Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-05-08
Miseellaaeuus 8sadins.
RAILROADS TO THE RESCUE.
The Blast That Was Once So Potent
Continues to Blast.

The Blast That Was Once So Potent
| Continues to Blast.
| / am in mortal dread, Mr.. Editor;
but have waited as patiently as possi-
would not take pen in hand to deliver
our own Old Ben from the power Of
the Philistines. Sir, I am ashamed Of
that once fiourishing Reform Inter-
est" In South Carolina. To think how
I things used to be and how they are
now. Once "one blast upon Ben's bu-
gle-horn was worth thousand men,"
once his devoted followers-one in par
ticular, but now alas! reposing on the
Cushion Of the Common Pleas" as the
English would say-yes, once they
We'd with each other to plant the
standard Of Reform on the very battle
ments Of the battery In Charleston"
Once our noble athlete was embarrass-
ed, not by the enemy, but by those who
camped upon his coattails and chung
affectionately around his neck. They
charged Old Ben in those days with
being a hoodlum from Hoodlumtown,
but how could he go decent with such
upsetting and bedraggling carvings
on? They now say he has fallen from
grace" in Washington. and wears his
l"Prince Albert" and "Clawhammer"
and even q collar and cravat; but, sir,
this was really Old Ben's only chance
to dress up, "far from this madding
crowds ignoOle strife"
All! me; so It used to be; but now
Turn wheresoe'er we may,
BY night or day,
The things that we have seen,
| We now can see no more" etc.
Where are those coat-tail swingers
now? Where are those who pledged
their "Iives and fortunes and sacred
honor" to see Old Ben through? Where
Is that glorious old hand primary"
the hero of hundred fields? All gone,
1 tell you! gone where the woodbine
twineth and the whangdoodle mourn
eth," etc. Yes, sir, the old state has
gone to the dogs, and Old Ben-and
Old Ben-must profit by the exam
ple!"
Don't think for one moment that l
am talking through my hat. These
am cold frozen facts / am giving you.
Just look, here is Old Ben in that gior-
ious ring up at Washington. while
Cannon to right of him, Cannon to
left Of him rolling and thunder" La
Toilette almost sweeps him away with
his tidal w,ve Of eloquence; Lodge
sings his siren song (most dangerous
of all;) Hawkins seeks to scalp him,
with Mrs. Carrie Nations hatchet;
Roosevelt plucks up courage and
brandishes his big stick-all, all are
against him!
So It is up there In Washington, as
he battles, single-handed and alone,
for the peoples rights. And down
here what do we see? Why, Mr.. Edi-
tor. it makes me weep to think how We
have deserted him in the hour of his
direct need. They don't actually be-
lieve his plain, unequivocal statement
about those rebates. He tcld-well,
well, you know what he told them,
right up there on that speakers desk.
But they don't believe 1t, and go right
on nagging this noble spirit. That
grand and noble manifesto, too, has
simply fallen as fiat as a pancake.
| Where are the echoes Of that bugle-
blast? Where is the gathering Of the
clans? 7Tis May, and yet no March"
convention-what does 1t all mean?
While those two young scapegraces,
Lyon and Christensen are still walking
about seeking whom they may devour!
But the worst remains to be told. 1t
Is this horrid Infamous plot Of those
"soul!ess corporations" the railroads.
They tried of course to keep 1t dark.
but murder will out" They pooh
pooh 1t now; they say Carolinians can
not be bought well, once twas so, but
| have my doubts now. The times are
degenerate: the foe Is so willy. Why,
sir. these same railroads once actually
tried to corrupt Old Ben himself. You
remember It, how they crowded their
free passes upon him until the poor
old statesman was actually loaded
with them. like All Sin, the Heather
| Chinee"-I mean when he had that
| little tussle with the conductor out
west, and the free passes fell like
leaves In Vallambrosa" around him.
But 1t never phased Old Ben. He can't
be bought, my friend. And now, they
have undertaken to buy the state and
turn Old Ben out to grass.
The proof of 1t? Listen: l. See
how they are catering to the public
with increased number Of trains, and
how they are trying doing their besD
to "come I'm on time" It's going to be
mighty "tuckerin'," but the word has
gone forth that they will fight 1t out
on this line, If It takes all summer
2. See how how they are settling those
chronic old damage suits. Why they
are just asking the smiling attorneys
TO make their own terms. 3. 1t mas
even been whispered that they have
been carrying fertilizers, and are now
carrying vegetables free, sir, actually
free-all that they might corrupt this
Land Of the free and home Of the
brave" L. But l just know they are
doing It because Old Ben's Caught on
to It," You can't fool him. He, like
Mrs. Partlngton, can "see as far as
anybody through a millstone"-you re-
member the old picture-of course, the
milestone had hole in it, but that was
a mere detail" Yes, sir, Old Ben Is
on to It, and he Is going to make things
sure lively. II we don't look out the
final issue will be, shall we have the
railroads or shall we have Old Ben?
And no patriot can hesitate I'm such a
case. We farmers at least will Tive
at home" and smoke the pipe of peace
with Old Ben, under our own vine and
figtree, with none to molest us or make
us afraid. Yours forever,
| CIvITAs.
Rural Retreat, s. c.
| STRANGE CARGO FROM THE AMAZON.