth. and when i make a pledge 4
do my best to redeem it. 4 never pay
any attention to the politicians 4 work
direct with the people, of whom 4 am
one I know by intuition how they
feel on public questions The polite
fans always trim and try to md out
how the people are going before they
viii declare. keep the people right
and they keep the politicians right
The plain people run South Carolina
They just rose UP and took charge of
things themselves. They got tired of
being treated like q ward who had to
be cared for by guardians. They de-
cided to try the guardian business
themselves for awhile, and they like
the change"
During his stay in Atlanta Senator
Tillman had a constant stream of call
ers at his room. One or two POpulists
called on Senator Tillman yesterday
afternoon. To them he said.
You POpuists ask me why 7 DIDN'T
so with you, and why i don't go with
you now Where have you fellows got
that anybody should go with you2 You
think you have a moon and that all
you've got to do is to reach up and pull
1T down. Why don't you all come down
out Of the clouds2 IL you had remain
eQ IN the old party you would be able
TO control 1T, but when you left the
Democratic party the element that Op-
posed year demands for relief just
about counterbalanced the men who
were in sympathy with you and who
resolved to make the fight inside the
lines over in South Carolina we made
UP our minds not to split but to stay
right in the Democratic party and cap
ture it. And we did it, That is why
we have not the danger of being run
over by the gOldbug crowd"
Senator Tillman is not averse to con
sidering the possibility of lightning
striking him. eff the pressure keeps
UP, he said to some callers. 81 may be
a candidate for a place on the ticket.
After I made that speech in the senate
last winter I received a deluge of let
ters-more than I have ever had time
TO reads. 600 to 25, 600 letters They
came from all over the country, and as
far as ] got in reading them all an
proved what I had said. PoDulfsts wrote
that they were glad to read what I had
expressed Republicans said that they
were glad that there was one Democrat
who dared to tell the truth on his own
party. And Democrats everywhere
wrote that they were with me I'm Tex
as addressed audiences ranging from
5000 to 5000. Out in Colorado the audi
ences were all Republicans and Popu-
lists cry few Democrats are left out
there-they are too disguised with the
national administration. In Kansas
there are mighty few Democrats left
almost all Republicans and Populists
There IS great fire burning i'm this
country on this financial question The
people are not going to be cheated out Of
an opportunity to vote on it, either
The bankers and corporations Of the
OLD parties are going to try to pick can
Qidates and shape platforms so that
tne people VIII not get a chance to ex-
press themselves for silver. But they
cannot prevent it, Cleveland, nor Car
ISLE nor Morrison. nor Russell nor al nv
OF the rest Of these Wall street hedpers
could carry three states ia the entire
country as a Democrat on a gold plat
FORM 1t is doubtful IF they could carry
q single one There is just a chance for
me Democrats in New York because
the people are mad at the Raines Ifo-
nor law. which is not one-tenth as good
g our dispensary system over in South
Carolina
What DO you think Of Hin as q. de-
batar2s'
He is smart fellow. but he has been
on poth sides of this financial question
IKE q lot Of fellows down this vav
tried to get him to define himself the
other day, but he never would saw
where he stood. He is on the gold side
put ne declines to state his position. I
mad his Elmira speech on my desk He
was free silver man then. and i inst
waited for g chance to read it. bl1f he
was shy However. 4 haven't had "a
1nuch run since 1890 If there is any
thing in this world that I 40 eniov # Is
joint debate that has some ginger. A n
opponent like Hill makes it Interesting
Alosl g these little feather weights.
enough. don't even entertain me p