The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-20
EDITOR GONZALES DEAD.

The death of Editor Gonzales, editor
and founder OF the Columbia State. shot
without warning by an assassin, Will be
read with deep regret throughout the
whole country. In Columbia and in
South Carolina the news will carry
gloom into thousands of homes. In that
State, in spite of the opposition of the
dominant faction, he won the respect of
virtue, his open and vigorous hostility to
non and measures he thought unworthy,
and by his earnest espousal of every
cause that appealed to him as wise and
just He was a strenuous fghter-he
gave hard blows. but never one beneath
the belt. There was no editor in the
in every column of his PAPER. He wrote
with great clcarness and power. He al
ways said something and something that
stuck. lie was well informed on public
questions, he had strong convictions, and
he had the courage of his convictions.
His career as editor of the State has
period CT the rise of .Tillman and the
revolution in politics in that State. He
was an ardent admirer of Hampton
and he was intensely hostile to Tillman.
His paper has been a live wire and
while it could not stem the Tillman tide
it has been a great power in preventing
party Reorganization and party anarchy.
Mr. Gonzales has always fought Till
man and the Tillman movement, but
when McIaurin sought to build up a
party upon Republican policies in South
Carolina, it was the Columbia State
moro than any other agency that made
his success impossible. He stood true
tc Democratic principles, even though 70
do was to fight On the same side with
his greatest political enemy in his own
party, Senator Tillman. The position of
the State a; that critical period showed
that man was at the helm who was
moved more by principle than by enmity
or By prejudice.
In the summer of 1902, Mr.. James H
Tillman, the Lieutenant Governor, be-
camc a candidate for Governor. He was
ton. and MIR. Gonzales opened fire on him.
He printed his record in all its ugli-
ness, be protested and Numbered against
his nomination. He proved his charges
of unfitness against Tillman, and the peo-
pie defeated him at the polls in the Dem
ocratic primary. In exposing Tillman,
the editor of the State did great public
service. but it cost him his life. There
were those who thought Tillman a better
man than Gonzales painted him. Tillman
has shown that Gonzales knew his true
character and that he was blacker than
he was painted. Tillman has furnished
the proof that he was unfit to receive
the votes of honest men He has shown
that he should have been candidate for
the gallows instead of candidate for
governor
MIR. Gonzales was Cuban by birth.
His father was Gen. Gena Gonzales, cne
OF the junta of former fight for Cuban
Independence which failed. After the
revolution terminated disastrously. Gen.
Gonzales made his home in South Caro-
lima. His oldest son, Mr.. n. G. Con
zales. who was murdered by Tillman,
was the Telegraph operator at a small
town in South Carolina, and acted as
correspondent of the Charleston News
and Courier. One day there was fear
full riot or something that gave news
story that thrilled and stirred the State.
Young Gonzales went to the spot, he got
every particular. he wired graphic
story that electrified South Carolina. Nc
other paper except the News and Courier
had the story The scoop" gave him