The Atlanta constitution., 1900-08-27
TILLMAN AND THE PREACHERS
SOUTH CAROLINA CAMPAIGN is
GROWING WARM.
Tillman Is Caustic in his Remarks
About the Preachers-Some OF
His Sayings.

Columbia. 6. c., August 25.-(Special)-
South Carolina has become Fomewhat
noted for the unidueness of her political
campaigns. The present one is different
from all predecessors and Is being fought
on new lines.
Senator Tilman is the central figure;
standing. metaphorcally speaking. with
a Bible in one hand and a whisky bottle
bearing the coat of arms OF South caro-
lima and stamped chemically pure, in
the other. he invites the populace TO drink
and quotes scripture to prove that to use
lluuor IS not considered immoral in the
Bible except in Habakkuk. which he de-
clares to be Obsolete" around him
the same wool hat boys" of 1890 and
1899 are applauding his sharp thrusts
at the ministers; others Of his more serl-
Gus followers are more silent; still others
have openly turned and are speaking
against him. while from n hundred pull
pits pours such a stream of remuneration
as has never before been turned simulta-
neOusly upon the most evil works or the
satanic majesty. With scathing tongue
and bitter pen the preachers of almost
every denomination. particularly the
Methodists Baptists and Presbyterians'
have drawn the line OF communication
around the person OF the poTtly senator.
The gubernatorial contest Is the issue.
the question being dispenSary or prohlDi-
ton Even the twelve consecutive days
when the average maximum temperature
was 100 degrees in the shade could not
keen the senator off tho stand; indeed.
with tho continued heat he became more
warm in the use Of language and II Is
a question whether the ministers kept
pace with the senator's vocabulary. Up
to-date. however. they are doing fairly
we'll and the indications are that they Will
not be outclassed.
Among other things Senator Tillman de-
clared in his speeches that "of all things
I hate is tn hypocrite. and l would not
swap places today with any OF the preach
ers for my own chances IN the next
world"
lie 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 barkeepers
have formed an unholy alliance TO break
down the dispensary.
The preachers may be honest, but they
are weak in the upper story Uappihg ms
head) They do not know"
He accused some preachers of distort-
ing their texts In order 70 show that
LIQUOR was condemned in the Bible; no
then quotes Paul's advice to Timothy TO
take wine: Solomon he declared. htu
given the same advice: while the Instances
of good men like Lot and Noah having
got drunk without reproOt or punish
ment are cited to show that drunkenness
was not considered a sin. The miracle
of water being turned into wine by Jesus
has been repeatedly referred to as proof,
furnished by the New Testament. Of the
senator's contentious.
Ministers of the gospel were allitera-
tive in their attacks on his cause, the
senator said, and he might retaliate by
saying some people attributed "D.D.' to
stand for Damned Devils.
People had threatended to scratch his
name from the ticket, he said, ana ne m
vited them to do so, declared thilt al
though he had no opposition for re-elec-
ton to the senate. ne would not accept
the Office if ne did not receive majority
Of the votes cast lie expected, ne said,
to make 10000 new enemies by his can
But Senator Tillman has not held the
monopoly of the talking. y hundred
sermons and as many letters 10 heWspd-
pers might be quoted from, but mere
are few samples:
Rev. e. W. Gardner. DID,, editor OF
The South Carolina Baptist, has been a
supporter and admirer of Senator Iill-
man. and has kept out OF the fight until
this week. when he attended a meeting
and heard the senator speak.
He says: 1T was an outrage and we
are ashamed that South Carolina has
of reverence; so blasphemous.
"He IS a far worse man than his most
ardent enemies have ever branded him.
Satan quoted Scripture to our Lord
but we do not believe his Satanic Majesty
is capable of handling Gods word more
perversely or irreverently than Senator
Tillmau.
''His advocacy of the liquor traffic
and Endorsement Of the drinking habit are
unworthy OF any man and could only
,Snanate from a man who was lost TO all
1T Is pity the young men of our
country are permitted TO listen to such a
man. " -.
this man. May God have mercy on mis-
"He is led captive at the win of the
DR.. C. s. Gardner, of Greenville. re-
ferring TO Tillmans statement that Ha-
bakkuk IS obsolete, says: Habakkuk
did not live to see the time when a United
states senator would go about the country
preaching that the liquor traffic is a be-
/ nevoIent and moral institution.
"He IS either a religious ignoramus or
q religious impostor who tries to bolster
| I'm louor traffic with the Bible
Rev F. c. Hickson, of Cherokee county.
| who attempted to interrOgate TIllman on
the stand and was snubbed and sawed
"Wiil the people follow Mr. Tillman or
the preachers and the Bible? There was
| a time when they would follow TIllman;
has that time passed? The Lord grant
| that IL has But l want to say to my
| people in Cherokee If you think MIR
Tillman knows more of the pible and of
right of how to live and how to die,
| than | 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. | do not want to do 1t.
| p II Rucker, of Columbia. says: with
| tears of grief, how often have l prayed
| MY God, change this man, for what a
| power he could be- what a multitude he
4 m E,nhrl-
| i'm IS Joined to his IDOLS. Senator Till
man knows he Is on the road to hell and
is carrying a multitude with him. i have
reached the conclusion to cease praying
for him and go TO scratching"
The first primary will he held August
29th.
Don't nurse yOur cornS. Re- 2.y-A