Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-01-23
wALHAll.A. SOUTH oARolrNA JAN. as 1901.
TlLLMAN AT omAHA.
The ssnasor Gives His Own STORY OF the
Jackson Day Banquet

,li
The Senator Gives His 0wn S,oyy OF the
Jackson Day Banquet
The papers have had great deal
to say about Senator Tillman's re-
cent visit to Omaha and his alleged
quarrel with Mr.. Bryan. The Wash
ington correspondent of The News
and Courier sends his paper the
following under date of last Thurs
day:
Senator Tillman has returned to
Washington from attendance at the
Jefferson Club Banquet, held in
Omaha, Nebraska, last Monday night.
In view of the conflicting statements
sent out relative to the strained rela-
tions between Senator Tillman and
the Democratic leader, William Jen-
nipgs Bryan, the South Carolina
Senator, with characteristic frank
ness, disposed of the reports in this
way:
81 have fled no plea for political
separation from Mr.. Bryan" said tie
Senator, when interviewed on the
subject this afternoon at the Capitol.
"My relations with Mr.. Bryan are
not strained in the least and had q
very plain talk with him ON the poll
teal situation. told him, as / told
the people at the Jefferson banquet,
that it is too early TO commit myself
to any candidate or any specific plat
form which might be binding in
1904. / don't think L was misunder-
stood on that subject, for / have a
way of trying to express myself
clearly when l have anything to say.
] don't believe the gentlemen at the
banquet in Omaha misunderstood
me and l don't believe Mr.. Bryan
misunderstood me. In fact, he
seemed to be impressed with my
views on the subject from the fact
that when he reached Chicago he
stated there that he intended to take
his place as private in the Demo-
cratic ranks and fight for the princi-
pies of the party as long as he lives.
81 cannot" said the Senator, "be
responsible for the imaginary state
ments which newspaper reporters
make concerning my attitude toward
MIR. Bryan in the future. I do not
regret going to Omaha, as some of
the newspapers have stated. On the
contrary l am glad l went, as l had
royal good time. could not have
received a greater ovation than that
which was given me at the banquet
at Omaha. I gave them my ideas of
Democracy right from the shoulder,
and they whooped it up for me in
great shape. | set them crazy when
l pitched into Cleveland. / wish you
could have heard them shout when
tore him to pieces, and the rest of
the gang who worship at the Cleve-
land shrine, who want to reorganize
the Democratic party, but who go to
the polls on election days and vote
the Republican ticket. I did not
pose as leader of the Democratic
party, but told them that / did
represent the sentiment of the Demo
cratic party of South Carolina. 1
told them / had been elected to the
Governorship, once to the United
States Senate and had been endorsed
for reelection for another term in
the Senate without opposition, and
my commission would be due in
few weeks. Representing the Demo-
cracy of South Carolina / told them
that it would be premature for the
Democratic party to commit itself
to any man or platform at this stage
of the game, but I assured them that
| would rather go down to defeat
again four years hence than accept
the leadership of or surrender my
principles to such a party and to
such leadership at that Cleveland
crowd.
"You should have seen that crowd
shout and yell when 1 uttered these
continued the Senator
enthusiastically. "Why," he added,
"thcy jumped up and shouted and
yelled like wild Indians. Then some
fellow proposed that the whole com.
pany join in singing Dixie in my
honor They got stuck on the
wordS-as matter of fact they
didn't know them-so they compro-
missed by singing America"
The merited reputation for cnr;no