The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-03-27
BEN T1LLMAN' S PROPHECY
Decries What Blind Won See
Forecast Of Lincoln-like Simple
ity and Tillman-like Frank
ness.
New York Press, (Republican.)

1he eternal pr1nclple OF equa! Op-
portnnity for men IS the object for
which Senator Tilln1an contends in
his report to the United States sen
ate or the railroad rate bill. Argu-
ing III support Of that demand we
do not behold the ranting demagogue
Of old armed with pitchfork and
clustering 4 blasphemous TRADE.
This Ben Tillnan is the cool logi-
cian, the calm controrcrslaliSt who
writes an earnest, dispassionatc and
unanswerable brief for control by
the American people Of the highways
that should be their OWL Ben Till
man OF the wcol hat slips out Of the
minds eye; III his place looms
stateslnanlike figure.
The Fate that intrusts the repre-
sentative Of a discredited minority
with the leadership Of momentous
legislative battle, on whose outcome
fortunes Of both majority and minor
ity Of the democracy are staked, re-
veals TO US the shining worth Of this
human diamond in the rough. Chief
wonder OF his performance is the rail
road crew in senate, being resolved
to assasinate the square deal program
and having relinquished the major
ity's duty to the minority in order
the better to ply, their knives should
have appointed as chief mourner a
very Antony to make the stones cry
ont in mutiny.
Senator Tillman, once the most
rampant of radicals, offers here
plan at which the younger generation
will live to marvel for its moderation
We have here the most frenzied Of
the Bryan agitators preaching the
doctrine of conservatism as the only
escape from political and social revo-
luton. The breaking down Of party
lines in the senate on this issue III
the strange manner he describes, is
only one Of the unprecedented fea-
lures of the struggle between people
and privilege. In the new alignment
of forces We see on the side of radi-
calism. passionately urging immedla-
ate government ownership or outright
socialism. men heretofore known for
their mild insistence on caution. On
the other side, pleading for the min
imum Of effective government super
vision. are the "middle-of-the-road'
non-compromisers, the brandishers
of pitchforks, the "burn-your-
cities" horde Of two incendiary cam
paigns. Your genuine conservatives
of today, the leaders who stand for
reasonable redress of existing wrongs
as against those drastic and convul-
sive remedies to which the people
would repair as their alternative, are
the Tillmans and Bryans, and even
the Tom Watson's, Of yesterday.
There is not line in the .Tillman
program to which the supporters of
the Roosevelt Republican policy can
not subscribe.
Reasonable return to railroads, but
always and only on actual capital
invested, and not on oceans Of water.
Prohibition Of railroads from erea-
ting the freight in competition with
their shipper in addition to carrying
it.
Confirmation Of the ioag-used and
long challenged power Of the In
terstate Commerce Commission to
abolish extortionate rates.
Prison stripes for rebate criminals.
70 these just provisions some
.hings need to be added. Nothing
,an be taken away without conanu-
ng the cruel injustice which rail !
roads and their creatures Standard |
Ill, beef trust, coal trust and a hun |
lred private monopolies are infict- |!
ng daily upon the people.
With his single prophetic eye this |
champion Of American freedom from
economic shackles can decry the |
disaster that the blind and blunder-
ng knaves will not see. Standing |
Almost solitary in that wilderness Of |
;trategems and spoils, with Lincoln
Ike simplicity and Tillman-like fear
essness he utters his impressive fore
,ast Of the doom the American judg- !
nent holds over the traitors and Of !
heir odious system. !;
The citizen who is not struck by !