East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-10-04

With the race problem for his sub
ject Senator Benjamin r. Tillman Of
South Carolina lectured here last
night to a large audience in the
Christian church. Those who were
there heard a powerful sermon con-
cernlng a matter upon which the
speaker is most well informed and
upon which he feels deeply. In his
lecture he showed his intense feeling
and displayed some of the bitter sar-
casm that has made him famous in
the senate and elsewhere.
But those who had heard of Till
man as "Pitchfork Ben" and expected
rabid harange were mistaken. AS
a lecturer Senator Tillman shows
more moderation of speech than he
did when he was in oregon once be-
fore during one of the political cam
paigns.
In his talk last night he showed
culture, consideration for the sensi-
bilities of his hearers, and a general
breadth of view and moderation that
was surprising TO those who had
heard of him through biased sources.
One who heard him was inclined to
think that II is not Tillman but his
enemies who are the fanatics. There
was nothing in his talk that was not
In keeping with his position as sem
ator from South Carolina.
Instead of a wild "fireeater" the
speaker appeared more as south
has been through the fire OF recon-
struction days and his soul has been
embittered by the wrongs that have
come to his state through the efforts
of the ignorant north to make the
southern people take the colored man
as their equal. He has a powerful
way of showing his intense feelings
and often his words fall like blows Of
a sledge hammer while his face shows
the meaning behind them.
The Race Problem.
At the opening of his lecture, for
which he was introduced by ]. S.
Landers, city superintendent Of
public schools, the South Carolinean
left the choice of subjects to his au-
dience. The hands went up in favor
of "The Race Problem" and the de-
cision seemed to please Tillman, for
it is the subject upon which he thinks
and feels more deeply than on any
other.
By dwelling for a short time upon
the late anti-Jap and Hindu riots at
Vancouver and San
Francisco, the speaker brought his
own subject close home to his hear.
ers. He showed that the Pacific
coast was beset with a problem SINH
ar to that of the south though at
present the cloud here is but a speck
'n the horizon compared with the
black pail that hangs over the
southern states.
That the entire civil war with its
oss of 100000 men and billions OF
lollars was all but an Intellectual at
empt to settle the race question was
lrgued by Senator Tillman. But il
he problem has become more serious
han ever in the past. That the edu-
alton of the negro will not be a So
ution, but on the other hand, will
make the situation worse, was inti-
mated.
Before arriving at the above Sena-
or Tillman took his audience through
he period that led up to the civil
var and then through the terrible
construction days in the south. He
made plain the south's justification
or going into war and quoted Lin
oln to show that he had never IA
ored the granting of political equal
" to the colored man.
He said. when Lincoln was laid
DIV by an assassin's bullet the south
'st Its best and only friend. Some
eople have attempted to believe that
ne south was responsible for his
cath, but you who know the south-.
rn character, know that we do NOT
moot people in the back or dynamite
lem as 1t sometimes done near hero.
We shoot men only to their faces"
In the years following the civil
ar and while South Carolina was
nder carpet bagger" control TILL
ian was in charge of the family
lanttion which he had inherited.
mere were eight years of bitterness
'r the southern white man for the
Ountry was exhausted from the yar