The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-09-28
HAD "a STORMY TINE
Scenes of Wild Disorder at Speaking
at Batesburg
TILLMAN And TOWILL HITCHED
Senator Tillman Hurled Lies at News
papers and Prohibitionists in His
Speech at Batesburg Saturday.

balcSDllTS, 'NpcCtri- iHS iuo'e Wv
citing political meeting ii South Car
olina since the stirring days OF lS92-
93 was held here Saturday.
Senator E r. Tillman and Col. John
Bell Towill. member Of tie State
board of directors, clashed in debate
and for several minutes the scene IN
the opera house, which was filled to
overaowing, WAS one of lndescrlbable
confusion.
According to the published adj
vertisement for bids for liquor. SAID
Senator Tillman, ''no bids for. less
than $3.50 for Y will be considered. "
Advancing from his seat in the au-
dience Col. Towill, in voice filed
with excitement and emotion, said.
"Senator Tillman, that is false; You
know that is not so!" Great applause
followed this statement. mingled with
shouts for Tillman and Towlli. Dur
ING the cheering ard confusion I'll
man turned to those seated on the
platform and said: where Is the
MAYOR, where is the mayor7' Quick
" facing the audience which WIS ION
its eet and apparently struggling
towEd the stage he stood as if mar
Bile Statue. Cries OF "sit down: be
quiet; 90 back to your Seats were
uttered by those on the platform and
some of the auditors.
Hardly had quiet been restored
when the aged Rev. Mr.. D. NJ. tad"ett
of Saluda arose and inter"gated
Ti!man as to his attacks upon the
preachers which resulted in a.lo.hcr
stormy scene and the nose made 1t
impossible 20 record the warm COLO
lny which ensued.
Senator Tillman bitterly assailed
the newspapers, naming The News
and Courier but The State in partlcu-
lar, for their attacks upon him.
THAT hell hound in ColuTbia. who
is editor os The State, has told Ell
ouoh lies OH me to build railroad OF
crossties to hell" declared Gilman IL
one OF his heated moments.
Tillman paid his respects to For
NOR Senator John L. McLaurin, say
ing that he considered it al insult to
be invited 70 speak with hirl.
The statement the! he Si:Ia rlr
Of John Bel! Towill on the petition
which invited him here was underscor-
ed foretold that the meeting would
be an unuSal one.
After the prelimiraries Senator
Tillman was introduced.
IL made up my mind before speak
inS at Marion that these speeches are
useless" said the senator in opening
his remarks, 'but it will be different
next summer
He said he was here on the invita-
ton of the mayor and 60 or 20 other
citizens to discuss the liquor question.
The invitation also stated that Nc
Laurin had been invited. He noticed
that the invitation contained one
name which was underscOred; il was
that of John Bell Towill, whom all
present knew. 1t seemed to him then,
said he, that this was a challenge to
come to his home and say what he
had said elsewhere. "It appeared also
that in the invitation to address you
to a man with whom l had hao an
unpleasantness there was implied ehal-
lenge that ! would not be here and
would be accused of being afraid to
meet him. l never say anything that
l would not say to mans teeth. 1t
is citizens right to ask anybody to
speak. | have no reason to feel but
that all have respect and good feeling
for me, but I object to being placed
on the same plane with man who has
betrayed his trust as Democrat, a
man who in Washington is no longer
regarded as Democrat. ] grew lit
tie small and Indignant"
He said he had obeysd orders as a
public servant and had maintained
the trust imposed in him and resented
the implication by which he had been
placed on level with man who had
betrayed his trust. He had said to
his teeth what he thought about his
(McLaurin 81 actions.
"This is Democratic question we
are to SETTLE" he said with some
warmth, declaring that hewould not
debate the dispensary with Republi-
cans. l am a Democrat and it is a
part of my business as national COM
mitteeman to keep the party in line in
South Carolina. l resented the invita-
tion because McLaurin is not my
equal. He is not my equal as Demo-
crat, whatever else he may be. Zap
plause.)
Here the Senator took up the dis
pensary. He said but for the good
women the men would have lost the
seed corn Of genuine religion. Don't
believe in voting out the dispensary,
said he, that you will get rid Of IL
quor.
He said that only one-third of the
Democratic vote had been polled in the
five counties which had voted out the
dispensary.
T; ing up the matter of petitions,
ho | anvbody could sign a petit