Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-03-20
and having more dignity attached to it

and having more dignity attached to it
than any other except president. News
papers and individuals are now charg-
ing Senator Tillman with having dis
mantled the governors office of it's dig
nifty when he went into it. The imme-
diate predecessor of Tillman in that Of
fee was John Peter Richardson, typ
icai South Carolina gentleman CT the
"old school," His father and grand
father had been governors before him,
and the Office had been held by five of
his family. Kindness and courtesy were
prominent characteristics with Gov.
Richardson. but the dignity of the Of
fee was felt in the very air.
Within the last week northern news
papers have alluded to Senator Till
man as South Carolina bourbon and
McLaurin as the representative of the
young, progressive class. AS mat
ter of fact, Tillman went into 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
having the faint of aristocracy. 1t
took five years for him to work up the
populace to that pitch, but success,
overwhelming success, followed. 1t
has also been printed that Tillman
served for several months in the con-
federate army, and lost his eye in the
war. That is entirely without founda-
ton. He never entered the army, and,
so far as can be ascertained, lost his
eye diving in a millpond and striking
snag.
McLaurin is decidedly more of a
bourbon" measured by those qualifi-
| cations to which that term is applied
| in this section. He is of old family,
has pride in his race, received col
lege education and has tastes for
things Tillman affects to despise.
When Tillman entered the COVER
nor's office he made a change in the
atmosphere. He worked hard. He
did all of his correspondence. The
private secretary of the governor be-
came 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 ''cuss-
ed" there as freely as ever 1t was
understood the reporters were not to
say anything to his disadvantage, and
only use news as he gave it. One dis
regarded this unwritten law once, and
was barred the presence. The train,
ing the governor gave himself was
that of democratic autocrat, if such
is possible.
The last occasion on which Tillman
had the epithets INDUCED in by Nc.
Laurin applied to his face was at
Marion, S. c.. during the campaign OF
1890, when Tillman ran for governor
fractional bitterness was at it's height
1t 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. Shirley Houghson
who was then studying for the min
istry, and who has long since been or
dained, was then acquiring usefu
knowledge of human nature and thu
evil one by acting as campaign CORES
pondent for Charleston paper MI
! Houghson was the mildest manner lit
tie man imaginable, very quiet ant
very careful.
1t was the habit then to charg
newspapers with trying to deceive tn
people. Capt. Tillman was not yet
! trained debater, and sometimes in al
angry furry would say things tina
would look bad in print next day. |
!. was after one of these little outbreak
that the campaign party reached Mai
ion. Perhaps fifty men in the tow
: were opposed to Tillman, but fit
times their number came in from tn
: : country wild with Tillman enthusiasm
!. Getting up before this crowd Cap
Iillman soon had them yelling frau
tically. Then he referred to repol
: in MI. Houghson's paper and declare
: the reporter had purposely misrepr
scented him.
!, The reporter got up from the rea
= Pull him Off" Yelled the crowd rid
J heard he demanded to know if Til
= man meant that he had been purpos
o ly misrepresented by him.
o Yes, / do" yelled Tillman.
! Capt. Tillman, you are an intern;
n liar" retorted the student for the mil
istry.
The crowd closed. Men tore at eac
other to get to Houghson. Tillma
did not move or speak. Perhaps h
S felt the deadly peril. There was
n handful of his opponents there, bl
f they were determined men, who wei
l. on the stand or directly in front {
It him. 1t scenes that if the infuriate
# countrymen laid hands on Houghsc
e they would tear him to pieces. The
would have surely have done so, bl
y for the fact that their leaders wei
S quickly warned that if Houghson We
e touched Tillman would instantly b
e come the target for fifty pistols. The
It might kill Houghson and dozen {