The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-08-09

qdenchtess thirst Tor renoWn which
in his wild Imagination be hopes to
make earth's teeming millions shout
his praise and the very stars to echo
With the thunders of his name. Yet
you, the acme of benignity. the ne
plus ultra of perfection, the chef
d'ouvre of creation, the crowning
jewel of She casket. the rose leaf
upon the msntling cup Of bliss, the
summum bonum of Gods gifts to
man. Yet South Carolina never ap
propriated dollar TO build College
for your especial benefit until the
Tillman administration did this crown
ing act of justice to your sex, and fe.
male education will be inseparably
connected with bis name, and the
daughters and grand. daughters and
great grand daughters will ever hon.
or his name, thus
"The mist of time which lesser lights
obscure,
Will augment his glory more and
more"
And ladies it was he who from the
executive chair openly and boldly
declared that under all circumstances
and at all hazards, even with life
itself, would protect women's virtue
After another thoroughly organized
campaign and being opposed by the
best talent the State could afford and
again backed by the wealth, inteli-
gence and press and all the outside
pressure that could be brought to bear
against him, he was triumphantly
elected United States Senator; posi-
ton to attain which was at once the
height of mans ambitions, the con
summation of political aspiration.
But it was said that when
he coped with those INTEL
lectual giants of the senate he would
be cypher. What was the sequel !?
When it was known that the mogui of
South Carolina was to speak, the
newspapers tell us every Senator
was in bis place, the galleries were
crowded to ovethowing Not a
paper perhaps in the q. S. but com.
mented upon his speech. and two
thousand coDgratulatory letters piled
Pelion upon 0ssa high on bis desk.
tell in unmistakable language how the
speech thrilled and received respon.
sive echo in the hearts of the Amer
ican people from the Gulf ofthe south
to the lakes of the north, from the
chores of the Atlantic to the shores
of the Pacific.
And that is aot all. the news was
soou sent on the wings of lightning
to the capitals Of Europe, and the
next morning the dailies On
nounced that the great Carolinan had
thundered against the gold bugs.
Since then he has been invited to
speak in almost every state of the
union, and again and again he has
been the recipient Of the most enthu.
sias:ic ovations from the people
Now, fellow citizens of Sumter
County, let US throw aside our pre-,
JUDGES and petty differences and
initiate the example of our public
spirited mayor and honored senator
and other distinguished citizens, and
like the people of Eoglaud, honor him
who honors you. and who, we hope,
in nineteen hundred, under the lead
ership of ". j. Bryan, will be the
democratic candidate for vice presi
dent of the United States
Senator Tillmsn spoke for forty min
utes. The following is an outline, not
verbatim report Of his speech.
Ladies and Fellow C;tizeus
There is an old adage that prophet
is never without honor save in his own
couotry, and I have occasion to realize
from reading the South Carolina news,
papers that if have any claim to be a
prophet or if / have ever foretold any
event with the true prophetic spirit
these claims have rot been recognized,
nor have the papers realized that Ben
Tillnau is prophet.
If I had know how vas to be
praised aod beIauded and how thick a
coat of butter vas to be spread over me,
[ think would have ssaid away from
Sumter. I may have merited to be
praised for some things, but have never
before been the recipient of so much as
Dr.. Abbott has bestowed
Perhaps al present 10 no not agree
with ali that Dr.. Abbott has said, the
wounds are too recen, aud the scars too
fresh for ell! to feel as be feels, or think
as be thinks, aud as have always ad-
mitted aud recognized the righ; of tnep
to differ in opinions. and | still rccog-
uize that this right is a heritage Of
free men, bear 20 malice toward those
who differed with me in the past and
| fonoht no op5 tnc o-i,oinlao a9uo