Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-03
Tho Tillman Episode.

1t seems a pity that the Senate let
Ioff Tillman with so mild a punishment
lasrn mere censure. and also a pity
, that equal punishment. mild though it
was. was given the junior Senator
from South Carolina. No doubt, Till
man had earned expulsion and Nc
Laurin a censure, but the Senate
could not muster the necessary two
thirds vote to expel Tillman and was
disposed to settle the matter as
promptly as possible. Attempted ex-
pulsion or suspension, which many
members urged, would have brought
on long debate and delay to public
business and no doubt the best course
was taken in closing the incident at
once and getting to work again. 1t
was characteristic of Tillman that I'M
der the sting of the censure he should
again insult the Senate by remarking
that if it's members had been gentle
men his earlier apology would have
lsettled the whole matter.
1t is not likely that the incident will
interfere with the proposed trip of the
President to the Charleston exposition.
through the lieutenant governor of the
state, Il nephew of Tillman. has in
suited the President in a manner most
humiliating to South Carolina. But
neither the exposition nor the decent
people of South Carolina have any ex-
cuse or apology to make for the Till
mans and from leading men and, or
foundations. letters and kilograms have
poured upon the resident assuring
him of their loyalty and denouncing
ernor.
AS far as heard from, the reputable
and influential newspapers of the
South are unanimous on the Tillman-
McLaurin question. They condemn
the exchange of insults and blows in
the Senate as intolerable, boorish, ruff
Ifianly. Those of them that are demo-
cratic in their po..tics-and most of
them are-lash McLaurin rather I'M
mercifully; but they don't excuse Till
man. No doubt, the two men have
| friends in their own state who don't
mind a little thing like that-Tillman
good many of them. To his beloved.
fboys in the wool hats" an occasional
rough and-tumble may seem only part
of the natural order of things But
South Carolina's leading newspapers
do not take the matter lightly. The
Charleston News and Courier, says
that no punishment the Senate can in
fict would be too severe. 1t resents
Tillman's apology as even worse than
the offense itself. and an insult to the
state. There is nothing in the office
of governor of South Carolina to en-
courage the manners of the prize ring"
it says, land we hope the better senti-
ment of the country will acquit the
people of this state of any sympathy
with the brutal exhibition made by the
lsenior senator and his colleague on
Saturday" The principal journal of
South Cardinals capital city, the Col
umbia State. does not understand why
the senators so suddenly developed
sensitiveness and combativeness on
Saturday. 1t remarks:
| There are two things about this
Senate scrap that we do not under
stand. The first is why Senator Nc
Laurin should turn pale to the lips and
tremble with emotion and denounce
on the floor of an august Senate as a
willful and. deliberate lie a charge
which has been made against him SO
often on the free forum of his own
state and. among somewhat pugna-
tcious populace without his receiving 1t
in any such manner. The second is
why Senator Tillman should develop
Itigerlike ferOcity in the Senate at
being called a liar when in time past
he has repeatedly accepted that epithet
on the South Carolina stump with the
gentle meekness Of a lamb, or the lofty,
serene repose of a statesman"