The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-22
TILLMAN A HuMoRIsr.
South Carolina Senator Good Story
Teller and Lively Wit.

From the Charleston Post.
"These youths are the seed corn of our
country" So said Senator Ben" Till
man of the students of Clemson college,
an institution that he himself had found
ed. The remark was made at the laying of
the corner stone of the Winthrop Normal
and Industrial College for Women, which
school he also founded. The occasion,
the environment and the words gave a
new view of the vitriolic South Carolinian,
who is usually regarded as the champion
Thereafter" of the country. His leader
ship of the rate bill fight has already
made Americans wonder il they should
not revise their estimate of his enigmatic
and contradictory character. People have
begun to imagine that he has put his
worst side out, and that there is some
thing tenderer and sweeter concealed UNI
der the rough rind of his personality than
has been suspected.
Once In speaking on the race question
before the Senate Tillman alluded feeling
ly to an old colored servant.
~ don't know whether Joe belongs to
me | belong to Joe. he said. Any
years, and we have agreed to keep to-
gether to the end. and should [ be the
first TO leave, l know that no tears shed
for me will be more sincere than Joe's.' 4"
The South Carolina senator is a good
story teller Here is one concerning a
constituents opinion of Cleveland and
Roosevelt, the two executives who have
specially felt the prongs of the Tillman
pitchfork. When it was suggested that
Cleveland might run against Roosevelt in
1904 this constituent grew very wroth.
~ can't see," he said that there is
more than one difference between the
two"
And what is that difference? ?" inquired
bystander.
Well" was the reply. 81 take it that
the only difference is that Mr.. Cleveland
is much too sedate to hunt. and that Mr..
Roosevelt is much too sedate to fish"
Here Is another Tillman story of an
earlier date. Senator Vance was the
democratic candidate for governor of
North Carolina and Judge Settle was his
republican opponent. Settles followers
We're mostly negroes and Vance had a
majority of the white vote. The two can
didates campaigned together. At one
meeting the democratic candidate was
advised that certain young women wanted
TO show their loyalty to the party by kiss
ing its standard bearer Nothing loath,
he descended from the platform and
kissed a dozen or more of the young
beauties. Then he said:
Settle, I'm kissing my girls; now you
kiss yours"
At the time Tillman was having his
row with his colleagu McLaurin, which
at one time reached such a pitch that both
resigned. and at another ITillman struck
McLaurin in open Senate, young re-
porter was gathering statistics as to the
favorite recreations and books of Wash
ington notables When the South Caro-
lima man was approached he looekd the
reporter over quizzically and replied:
Every one knows my favorite recrea-
tion-having fun with McLaurin. My fav-
orite book is If Christ Came to Con-
gress. I"
The reporter thanked him and asked
where Senator Depew might be found
why said Tillman. "Chauncey Is in
Europe. But" he continued. with sly
CLEAN in his one eye. II can give you
the information you seek. Depew's favor
lite recreation is playing pinochle, and his
favorite author is E. p. Roe"
Can you tell me Senator Depews fay
orite work?"
Certainly; Senator Depew's favorite
work is Opening Chestnut Burr