The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-26

Mr., SpooIier--The senator turned 70 sIlt.
IL the Senator knows of any member. Or
this body who voted under corrupt IN
fiucnces for that treaty, nstt!c nm
Mr.. 1'iilnian-I cannot prove IT.
Mr.. Spooner-Well, 4 wouIG5isot say II
Mr.. Tllman--But j can prove TINS ms
Mr.. Spooner-I would not say It.
Mr. 1iliman-I can prove this: 1h.le
the patronage of a State has been siv Ie.li
10 a Democrat who voted for the treaty.
Mr.. Spooncr-NEhat State
Mr.. Tillman-South Carolina
Mr. spooncr-Fgght 1t out with your COL
league.
Mr. Tillman-I am ready.
Mr. Spooner-Yes, 1 am ready and nc
is ready.
Mr. I'ilIman-Let him
Mr.. Spooner-He is not here
Mr.. Tiliman-He has not shown hls
readiness
Mr.. Spooner-But he will be.
The President pro tcmpo-e-The occu-
rants OF the galleries must remember
that any remarks of appreciation or DIS
approval arc not permitted under inc
rules Of the Senate. and If there is
violation OF the rule the Chair will be
Obliged TO have the galleries cleared
Mr.. Tilman-I will state that after
having made a speech in this body Two
weeks before. replete with coGent argu-
ments and eloquence, against the 1atlh-
cation Of the treaty. and after having
told us in confidence that he would not
ote for il, he did: and since then he has
been adopted by the Republican caucus
and put upon committees as q member
of that party, and has controlled the
patronage in South Carolina I did not
expect to bring this in in this way. but
! do not dodge or finch from any re-
sponsibility anywhere simply know
what I believe.
1t is fair to presume that Senator Till
man did not intend when he began to
colleague. lie first said in a general
way to tho Republicans: You know
how those votes necessary to the rau-
.fcation of the treaty were secured" If
he had not been twitted he would prota-
bly, have gone on without making any
more than this general reference; but
Senator Spooner insisted upon knowing
what Senator Tillman meant, and Sem
ator Tillman finally replied that he had
heard, in confidence. from the other
side, that improper influence was used
in getting votes.
1t seems to us that at this point some
Senator should have interfered and sug-'
geSted that if Senator Tillman had any
such information it was his duty to move
for an investigation. But no such sug-
gestion was made. Senator Tilir1an was
not called to order, was not warned
against indulging in personals. On the
contrary, Senator Spooner insisted on
knowing who the man was and said that
Tillman was a coward if he did not give
his name.
1t was then, but not until then, that
Tillman said that his reference was to
McLaurin. Spooner was undoubtedly
responsible for squirting Tillman up and
making him specify a charge which Till
man had intended only to be general; and
not only SO, but to name the man against
whom he intended to make it.
McLaurin was in an adjoining room
at the time and did not hear Tillman's
speech, but it was Immediately reported
to him by one Of his friends, and proba-
bly, in no very amiable manner. At any
he entered the Senate Chamber and
gave notice that he was about to reply
to Tillman's charge STILL there was
no warning TO him. He was permitted
to so ahead and denounce the charge in
the rlanest and most emphatic language
he could employ. He might have in
dulged in circumocuton, as Wellington
did on Monday. He might have said
that, through respect to the Senate, he
would not say SO and so, but that if his
colleague would meet him on the OUT
side he would tell him that he had ut
tered a malicious lie, and so on. But
McLauriu was in no humor for circumlo-
cution. His honor as q man and as a
Senator had been impeached, and it
was certainly natural for Southern man,
if innocent, to give it the lie direct.
or course, McLaurin should have been
parliamentary and, of course, Tilnan
should have respected the dignity of the
Senate and have waited TO settle his
matter with McLaurin on the outside.
But it is almost more than any Southern
man can endure TO sit still and hear
himself called a malicious liar without
resenting it with a blow.
The whole proceeding was disgraceful,
but we say that the Senate was largely
responsible for it, and If the Senate
had taken the proper precaution the dis
graceful scene would never have oc-
Cured.