Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-03-17

This double aff1iction also cut short
his education. 1t may have changed
the whole tenor of his life as we'll, for
be intended becoming a lawyer, but
gave this up and went to farming
Contrary to the general impression,
Senator Tillman comes of q distin-
guished family. His father was a
planter and slayeowner. Several of
his relatives were killed in the war
between the states. ene of his broth
ers was shot in duel. Another broth
er was a congressman for several terms.
Another false impression concerning
TilIman is that he is an uneducated
man. True, his education in schools
ended early, but he had the best of
/ teachers. A sister of President Arthur
was once his governess. He has been
an omnivorous reader, especially in
history and poetry. The leading poets
he can quote by the hour. He also
loves music and Is himself n good
| baritone singer When at home he
| takes great delight with his flowers,
Of which he has large garden. He at
! tends to them himself, knows them all
by name and is never happier than
| when engaged in their cultivation.
Loved and Respected by Negroes.
These are induces to the softer side
OF his nature. Another is found in the
fact that, while no southerner has spo-
ken on the race question with more
vebemence and bitterness than Till
man, at home he is loved and respected
by the negroes. This is also true of the
colored people of Washington. One of
the most feeling tributes he ever paid
was to an old colored servant named
Joe Gibson. In fact, one of the great
est speeches ever delivered in the SEN
ate on the race question was by Sena-
tor Tillman. This time at least, he
was temperate in his statements and
won universal applause by the master
iy way in which he presented the
southern view. Old Joe has given his
opinion of his employer in these words:
THE colored folks haven't got any
better friend than Senator Tillman il
they will only stay where they belong
and do their work. 1t hurts me to see
people telling lies about him and I'M
posing on him.
Tillman did not enter politics until |
late in the eighties, and then his only |
training school for boys. In this he |
succeeded, founding a successful in !
dustrial institution at Calhoun's old |
home, Fort Hill. Later he also founded |
a school for girls, which is now one of |
the leading ones of the sort in all the
south. He had no aspirations to run
for office, but found other things he
thought needed reform and in 1890 was
made the farmers candidate for gov
ernor. The succeeding campaign was
one of the hottest ever known In the
state. Tillman was nominated by an
Overwhelming majority and elected.
He had even q larger majority two
years later. During his term as gov
ernor he inaugurated the famous dis
pensary system, by which the state
took charge of the liquor traffic. AT
one time this caused q riot. and the
militia were called out. Some of the
soldiers mutinied, and Tillman con-
dismissed them from the
service, denominating them "bandbox
soldiers
At the end of his second term as gov
ernor he was a candidate for senator
against Ben Butler and was over
whelmingiy elected. Six years later he
received as large q majority for sec
ond term and this year will doubtless
be candidate for reelection. 1t was
during his first candidacy for the SEN
ate that he threatened to use a pitch
fork on the fiat ribs" of President
Cleveland, thus gaining the appellation
Of Pitchfork Ben. During his first year
in the senate he made a characteristic
speech, wherein he made further at
tack on Cleveland, referred to John G..
Carlisle as that Judas from Ken
lucky" and denounced some of his as /
sociateS in congress as tools of the Y
money power. When his colleague, '
McLaurin, supported the Mckinley adj
Tillman accused him of | I
having been Influenced by patronage. C
SIcLaurin gave the lie, and Tillman +
struck him in the face in open senate. n
For this affair both men were sus- =
pended from the roll, but were after =
ward reinstated on apology being !,
made. At about this time Tillman chal-
enged McLaurin to resign and go be-
ore the people. AS n result the resig- =
lations of both senators went to the !,
governor. who refused to accept them r
alter Tillman renewed the challenge -
l.
eSpOnse.
A Magnetic Taiker. :
When Ben Tillman first tried to make n
speech it was a failure. Later eff o
orts had no better result. Discouraged, ~
e sought his wife, who told him that -
f course he could succeed-to speak as 6,
e talked and to think of her. He fol- ;,
owed the advice, and his next effort =,
ecame famous. He hardly ever writes :"
is speeches and even casts aside his II
otes. He is magnetic and sways an N
udience in spite of itself. His voice
very strong and, while sometimes
arsh, is organ-like i'm its meditation "
nd power. c,
Here are q few characteristic utter
noes of the South Carolina senator:
81 would rather go to the Internal =,
egions with my followers than to =,