The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-08-16
The Lines are not Down.

day 10 Sumter, Is reported coErecsiS'
we think somebody must have placed
coal CT 6re upon lis back, to cause him
70 pu, so much warmth in his remarks.
he said be was 90 speace aod unity
nan" aud the ''lioes we're still here
and would be down" We do not think
bis disclaimer OF being q "peaoe and
unity man" is oonsistant With his
speech 10 Charleston when the politi-
clans Of that city fell over each other,
to do the "belaudiag and bepraislog
and basteriDg" upon the occasion wheo
he and acms OF his colleagues made
that famous juuke.iDg trip to Cuba. Ii
we remember Alright toe distinguished
Senator was full of peace add unity at
that ,ime, aud with one HAND be held
out an olive brasch, while with the
other, be threw bouquets at his eoter-
saiuers. It is to be regretted that he
did no: remain in that sweet temper.
for whether Senator Til3man realizes it
or not, the people are not disposed to
take any stock in condition OF
things which viii array neighbor against
nelghbor, brother against brother,
aud father against son this was
done once, and it is source of
genuine qualification to know that such
a condition has been relegated to the
past. never again Co be resurreeted.
Tillnau may no, regard himself
.tpeacs and unity man." because bis
composition is made up Of eombative
material, nevertheless, be cannot com-
bat unless there is something to fight,
and from the signs of tde times we
have peace now. aad peace is likely to
remain unless politicians ipventa plan
to create excitement, which will be
hard for them 70 do. Senator Tii'man
has made 6ne representative in Con-
gress, but bis record there does Dot
ensitIe him to the special privilege of
again arraying the people against each
other. ard if he attempts it, they will
soon give him to understand. that they
will not follow any man over this State,
who undertakes to lead them with fire.
brands. That the people want peace
and unity is evident all over the State,
aud the place to 6nd the evidence, is
in shs halls Of the legislature, where
the membership is made up without
regard to faution and to fracsionalism
creeps into the laws enacted.
Among the strongest advocates OF
the d,spensary law, which appears to
be pet with the Senator, are members
ofthe General Assembly, who. when
factienal feeling ran high we're allied
With the conservative side, and eves
one we have in mind. vas red hot
Hsskellise, this gentleman stood upon
the floor OF the Senate and made
speech in behalf of the dispensary,
which would have made one Of Senator
Tillmsn's dispenssry speeches pale into
lamb Ike tamsness. The day bss come
when 5 man may 60 before the people
advocating the dispeosaly. or any other
measure, without eogeuderiug bitter
meas, snd the time hes also come when
the people will repudiase any man
vino undertakes to ride ioso Office on
the back of villi6cation. strife. aod
facsionslism
We do not think that Senator TILL
mso was justified in designating the
..prohibitiooists'' as ''a set of bypo-
critics aud cowards," because. the
"prohibitioaists'' who were true to
prisciple, never did approve Of coy
smalgans.ion with the l:quor element.
nor do they approve of the course
pursued by some meo conspicuous 10
their ranks. The trouble is DOS With
the probiblsioaiss. ont With the poll
t:ciaps wbo stole the livery OF probibl-
,ion 90 serve king Bacchus. Hence, it
is s!auderous to stigmatiss good men
wbo believe 10 prohibition as a part AID
parcei-a basic principle of their reli
gious creed, as s'typrocrites and
cowards,'' aud 20 do this, does not bavs
,eodeaoy to permit people to live at
peace with each other, and instead OF
making friends for the dispeosary law,
such irritating characterisaslons are
resented. and very properly so. Now,
had Senator Tillman shown how scheu
ing political pirates crawled over the
sides of the prohibition ship. took
charge Of the helm, aud undertook to
sail der into liquor haven be would
have rendered a service, and put the
people on the watch to prevent repe'i.
,ioo of such scheme. We differ with
the senator when he says that factionsi
s.lises were still here and would be
drawn The fsesiooal lines if they
exist at all, are con6oed to elsss OF
politicians who realizs their doom, -
sooo as their stock in trade. no longer
blows up the enbers of wrath; let a
mao offer bimself for ofiae oow. as q
fac,ioosl candidate aud defeat will settle