Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-21
REPLY TO SP0ONER
TiIIman Takes Up the Wiscon-
sin Senator's Criticism.
BROWNSVILLE THE TOPIC
Attitude of His Associates Charac-
terized.
HAS FOUGHT WITHOUT MALICE
Surprised to Find That He Had
Aroused Enmity by His
Sharp Attacks.
AS FOUGHT WITHOUT MALICE

In anticipation of field day in the Senate
on Brownsville, the galleries were packed
a half hour before the opening of the ses-
sion. Senator Tillmai\ took the floor at thu
close of morning business to reply to the
recent criticism of himself by Senator
Spooner.
AS prelude to this he paid his compli
ments to senators who had spoken on the
Brownsville incident. He said the press
had denominated him 1.-THE burnt cork artist
of the Senate and he added If he were
entitled to this appellation or that of
'Pitchfork Ben at one end Of the minstrel
line, certainly Fire Alarm Joe (Senator
Foraker) ought not to be ignored at the
other. We both do the Orlando and Furioso
act admirably
Senator Culberson was designated as per-
forming a solo on the bones in praise of
the President; Senator Daniel was called
"the brilliant and courtly senator from
Virginia, whose speciality Is oratory and
who works his rhetoric overtime
Next" said Mr.. Tillman, I'VE have the
dying swan, Smiling Tom of Colorado, the
state recently bought at auction by one
Guggenheim and the swans song is dirge
for the dying democracy Of the north stab
bed in it's vitals by Ben's pitchfork. His
act is very pathetic indeed and always
brings tears into the eyes of the audience.
Next We have the redoubted Tennessee
an, who was once a knight, a very Hot
spur in the lists, whose spear has rung true
and clear upon the visor of the usurper at
the White House and who has made the
sparks fly in many an onset; but his spear
head Is broken off: he has been endorsed,
but before retiring from the lists he seizes
garland of flowers, and, placing it on his
headless weapon (now, alas, no longer Of
any use) he lays 1t at the feet of the VIC
torious Roosevelt as peace offering and
joins the minstrels to sing a last song to
the victor of Brownsville, who whistles
democrats to come to the White House and
lick the hand which has SO often smote
them. His specially is a song, 'Renominate
our idol or give us back our platform.
Next" as the negro preacher and tele-
phone artist in the show. who on occasion
gets in communication with the White
House over the wire and acts as a receiver
and repeater, a veritable chameleon in his
accuracy in reproducing White House col
ors, We have senator hailing from Massa-
chusetts, the home of the Sacred Cod,
where their Adams votes for Douglas and
Lodge walks with the Almighty.
'As the middleman We have the pompa-
dour artist from Georgia, whose speciality
is never to answer any question and who
depends upon his voice to carry conviction
to his audience.
Then comes the star Of the troupe, Cum
shoe Bill from old Missouri He can
dance the highland fling on top of a ten
rail fence and never touch the ground, but
his greatest feat is walking on eggs with
out breaking the shells.
Last we have the artist from the Badger
state, an acrobat and juggler of internal
tional reputation. He Is supple, sly and
foxy, and having once been a lawyer, is
noted throughout the land for his ability
to get on either side of any question and
maintain the negative or affirmative in any
argument with great force and fervor. He
sings bass, alto. soprano or tenor, and 10
superb in any role.
Answers Spooner's Attack.
At this point Mr.. Tillman turned T. at
tention to Senator Spooner's recent atts-x
upon him. He had not intended to speak
again on Brownsville, but "tne unprece-
denied actions and utterances" of the Wis
consin senator had made 1t necessary.
ut seems" he said, that after ten years
of service together we have both misunder-
stood one another. We have had many
clashes in debate. Sometimes these were
sharp, causing momentary anger. first on
one side. then on the other: but with me
that feeling has always passed away at
once, leaving no trace of bitterness or UNI
fr1endliness, and had supposed It was the
same with the senator from Wisconsin,
until last week. I have been forced re-
luctantly to feel that have. without know
ing how ofwhen. earned the malicious en-
NIFTY Of that senator, and, while stin bear