The Florida star., 1902-03-07
THE MlhUR|A EPISODE.


Fiery senators.
Special Core sp,ndence of The Florida Star.
NEW YORK, March 4.-In order to
thoroughly understand the conditions
eliminating in the senate chamber of
the United States in an assault upon
Senator McLaurin Of South Carolina
by Senator Tillman Of the same state
1t Is necessary to go back to the 1900
campaign. which resulted In making
Tfliman governor of South Carolina.
In 1888 this same Tillman had attend
ed the state convention at Columbia
with large following for the purpose
OF defeating the denomination OF John
Peter Richardson for governor The
Tillman contingent was little more
than a disorganized mob. There was
no leader save Tillman. and that
shrewd individual did not purpose TO
allow himself to be put up as q candi-
date merely to be bowled over. He
cast about for a dummy and hit upon
Joseph Il. Earle. attorney general of
the state. 1t was stated and at the
time was generally believed that Till
man insisted that Earle permit the
Tillmanites to name him for governor.
the theory being that If Earles consent
could be obtained enough OF Richard
sons support could be weaned away
to insure his defeat. This. it was real
lied, could not be done either with an
out and out Tillmanite or with Earle
If the latter withheld his consent. This
he did, but Tillman went ahead and
got his followers to vote for Earle
anyway. or course Richardson was
renominated, and thereafter Earle was
persona non grata at the court of Till
man.
During all the years Of his agitation
for the Clemson agricultural college
Tillman's ultimate ambition was the
governorship Of South Carolina. He
practically admitted this to me during
our first interview. He had refrained
from permitting himself to be put for
ward in the convention Of 1888 because
he knew he had no chance TO win. and
.Tillman is not one of those heroes who
are willing to sacrifice themselves for
the good of the cause" He likes glory.
but he wants his in that practical, con
crete form which carries with 1t the
power of Office. not overlooking the
small salary.
In the spring of 1S90-March 13,
think, was the exact date-the Till
NANTES held at the statehOuse in Co
lumbia what was always studiOusly
referred to by them as a Suggesting
convention" The idea was that this
body should select candidates for the
TO be suggested to the regular Dem
ocratic state convention:
This was the first tangible demonstra-
tion of Tiilman's wonderful political sa-
gacity. He knew that he would ALLEVIATE
thousands of voters If he should at
tempt to fight outside the regular party
organization. Equally he knew that
the suggestion" of the farmers con-
vention would not have feathers
weight with the party convention. But
he was convinced that the suggested"
conventions candidates would have
the undivided support Of all those who
were tired OF the "close corporation"
methods OF the old regime. He was
right, and in the state convention in
September every one OF the suggest
ed" candidates was nominated, which
is equivalent to saying elected"
AS a sidelight Oh Tillman's character
it may not be amiss TO relate something
which happened at this farmers con-
yention. 1t looked decidedly squally
for Tillman. A little fellow from
Sumter county who had once before
baited him on the stump was on hand
and at one time appeared TO be dan
gerously close to bringing the delegates
10 his view that it was injudicious to
make suggestiOns-in short. that IL
would be to all intentS and purposes
n slap at the regular party convention.
Tillman jumped up. He waved the
delegates TO silence. With his perfect
eve he seemed TO transtix in turn eV-
cry one OF the members. Then he be
gan to speak. In common with all
present ! expected TO hear conclllato-
ry, almost a pleading, address. Instead
he delivered an impassioned speech
which an audience of keener scnsihlll-
ties would have considered insulting
He told his awed listeners that they
did not know how TO get what they
wanted and wound up with the luml'
nouslv egotistical declaration that he
CTillmanJ was the only man IN South
Carolina possessed of the courage who
also had the brain to lead them to We
tory. The convention took him seri
OuSly.
kent a careful tally as the counties
Sere called, and when it became eVf
dent that even If all the remaining