Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-07-16
attiseellaneans 8eadiag.
TILLMAN,s TRIBUTE TO STOKES.
just Estimation Of n Man Who Tried
to Do His Duty.

just EstimatfOn OF Man Who TRIED
to Do His Duty.
Among the many eulogies delivered
in congress on the life and character of
the late ]. William Stokes, the follow
ing by Senator B. r. Tillman will be
read with especial interest:
Mr.. President, the Senate and the
House Of Representatives, forming as
they do component parts of the legis-
lative branch Of the government, work
together in all things where the making
of laws is concerned. This intimate re-
lationship necessarily brings the men,
bers of the two bodies into close and
friendly contact and many lasting
friendships have had their origin In a
committee room of the Capitol.
There it Is that the custom has grown
up for both houses to take cognizance
OF the death Of O member Of either and
to pay due respects to the memory of
dead comrade. The feeling is somewhat
akin to that of attending the funeral of
fellows soldier who has died. His i'm
mediate associates attend the last sad
rites, but the members Of other COM
panies also attend the funeral, and so
when a senator dies the house takes
part on a subsequent day in paying re-
spect to his memory, just as the sem
ate performs the same duty in regard
to dead representative.
The senate pauses in its labors today
out of respect to a member of the lower
house, a man not known to very many
senators, but one whose character and
worth were most highly appreciated by
those of us who were acquainted with
him. j. William Stokes, citizen of
South Carolina, and a member Of con-
gress for six years preceding his death,
was called to his long rest on the 9Th
day of July, 1901. He was a member
elect to the present congress, and had
served the people Of his district with
distinguished ability and zeal during
his congressional career.
The facts of his personal and politi-
cal history have already been set forth
in the eulogy pronounced by Mr.. A. F.
Lever his successor in the house, and
as the rehearsal of that record in this
presence would be but repetition, l
shall not dwell upon it. prefer to
speak of my dead friend rather from
the point of view of co-laborer in a
common field and to give some estimate
Of his character as man than deal
with the subject from the standpoint
OF biographer. Owing to the fact that
he had left South Carolina immediate
ly after his graduation from the WASH
ington and Lee university, Of Virginia,
and remained away following his chos-
en- profession as teacher, until 1889, l
had no knowledge Of him in his ear
lier manhood.
| l shall always recollect the first time
/ met him. 1t was at the March con-
vention" of the Farmers Movement IN
the city Of Columbia in 1890. He was
on the committee to draft platform,
and his thorough insight into all the
public questions then agitating the
people of South Carolina and his earn
est, jealous purpose to present those Is
sues in the best light and frame the
demands for reform which were pulsat-
ing in the hearts Of our people, so as
to minimize the opportunities for at
tack and assure so far as practicable
the support of all those in sympathy
with our purpose, made him a marked
member of the convention.
South Carolinians ordinarily are very
Jealous of outsiders, and DR.. Stokes
long absence from the state in the case
of some men would have made 1t i'm
possible that he should have exerted
any influence; but his modesty and the
clearness and force with which he pre-
sented his ideas and argued any moot
question, silenced any jealous mutter-
ing, and from the first he became a
leader in the movement in South Caro-
lima to reform the state government
just as he was soon after among the
most prominent men in the Alliance
movemehe in the state, which had for
it's purpose the securing of reforms in
the national government.
While he was not an eloquent speak
er, he was forceful and logical, and his
arguments always carried with them
weight, If not conviction. Though he
was my junior by seven years, his tenn
permanent was so calm and judicial that
I always listened to his opinions with
difference, and very rarely differed
with him on public questions. From
the first day we met in March, 1900, to
the day of his death there was coopera
tion growing into the warmest friend
ship and closest political alliance. In
looking back now over those years OF
arduous labor performed together, l
recollect not one single incident which
produced bitterness or distrust; and
after our entrance upon the national
arena, he in the other end Of the Capt.
tol, and l in this, we were thrown to-
gether much more intimately than had
been possible previously, and the admi-
ration which his clear and forceful
mind had excited was succeeded by
most cordial and warm friendship. The
better he was known the more he was
loved and respected.
It was in this intimate association
that came to understand and appre-
ciate the higher and nobler side of the
man-not but what all of his attributes
were high and noble, but allude more
particularly to his home life and to his
chivalrous and almost idolatrous at
tachment to the noble woman who had
| won his love It was in the home and