The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-05-29
WASP AND TILLMAN
How Chandler and South Carolinian
Became Friends-TwO Queer Strokes
of Luck-Diyer's End Puzzles South
Africa-How Panama's "Wash' is
Done-HOne Run i'm Autoist's
Pocket.

1.-THE Wasp of the Senate" is what
they used to call William E. Chandler
in the days when he was n of the
most influential figures in that body.
He is not in the senate now, but the
developments of the past week have
shown that the wasp has not lost his
sting.
No one who has followed his career
in the five years that have elapsed
since the railroads drove him out Of
the senate doubted that the wasp pre-
served his singing power unimpaired.
No ex-senator has been more cOntinu-
ously active, more vigorously inter-
meddling in public affairs. Though
the fact that he "a no official position
tended to keep him down to a small
space allowance in the daily papers,
Chandler has been fighting just as in
~cessantly out of office as ne did when
he was in. He has been in the fore
front of all fights to control or regu-
late corporations, especially railroads.
His nimble pen and fertile brain have
been as busy as they ever were.
1t was this which impelled President
Roosevelt to call him in as an aid in
~ Gail 90 ANN~ S1N L IN 1I
could have no more sincerely devoted
ally in any fight against railroads..
Chandler a been writing essays, ar
ticles, open letters and interviews by
the ream ever since he got out Of the
senate Last year he got into a sharp
controversy with Foraker about it,
which ragged in the newspaper for
some time and finished in the silencing
Of Foraker.
If this is taken to imply that Chand-
ler's fight against the railroads was
caused by the fact that the railroads
drove him out of the senate, then
whose implies this has got the cart
before the horse. The railroads drove
him out of the senate because he had
been fighting them in the senate.
Ti11man says the origin of his friend
ship with Chandler arose in the fact
that in the senate they stood shoulder
to shoulder in every fight 20 control
the railroads, Chandler fought and
peat the Pooling bill time and time
again. And Tillman and Chandler to-
gether fought the Armor Trust"befOre
the Naval committee, as they lie the
railroads before the Interstate Com
MERGE committee.
But what first attracted Tillman to
Chandler was an incident character
istic of both men. The Wasp delighted
in singing all senators h were sting
able. 1t was his keenest joy by some
bland sarcasm to lash a senator into
fury. Tillman, in his early senatorial
days, was pie for Chandler. The Wasp
would lie in wait for hours for a
chance to start Tillman going.
On one such occasion Chandler had
the floor n was fighting artful darts
into Tillman's hide, goading him con-
tinually into greater fury. Finally the
big Southerner leaped to his feet and
started for Chandler with a face pur-
pie with fury.
IT wish the Senator wouldn't do
that said Chandler, pettishly; h
frightens me-"
Tillnan stopped short in his tracks,
transfxed with amazement. The gall
leries roared tempestously. Chandler
gazed at him with mild inquiry. The
South Carolinian returned to his seat
without a word.
When he thought it over it appealed
to Tillman's sense of humor. After
hat Chandler never COULD provoke
him and he watched the Wasp's pro-
ceedings with awestruck admiration.
Soon they became friends.-New York
Times.