The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-12-21
WHERE BE STANDS.
Senator Till1an Defines Bis Position
Towards the Negro in

|
Towards the Negro in
REPLY TO a NORTHERN CRITIC
Denies that he Ever Used the Race
Issue in ANY OF His Politi-
cal CamoaiRns and
Never Will.
The New York Evening Post pub.
lishes the following letter from Sena.
tor Tillman:
The editorial page Of The Evening
Pest is conducted so ably that one is
surprised to find therein an attack on
public man which Is both unjust
and unfair, as well as untrue. In
your issue Of December 10 l read:
Senator Tillman' s own attitude on
the negro question is worth dwelling
" pom in this connection. No one can
surpass him In bis ranting about it;
no one can make q more disgraceful
speech about 1t to our college Stu
dents. No one has defended lynching
more openly, OF preached the doctrine
OF the forcible suppression Of the ne
gro more boldly. No Southerner has
approached him In the tears he has
wept over the Crum case OF the pic
turing OF the horrible results which
were certain to follow this policy OF
recognizing the negro OF merit.
Thanks to this line of action. be has
risen to his present estate and built
up serViceable machine, which, &C.
cording to present prospects, will
keep him in the senate, as long as life
lasts. Yet in bis private relations to
the negroes with whom be is brought
into contact, he is kindly and courte-
Gus. he even aids those who aspire
to rise to better things. We have be.
fore US circular Of South Carolina
colored school which contains his
hearty endorsement OF the institution
and its head, and is in the nature Of
an appeal to Northern philanthro-
pists. In short, he is just like the
Hehins and Vardamans In that he
has swung himself into Office by
making use OF q prejudice which
arouses popular passions. II his po-
liticai welfare demanded it, he would
drop his sacred crusade In behalf OF
the integrity OF the white race, pre-
clSely as he has abandoned his ul.
yielding opposition to Crum in the
face OF Theodore 23ose7elt's admir-
able refusal to throw over that nomi-
nee."
Now as to whether my speeches are
"disgraceful" or not is a matter OF
opinion, and DO not object to your
exercising the liberty OF calling them
such.
I nave advocated lynching for the
crime OF rape only, and : expect to
continue to advocate it under the con-
ditions which obtain In my state and
ii many other states in the South.
where The negroes outnumber the
whites. believe that anglo. Saxon
civilization in the cotton states re-
quires the political suppression of the
negro, and have said 80; but I have
never "Wept any tears from the Crum
caSe," and I have exercised the same
liberty of thought which you claim
for yourself, backed up by long ex-
perience on the ground, to express my
opinion OF the result OF such an ap-
pointment.
So far, there is nothing in your edi-
torial which gives offence except the
expression Of your opinion Of me and
my public acts, and for that I do not
care. But when you say, "He has
risen to his present estate and built
up a serviceable machine which, &C
c4rding to present prospects, will
keep him in the Senate as long as life
lasts" you are entirely outside Of the
record, and have Intentionally or un-
Intentionally uttered what Is untrue.
l did not make the negro an issue In
either OF my races for Governor, nor
was it an issue In either Of my elec-
tions to the senate.
The race issue had nothirg what
ever to do with any of those elec.
tions, and my hold upon the people
Of South Carolina, If I have any,
does not rest upon any such founda-
tiOn.
That I am willing to treat "courte-
ously and kindly" 3 worthy colored
man is only the truth. That I am
ready to assist negroes in any legiti-
mate effort In becoming better men
and women is equally true, but I have
not swung myself into once by
making use OF prejudice which
arouses popular passion" Again, you
say: III bis political welfare demand
ed it, be would drop his sacred cru
sade' In behalf OF the integrity OF the
white race precisely as he has ahan-
doned bis unyielding opposition to
Crun in the face OF Theodore Roose.
velt's admirable refusal to throw over
that nominee" This portrays me as
self-seeking demagogue, which I am
not; but let it pass.
Whatever may be my future, politi-
cally, I will always be found in the
ranks Of those Southern people as a
leader or as private who are preach
ing a crusade against negro equality
IN behalf OF the integrity OF the white
race. will never consent OF permit,
If can help it, negro domination in
South Carolina or amalgamation Of
the races anywhere, and If have de-
cided that will not ohstruct a vote
in the Senate on Crum's nomination,
1t is because see no good that can
any longer come from such course.
Believed To Be Lost.
The three masted schooner William
Churchill, which sailed from Boston.
Mass, November from Wilmington,
NJ n hoo not uat arrived at her 6eS.