New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-04
AS TO FI,Y-BLOWING.

That was q rather important point when
Senator Tillman. of South Carolina, raised yes
terday IN the Senate That gentleman usually
raises points. The pitchfork figure with which
bis name is generally connected suggests II,
and he is not the man to let any opportunity
slip TO keep the general public in mind of 1t.
The point he made yesterday was that whenever
any United States Senator is assailed in any
direction for any reason or from any source IL
is the first business Of the United States Senate
to drop everything and proceed to investigate
II. Senator Tillman has high sense OF per-
sonal honor With him II is instructive. II
rises above all other considerations and DOM
mates his whole powerful nature. So when it
happens that q whispered suspicion that some
member of the Senate has used the opportunity
of place for selfish end gains circulation
through the press Of the country he deems 1t
his duty TO have that suspicion dispelled at any
cos, of money or time before any other business
is attended TO- The sincerity Of Senator Til
man in this view cannot be gainsaid. what
ever may be thought Of the methods by which
no undertakes to arrest all other business until
tho honor of the American Senate is vindicated
He means to have proof and demonstration that
no Senator has personal or selfish interest In
any bill that may be pending before the Senate
takes final action upon such bill and enacts IL
into law In making this point AZ this par
ticular 1uncture he undoubtedly means we'll
He knows that there is one man in the Senate
who Is absolutely pure and above rcproach
and he wants to make sure that all the resi- are
He is willing TO have ali business stopped until
every doubt is cleared up on that point
He has had doubts as to the honesty Of some
of his colleagues. perhaps most of them. We
Gather from his utterances. all Of which are
ardent and heroic. though most Of them are
large general and abstract. rather than direct
specific and concrete that he has been much
troubled by the suggestions OF unquiet minds IN
the press and elsewhere that some Of the law
givers with whom he mingles daly--so far rs
they will let him--have been specializing on
their opportunities and making money on their
advance knowledge Of what was going TO hap
pen in the line OF legislation. Suggestions OF
this kind. TO mind outside Of the currents cf
speculation revolving in an eddy peculiarly
adapted TO the evolution and upbuilding OF
linens conscia recti' are uncOmmony exasper
atlng. They are apt to fiji the mind with
sceptlcal. and even cynical. notions as TO the
character and motives Of ones fellOw-men
They appear to have had this effect upon the
mind of Senator Tillman, and to have set him
upon course Of inquiry as TO the honesty OF
his associates, which most Of them regard with
curiosity, but few with not unnatural resent
ment For 1t Is not In human nature for the
conmonest aud the honestest kind Of men 10 sit
undisturbed when a statesman Of such IRE
proachabe morals as Senator Tillman. says
publicly that they ought to be looked into and
inquired about.
so when Senator Tillman proposed IN inves-
tgaton they had to consider first whether they
should stop all business In order to find out
about each other and whether they were up to
his standard Of morality: and, second. whether
his standard OF morality was not on the
whole-considering his lack Of opportunity and
absence OF temptntion-sOmething SO unatta1n-
able that II was harily worth while to try
70 reach It. Then all at once newspaper
In Haverhill, n. H.. broke Out with intimntions
that Senator Tillman himself was not so
superior; that even he had joints In his harness
In connection with the dispensary law, so-called.
of South Carolina, Of which he Is the putative
author and which went far TO make his fame.
1t was this which brought Senator Tillman 10 his
feet In the Senate yesterday. Haverhll. \. H.. Is
q little remote, but the shot took effect. The
Senator met the insinuations In his own grand,
allsuficIent self-suficIent way. The charges.