The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-09-22
WORSE THAN IN THE 70'S
THEN THE WHITES WERE NOT
DIVIDED.
he WANTED TO WARN THE TAR HEELS
And Even Now he is Willing to Help in the
States Redemption The Most God
forsaken State Politically in
The Union.

n1tlOOat DOllIiCS NOS utiC ScSlCiddy'
Need | say that Senator Ben Tillman,
of South Carolina, is the man to whom
| refer? He was on his way home from
the North, where he has been for va
cation. Though he was in Raleigh only
ten minutes, and did not get off the
train, | could not resist the tempta-
ton to hunt him up and talk to him.
He is looking as brown as Span
lard and says he feels much improved by
his rest There was just enough work
in it to make him enjoy it. ne said. lie
spoke at Haverhill, Mass, on Labor
Day, and later at the New Hampshire
State Fair. Then he went up into Can
ada till he struck frost, then back down
to the st. Lawrence, to Quebec and to
other points along the border
This was all interesting enough. but
it wasn't what / climbed on that traip
to talk about.
Senator how are things politically in
the good State of South CarolinaW ]
broke in.
''Just the very question | was about to
ask you," he replied, laughing. You
see I've been out of my State some three
months now and l know very little of
what's going on there-except, of course,
tHdL our peopIe dIe uoIhS TIC Ai5h.
thing"
''Wish you could say as much for the
people of North Carolina
He drew a long breath and looked out
the window for. moment, then slowly
turning his face toward me, while his
one eye glowed like a coal that seemed
to burn through you, he said, just lit
tie sadly, | thought:
II I no. .nfF
and I'm truly sorry for you. North
Carolina is today the most God-forsaken
State politically in the Federal Union
/ confess | was somewhat surprised
to hear Tillman say it.
'sSouth Carolina he continued. twas
never so bad, not even in the days of
the scaawag and carpet-bagger. And
since we ran the Radicals out in 1872
we've been all right. North Carolina.
ton, had her days of darkness during
the reconstruction period. But they
were as Sunday school in comparison
with her present condition. Then the
white people were united. now they are
divided and that's the sad pa., about
it ALL" sae@sM
Was that sigh that came from the
big hearted fire-eating Tillman? The
face would have had a look CT sadness
on it had it not been for it's strong lines,
the firm-set chin and the blazing eye.
There was a sort of solemn awe in his
voice as he said all this.
81 wanted to warn your PEOPLE against
this in 1896. I'm no prophet. but / saw
what was coming. | wanted to speak
in your State and rendered my services,
but after some hesitation y0ur State
chairman decided against me; thought
was too hot a number, | suppose"
Are you so situated now that you
could come here and help MS little?"
well, | hardly know. / have not
considered the matter. You are in such
an awful fix, though. | hardly knew how
i could refuse if asked ily Your com
mittee. Every man and good citizen
must look upon the political situation in
North Carolina with shame. From the
hour of fusion, four years ago, between
the Populists-an element of your good
white peOple-and Republicans, the
negrOes-there has been an era of
corruption and incompetence. Tt is al
most incredible, the condition into which
the proud old State has fallen. The
carpet-baggery Of thirty years ago does
not compare with it.
81 sincerely hope that you may be able
to redeem yourselves in the coming cleo
ton. / rejoice TO hear that the outlook
is encouraging"
Then somehow we drirted off into a
discussion Of the Congressional outlook.
The train was now going and the
warm hand-grasp the South Carolinan
gave as | hurried out, made me UNI
derstand that he had meant every word
he said, and that beneath his rough eX-
terror was hidden Il warm, generous
heart and patriotic desire for the coun-
try's welfare.
Not the least interesting thing TO me
in this short interview was the person
atty of the man-this rumpled giant,
who, as prize-fghters say, would strip
well" He is of heroic proportions. He
has mountainous shoulders: big, honest
hands; a square, firm jaw; fierce.
piercing eye set in a hard, determined
face. The absence of one eye accen-
tuates the strength and intensity of the
other. giving the face a picturesque
ness that it otherwise would not possess.
AT first glance the South Carolinian
looks as if he could do any or all of sew
eral things-knock you down. preach a
sermon. eat a horse-but whatever he
did he'd have no apologies to offer after
wards.
/ doubt very much whether he could
tell you the difference between an isoso
lese triangle and logarithm, or explain
to you the binomal theofem but he car
quickly make up his mind what to dc
under given conditions and go at it with
determination that brooks no oppo
sition.
He is n man whom fortune has not
spoit. Risen from the ranks of the
people, success has not made him forget
them.
'The people are honest" he told me
yesterday, "and will do the right thine
in the end The only trouble is getting
them to see the right
Intensity of purpose, absolute sincerity
and untiring industry are his strong
points.
TO the railroad magnate, the manufac