The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-05-25


as Wilkes, and seek that place in
history when his friends know bet
ter?
1t is the unsolvablc mystery Of this
complex character. 1t is probable
that "Silas Larrabcc," that wise old
Maine philosopher, solved the question
some years ago, when he said chat the
lion Tillman loved the jackass's hide,
and that 1t was pity. lie does seem
to love it.
Ills TRIBUTE 70 LINCOLN.
1t is not loug ago that Tillma,, ris-
ing in his place in The Senate, declared
that Abraham Lincol.. was the great.
est of modern men. "And l." he :aid,
and then paused aud looked upon the
men who remembered South Caro-
lima outbreak which established the
Southern Confedcracy-'and l, from
South Carolina and he cmpha-
sized the name Of his State and
paused, and waitcd-"I from South
Carolina, tell you 80 and feel honored
in doing it,
Does anyone think this mere clap
trap-that South Carolina to-day ac-
cepts Lincoln as the greatest of mod
ern men, and that Tillman voiced a
platitude? The bloody shirt still
waves in South Carolina, if nowhere
else, and it is much to be doubted If
any member Of the old Hampton aris-
tooracy, which Tillman unhorsed, +,
would feel safe in saying that.
And having said it, with his friend
Hoar's face lifted admiringly and
gratefully toward his, Tillman plunged
into more excesses of speech and tore
the welkin into ribbons.
Such man is the despair Of analy-
sis. Men come here bitterly preju-
diced against him, hating his name;
they meet him and go away his ad-
mi:ers, puzzled about him, but trust.
ing him unalterably. He is the most
extraordinary compound in the United
States Senate.
lie walked out of the Senate into
the Marble room one day after a
speech which set the whole North raw
ing against this man who ate the flesh
and drank the blood Of negroes; and
what he had said we'll justified the
raving. Even his Southern colleagues
looked shocked.
"Well," he said, meeting the writer,
II suppose I'll be demon in the pa
pers tomorrow. They'll leave out
all the serious things I said and pub
lish the hifelutin. It's my fault,
though, and I don't mind it. Still,
would like to get my real idecs before
the people,
This man, the bitter enemy of the
negroes, according to common report
is better loved by the negroes than
any man in Washington. There is
not negro who has ever met him
whose face will not light up if you
men tion Tillman's name. In moments
OF unusual candor Tillman has ad
mitted that he loved the negroes and
that he is proud Of their love. That
he is more liberal toward the North
in his candid moments than any
other Southern Senator is o fact vel
known.
1t is not strange, then, that some
peculiar mental twist impels this mar
of gentle life, of broad views aud Of
soft and kindly character to hold him
self out as the worst representative Of
savagery and the reaotionary element
In civilization? Yet it would bs un.
fair to call Tillman uncaudid aud q
poser; when he is uttering these things
he believes them.
| a strange combination Of character.
istios is Benjamin Ryan Tillman, now
recovering from his illness on his
South Carolina plantation amid his
loved and loving "darkies." A
strange man. little known even By his
colleagues. He will be fortunate il
this generation learns him Alright: is
will be miracle if prosperity ever
knows tho real man.