The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1906-02-22
.LASHED TO FURY:
Hawthorne Pictures Senator
q TiIlman Discussing the
RAILROAD BATE BILL
ln the Senate, and Describes the Won
d.rful Transformation from Lodge
and 1.-THE Isles, of the Blest to
the Storms and the Bucs
RAILROAD BATE BILL
cancers.

cancers.
Julian Hawthorne draws on anus
ing picture of Senator Tillman ad.
dressing the United States Senate
last week on the railroad rate bill.
With the scholarly Senator from Mas
sachuseets, says Hawthorne, we had
been sailing long and smoothly on
Summer seas. He seemed to be en-.
acting the parts both Of Youth at
the Prov and of Pleasure at the
Helm.
The rise and lapse OF bis melliflu.
GUS accents, IS ha read his speech,
and. at stated intervals, lifted the
leaf from the pile OF law books on bis
left and laid it gently and accurately
on the slowly augmenting pile on his
right, snemed like the softly swelling
and suhsiding waves OF the blue
ocean over which we voyaged.
The Senatorial audience sat en-
tranced, with eyes half closed In
dream comfortableness. The CALLER
les, graced with much that was femi-
nine and beautiful, sailed on serenely
with the rest Of us.
Mr.. Knox, keeping his eyes resolute.
ly liar beneath his level and slightly
gathered brows, gave his most courte.
Gus attention. Other great railroad
representatives Foraker, Aldridge,
Elkins, Gallinger-attempted not to
conceal the plenttude of their salts.
faction in the argument Of the spokes-
man Of the White House.
The desks OF the opposition were
less well filed, but several Of their oc.
cupants confessed to the spell of the
orator. Mr. Tillman read pamphlets,
but he was to speak after Massacnu
setts had finished.
The Isle of The Blest seemed near.
All was well allow and aloft.
The nation. under the aegis Of tie
Executive, was safe. The rate bill
was an important measure, but Mr..
Lodge had given the subject Of rail-
way rates bis earnest attention dur
ing several months, and he knew, he
might venture toUbeliebe something
ABOUT it. He had even gone so far as
to unload his modest holdings OF rail-
way stock before beginning his e1ami-
nation, lest any shadow of self-inter-
est might creep into his point OF
view. He was explicit, after all this
study, in announcing that personal
rebates were really and truly wrong,
and must be stopped. But ah! gen.
tlemsn, what mighty and prosper
Gus nation was ours; and ahl again,
what a mighty element Of bene6cence
were our railroads!
Railroads are the property net Of a
few naughty millionaires, but of mil
lions of trusting and deserving stock.
holders, for whose benefit they are
conducted. To injure railroads. then,
Is to aim blow at the common peo-
pie.
rs any here so base that does not
love the common people? If any,
speak, for MIN have offend! And,
do not railways depend upon the pros
perity of the country for their livingP
How, then, cau they bs suspected OF
working against It's interests.
1T is prepoSterous, exclaimed the
Senator, almost raising his voice,
THAT they should be suspected Of be.
ing shortsightedly avaricous."
And so, at last, he laid down the
last leaf upon the tour square pile
and turned to receive the congratu-
lations of Messrs. Aldrich, Foraker
and the rest Of the men against whose
interests the Hepburn bill is under
stood to be aimed.
It was beautiful; 1T was like the
lotus eaters; and we were just falling
into the sweetest slumbsr when all at
once an awful thing happened.
In the Senate Mr.. Tillman Is al
most the only event that ever does
happen. Up he came from the dark
some hold of our Snip Of State, saw
age and threatening, q freebooter,
armed and ferce.eyed; a orccaneer,
wiSh knife between bis teeth and a
pistol In either hand.
The Summer seas passed away like
a dream. The Isles of the Blest sank
beneath the horizon. The clouds
blaekened the sky and the storm.
wind shrieked in the siiken cOrdage
of the rigging.
Tillman had ripped the entire bot
tom out of our craft, and we were
sinking.
The seas rose in fury; we were
plunged headlong into them, swim
milgly suddenly for our lives. There
was no peace, no pros oerity, no econo-
mic bsnefcence Of natural laws,
Sharks bit Ctf our legs, swordish I'M
paled us-Water swallowed US whole.
The nation was once moro strug
CLING in the grasp Of the octopus.
They were starving, they were
wronged, they were victims of an out
rageous and destructive tyranny.
Aud what hideous farce it al
was!
Here was our President, who hao
this measure for the relief Of the peo'
Pile so closely at heart, on whose Coat
tails we were admonished hlindlY tC
hang, in whose courage and wisdom
we were invited to trust, who feared
l.