New-York tribune., 1901-06-06
TILLMAN RETAINS HIS SEAT
SAYS HE is FORCED To WITHDRAW
RESIGNATION BY MLAURIN'S "UNDIG-
NIFIED AND PUERILE ACTION"
my TELEGRAPH To THE rRIBUNE.I

Columbia. s. c. June 5.-senator Tillman
withdrew his resignation Senator tonight.
He wrote the following letter to Governor Nc
Sweeney. under to-day's date
I am in receipt Of your telegram in which you
say: L understand Senator McLaurins letter
TO be withdrawal Of his resignation" and l
have read that worthys communication in which
he graciOusly consents at your request Ito hold
on TO his commission as United States Senator,
and continue to serve the State he has done
in the past so the best Of his ability.
This leaves me of three alternatives, to
appeal 10 the Democratic Executive Committee
10 take the matter up and determine what the
best interest Of the party requires To he done
70 appeal 20 the Senate itself n determine the
question as tn whether a resignation from that
body 10 take effect at some future time is bind
ing withdraw my own resignation.
There precedents on this subject be
cause in the hundred and twenty-hv years of
our national life with more than two hundred
designations from the Senate no Senator has
hitherto been willing TO occupy the despicabIe
attitude assumed by Senator McIaurn
and forced on me. am certain OF one thing
that the Executive Of a State has no authority
20 decline resignation that has been rendered
and / equally certain that had your ex-
cellency confined your action within legal
bounds your appointees would he seated in
the Senate when that body meets in December
and hold their seats until the Legislature should
act in January.
My chief regret is that l am forced by your
action To engage in what the outside world will
consider q game OF opera bOuffe by withdraw
ing my own resignation after Senator McLau-
rims undgnfed and puerile action but the pur-
pose for which II was rendered has been thwart-
ed by Senator MCLaurin's preCipitouS acceptance
OF Executive advice. Bob Acres has been out
done for once
As have already said. I had no motive
or purpose in resigning except 10 force Nc
Laurin's resignation. and there is nothing for
to do but accept the situation and withdraw
my own resignation, if ii be lawful to do so.
MAY BE NEW RESERVATIONS.
With the Governors last word" at Senator Till
man and the withdrawal of the Senator's resig-
nation all would seem TO be over, but tonight
Senator McLaurin. after speaking bitterly of
the senior Senator made the declaration that if
Timan will now tender to the Governor the
unconditional resignation Of his Office, he O1c
Laurim would consider this direct challenge
to him and would likewise resign and enter the
contest for Tinnans place
Governor McSweeneys letter a surprise
to Senator TilIman. He has been making and
unmakng Governors and Senators for so many
years that a revolt never occurred 10 him The
Senator intercepted this afternoon while
going TO attend the closing exercises of the
State College for Women in which he takes
great pride and a copy of the Governors let
ter shown him. The Senator remarked:
He feels that his dignity has been outraged a
little. but ne does not touch the really i'm
portant point that he claimed the right to de-
cline the designations"
The Senator was asked If he had noticed the
public Endorsements received by McSweeney.
Yes. and | notice they mostly from my old.
inveterate enemies
Next year he said, there would be so many
candidates that it would he impossible for candi-
dates to show their fitness for office. 1t was i'm
possible for thirty men to be heard in one day
He added:
Governor McSweeney has defeated my plan
and lent himself to McLaurin as ladder or
escape. | believe that as the people understand
fully the result OF Governor McSweeney ac-
ton instead of patting himself on the back
and taking the little dozen or forty letters ne
has as the consensus of public opinion he Will
find he has made awful blunder as Demo
crat The primary next year, unless the com
mitttee arrange to have a double set of candl-
dates meeting each other from opposite SIDES
of the State, will be a farce.
Asked if he would resign TO enter against NC
Laurin next summer. Tillman said:
/ will not enter the primary next year. l only
resigned TO get at McLaurn l never would
have done so at Gaffney but for the fact that
the candidates who wanted to get at him
not in position to do In regard to the
question of whether / entitled resign
Continued mage W.