The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-04-03
A HIGH ESTIMATE OF TILLMAN.
His Speech at the University of Wisconsin
Heard by 1900 People at Fifty
Cents a Head.
Charlotte Observer.


Wis.-Senator Tillman spoke here
on the negro problem. The weather
was bad, being cold and rainy.
walked in the auditorium a little late,
expecting to find not more than 100
people present. Much to my sur
prise | saw an audience Of 800
people, each member of which had
paid fifty cents for admission.
There is something remarkable
about this fact. Was this large au
dience due to the deep interest felt
in the negro problemY If 80, is it
not remarkable that Wisconsin peo
pie should wish to hear a man on
that subject who is known to repre-.
sent views tho most opposite from
those now held, or formerly held, by
tho majority Of the peopleY
Did these people come out to hear
him simply because he is sensational;
Il man with u pitchfork, sort Of
wild man from BorneoY After hear
ing the speech | answered this quos
ton IN the negative. saw Senator
Tillman i'll new light. A fcw years
ago | heard him in South Carolina
campaign. The subjects discussed
were local and personal, and | came
away unfavorably impressed His
speech here showed mo that he had
developed II good deal since that
time. His style was better, his Ian
guag" better and his grasp Of Ideas
and his store Of information respect
ing history and literature we're moro
those OF the scholar and statesman.
There is no discounting the fact
that Senator TilIman ia q man Of OK
traordinary power, The demagogue
who rides into Office upon the popu.
awhile, but he soon callapses, as he
has nothing solid to rest upon. Son
ator Tillman has been to the front
too long to be classed as u Iema-
goguo. lln is an honest man, an
earnest man, courageous man aud
fundamentally actuated 10y the high
est feelings and sentiments. When
he told this audience that all the
political honors that could be heaped
upon him were ! 3 nothing compared
to his love for his home and family
he WAS loudly applauded. The peo.
ple believed what he said. In this
particular he il Il genuine represen
tative Of the best that there il in the
Southern men. However people may
have differed from his reasoning and
felt themselves opposing his ideas,
they could not but realize that there
was in the restless figure pacing up
and down the platform Il type Of
man too rare not to bo admired. lie
suggests something Of the rugged
characteristics Of Andrew Jackson,
and in one sense he represents the
brat that there is, or over has been, in
Southern craftsmanship. He has
profound convictions, an overwhelm-
ing passion for the cause which he
esponsos, q frankness and an aggres
sivcness, together with the ability tC
hit the mark that he aims at, which
are Indispensable requisites Of ef1ec.
tive oratory Attachment for some
great cause and deep sincerity o
purpose count for more than erudi
hon, rhetoric, or grace Of style
First Of all, the orator or write
| munt have some Irresistible devotion
to principle before he can hope tt
| win and retain the ear OF the public
In the case Of Tillman his passion il
for Democracy, in the sense Of main
tanning the rights and manhood G
the individual ~ against any polit
cal or economical or social domino
ton. All of his feelings side wit
the commonality and oppose an
power which may take an unfair ad
vantage of tho people. OF course h
cannot appeal to tho people Of tn
opposite sentiments, although sucl
pe,ple open their ears to him an
dread him. 1t is his intense persoI
alty and burning love for Democrac
which explain the secret Of his pow
or in Sonth Carolina and OK plai
why 1900 people in this city pa
| L.nnn a., H.: