The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-02-24
TILLMAN HITS BACK
The Senator Defends Himself from
Newspaper Criticism.
PRAISES GOVERNOR HEYWARD.

PRAISES GOVERNOR HEYWARD
He Claims That What He Sale
on the Homicide Subject
Was the Correct View
to Take.
We clip the following letter from
the Greenville News OF last Wednes
day:
Not long since I met correspond
ent in the corridors OF the capito
who sends Washington news to sew
eral South Carolina papers, and
hurriedly made some criticism upor
the injury to South Carolina result
ing from erroneous and false state
ments sent out by South Carolina
correspondents and editors in theil
papers about crimes in our State.
did not take the trouble to elaborate
OF do more than call attention to the
fact, and the resulting damage to the
States good name. Strange to say,
the worst criminals have not received
or copied the interview, and none that
I have seen have denied the charge OF
attempted to reply, except the two
Greenville papers.
I have just read the editorial,
Senator Tillman'S Solicitude," in
the Mountaineer Of the 18th, and an
editorial OF similar import from The
Greenville News, copied in The State.
The animus of both the Mountain.
eer and The Greenville News is OF
long standing and easily understood
by those who are posted on South
Carolina politics, bnt that is not a
matter of moment. I beg to make
few comments on these two edi-
torials for the benefit Of your readers.
You say: This is a new role for
the virile senator, as be has been
going about the country for several
years advertising the lawleSSnesS OF
which he approves, and from his seat
in the Senate be has boasted of what
be would do in certain circumstances
to wreak vengeance upon criminals. .
Once for all, let me say I have time
and again announced my willingness
to head lynching party I'd string up
any man who would rape woman.
I did this first in the campaign when
was running for the Senate in 1894.
| I have never seen reason to change
that opinion and I never expect to
change it, and 1 feel that in making
that declaration I voice the senti-
ment Of nine tenths Of the white peo-
pie of South Carolina, and l doubt
now whether the editor Of either the
Mountaineer or Greenville News will
over his own signature, dare take is
sue with the sentiment. Again the
Mountaineer says: His violent and
turbulent disposition in and out OF
office is by no means a q example to
be commended at home or abroad,
and bis denunciation Of the newSpa-
pers for exposing the criminal record
Of the State comes with i'll grace
from a, man. who has never lifted a
finger to stay the tide Of crime and
Iawlessness which has grown at
fearful rate since he entered upon
public life and became a controlling
factor iD the politica! life Of the
State"
I call attention right here to the
fact that in my interview mention
ed no names either Ct men or OF
papers, singled out nobody for criti-
cism, and only denounced a senseless
SANDER Of our State and its people
F., by it's own citizens. But, let me call
the attention of your readers to some
facts.
In my inaugural address as COVER,
nor made the strongest possible plea
to the white people Of The State fol
law and order, and I eIerted myself
to the utmost as executive to protect
persons charged with crime from
lynching, and as for the charge that
the tide of crime and law]essness has
grown, desire to say that may oe
attributed much more justly to the
educating influences Of those papers
which have counselled disobedience tx
the law, notably the dispensary law
and have encouraged in every way it:
notification. The grand juries in Ger
tain counties under these influences
have Systematically broken their oath!
and purged themselves, and it is LITTLE
short of infamous for those who ar
guilty Of thus attempting to override
the will of the majority to charge tn
resulting decentralization to me. The
Mountaineer says that do not IN
Weigh against the criminals or censur'
their actions but am incensed at th'
facts being given to the world" Thl
! is lust where the trouble lies. Th'
facts have not been given to th'
world. Every homide mentioned in tn
attorney generals report neccessitatet
a technical Indictment for murder,
but that was no warrant for the news
papers to herald it to the world tha
22O murders had been committed il
South Carolina in the last year. 1
was no warran. for the SANDER tina
the juries failed to do their duty il
nearly every Instance and that criml
nails were rarely punished. Grant tina
there is decentralization in the State
grant tonaG we are ever ready as pee
pie, to ready to resent insult, and t
use the pistol. 1t has always been S
and what good can come from distort
, ing the facts and setting every case
a negro killing another negro In
drunken brawl as a murder" to b
charged against our States cjviliza
!, tion? The Statements which hav
been sent abroad to claim that all Q
halt Of the violent deaths mentione
by the attorney general are "mul
, ders." I may not be privileged to &C
as Judge in regard to what constitute
murder" yet almost the whole ed
torial fraternity ir South Carolin
have assumed the right to decla1