Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-03-12
#aistellaneu,ls Reading.
WHEN TILLMAN TOOK THE LIE.
An Exciting Campaign Incident of
Other Days Recalled.

n 1HcluchS VI
Other Days Recalled.
South Carolinians Of the upper class
sec'.l to resent even more keeniy than
the flsticuff in the senate the terms of
Senator Tillman's apology. They con-
slider the senator's declarations that his
term Of four years as governor Of the
state just previous to going to the sem
ate had to some extent untitled him
for properly wearing the dignity sup
posed to enfold United States senator
was distinct insult to the state. Here
many look upon the governors office
as more important and having more
dignity attached to it than any other
except president. Newspapers and
individuals are now charging Senator
Tillman with having dismantled the
governors office of its dignity when he
went into It. The immediate predeces-
sor Of Tillman in that office was John
Peter Richardson, a typical South Car
olina gentleman Of the "old school"
His father and grandfather had been
governors before him and the office
had been held by five Of his family.
Kindness and courtesy were prominent
characteristics with Governor Richard
son, but the dignity Of the office was
felt in the very air.
Within the last week northern news
papers have alluded to Senator Till
man as a South Carolina bourbon and
McLaurin as the representative Of the
young, progressive class. AS a matter
Of fact Tillman went into the office
with the cry Of Down with the bour-
bons" on his lips. With that cry he
rallied those he termed ''the common
people," around him, declared he was
one Of them and against everything
that had the taint of aristocracy. II
took five years for him to work up the
populace to that pitch, but success,
overwhelming success, followed. It has
also been printed that Tilman served
for several months in the Confederate
army and lost his eye in the war. That
is entirely without foundation. SHe
never entered the army, and, so for as
can be ascertained, lost his eye diving
in a millpond and striking snag.
McLaurin is decidedly more Of q
bourbon" measured by those qualif-
cations to which that term Is applied In
this section. He is Of an old family, has
pride in his race, received a college
education and has tastes for things
Tilman affects to despise.
When Tilman entered the governors
office he made change in the atmos-
phere. He worked hard. He did all OF
his correspondence. The private secre-
tary Of the governor became no more
than an office boy. He copied letters
and answered the door. That was the
time Of harvest for the reporters. The
governor prepared things for them
They would sit around his office half
the day, and following his example,
would put their feet on his desk. The
governor "cussed" there as freely as
ever. It was understood the reporters
were not to say anything to his disad-
vantage, and only use news as he gave
it. One disregarded this unwritten law
once and was barred the presence. The
training the governor gave himself was
that of a Democratic-autocrat II such
Is possible.
The last occasion on which Tilman
had the epithets indulged In by Nc
Laurin applied to his face was at Mar
ion, s. c., during the campaign OF $780,
when Tillman ran for governor. Fac
tional bitterness was at It's height. II
seemed that bloody riot would break
out at almost every meeting. Every
man went to those meetings with at
least one pistol on his person; some
carried five. Mr.. Shirley Houghson,
who was then studying for the ministry
and who has long since been ordain-
ed, was then acquiring useful knowl-
edge of human nature and the evil one
by acting as campaign correspondent
for a Charleston paper. Mr.. Houghson
was the mildest hammered little gentle
man imaginable, very quiet and very
careful.
It was the habit then to charge news
papers with trying to deceive the peo-
pie. Captain Tillman was not yet a
trained debater and sometimes in an
angry furry would say things that
looked bad in print next day. 1t was
after one Of these little outbreaks that
the campaign party reached Marion.
Perhaps so men in the town were oppo-
sed to Tillman, but so times their num-
Der came in from the country wild with
Tillman enthusiasm. Getting up before
this crowd Captain Tillman soon had
them yelling frantically. Then he re-
ferred to a report in Mr.. Houghson's
paper and declared the reporter had
purposely misrepresented him.
The reporter got up from the rear of
the stand and stepped to the front.
Pull him off," yelled the crowd. Ride
him on a rail- When he could be
heard he demanded to know If Tillman
meant that he had been purposely mis-
represented by him.
"Yes, I do," yelled Tillman.
Captain Tillman, you are an infer
nal liar" retorted the student for the
ministry.
The crowd closed. Men tore at each
otber to eet To Houehson. Tillman did
not move or speak. Perhaps he felt the
deadly peril. There were handful OF
his opponents there, but they were de-
termined men, who were on the stand
or directly in front of him. 1t seemed
that If the infuriated countrymen laid
hands on Houghson they would tear