The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-19
THEIR WRATH UPON TILLMkN.
MINISTER'S DENOUNCE THE SOUTH
CAROLINA SENATOR.

The Senator Has Tried to show by
the Bible That Wine Drinking Is
Good Tbing-DenOunced Minis
terS as Hypocrfts, and a stream of
Decentralization Is Now Pouring
From Every PuIpit-senatOr Says
He Expects to Make Enemies.
Columbia, 8. c., Aug. 1s-South Caro-
lima has become somewhat noted for the
uniqueness of her political campaigns.
The present one is different from all pre-
decessors. and is being fought on new
lines.
Senator Tilman is the central figure,
standing. unexpectedly speaking. with
Bible in one hand and a whisky bottle
bearing the coat-of-arms of South Caro-
Ina nd stamped Chemically pure in
the other, he invites the populace to drink.
and quotes Scripture to prove that TO use
liquor is nos considered immoral in the
Bible, except in Habakkuk, which he de
clares to be "obsoiete;' around him the
same wool hat boys of 1880 and 1922
are applauding his sharp thrusts at the
ministers; others of his more serious fol-
lowers are silent, still others have open
ly turned. and are speaking against him,
while from a hundred pulpits pours q
stream of denunciation.
The gubernatorial contest Is the issue,
the question being dispenssry or pro-
hlbiton. TilIman is fighting for the for
mer as more moral than prohibition.
Among other things Senator Tiilman
has declared in his speeches, that ''of all
things hate is the hypocrite and 1 would
not swap places to-day with any of the
preachers for my own chances in the
next world
He has done more. he declares, for the
morals Of the people of South Carolina
than all the preachers put together.
The preachers and the old bsrkeep-
ers have formed an unholy alliance to
break down the dispensary. The preach
ers may be honest, but they are weak In
the upper story, Topping his head. They
do not know"
He accused some preachers of distort-
ing their texts in order to show that
liquor was condemned by the Bible; he
then quotes Pauls advice to Timothy to
take wine; Solomon. he declared, had
given the same advice.
People had threatened to scratch his
name from the tickei, he said, and he
invited tht m to do So declaring that al
though he had no oppcsi Ion for re-elec-
ton 70 the Senate, he would not accept
the office if he did not receive a ma
jority of the votes cast. He expected, he
said, to make 1900 new enemies by his
canvass.
But Senator Tilman has not held the
monopoly of the talking. A hundred ser
mons and as many letters to newspapers
might be quoted from, but here are few
samples:
Rev G. w. Gardner, D. D., editor of
the South Carolina Baptisf, has been
supporter and adnlfrer of Senator Till
man, and has kept out of the fight until
this week when he attended meeting
and heard tire Senator speak.
He says: at was an outrage and we
are ashamed that South Carolina has such
~ man to represent her so destitute OF
reverence; so blasphemous. He is a far
worse man than his most ardent enemies
have ever branded him.
Dr. c. S. Gardner of Greenville. refer
ring to Tillman's statement that Habak-
kuk is obsolete, saye: "Habakkuk did not
live TO see the time when a United States
Senator would go about the country
preaching that the liquor traffic is be-
nevoient end moral institution.
He is either a religious ignoramus or
a religious imposter, who tries to bolster
up liquor traffic with the Bible"
Rev. F. c.. Hickson of Cherokee coun-
ty, who attempted 40 interrogate Tillman
on the stand and was snubbed and Sawed
off" says:
will the people follow Mr.. Tillman or
the preachers and the Bible? There was
a time when they would follow Tilman;
has that time passed? The Lord grant
that it has. But l want to say to my
people in Cherokee, If you think Mr.. Till
man knows more of the Bible and of right,
of how to live and how to die, than l do,
let him be your pastor; let him come to
pray for you when you come to die; let
him preach your funerals when you are
dead 1 do not want to do ID"