The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-01-29
BEN TILLM!AN AND JOHN d."
Story OF How TillMan Rammed the
PitchfOrk Home for the Eenrft or
John ID. ROckcfeller-(:ifts for Nc
gro Education Discussed.

lnc way IL happened, that historic
meeting between Tillman and Rookie
fcller, or Rockefeller and Tillma,,,
whichever one is telling about it, as
this 10 told by the pitchfork senator.
of course it is Tillnian and Roclefel.
Ter. The senator has just returned
and he tells about it enthusiastically.
ockefeller, after all, though he Is ar
octopus professionally, politically and
pitchrorkially. is pretty good sort of
follow personally. But Rockefeller
sought the interview; don't forget
that. The senator wants this clearly
understood, especially since some of
his colleagues in the senate, who read
the dispatches about the meeting in a
Pullman car. have been charging the
friend Of the people with hobnobbing
with plutocracy. Here's the Way it
happened:
| "A fellow came to my seat in a
Pullman car" explained the senator.
"a'id spoke to me- He had sunshine
In his face, and I said to myself this
fellow whoever he is Is an optimist. I
supposed 1t was some fellow who nai
heard me speak in the senate or at
'o'nc Of the chautauquas.
TIN Mr.. Rockefeller he said very
simply. OF course. ! recognized HIM,
and OF course I invited him to take
q scat beside me. He sat down and
We talked until I reached my station,
which was about an hour. should
say. ..-
Mr. Rockefeller did not mention
legislation, the recent panic nor in
any way intimate that he had any
more money than l had and YOU may
be sure I didn't eay anything about
1t. say this because the story sen.
out about our meeting did Mr.
Rockefeller an injustice.
IL got in some talk, though, on nv
own hook. Mr.. Rockefeller seemed
to be interested In the country
through which we were passing anG
he piled me with questions as to the
value Of tho land and the character Of
The people. That was my opportunity.
remembered that he had been cred
ited with giving away $s5.00o. 900 for
educational purposes Lost year, and !
called attention to the expressiC ms Of
Andrew Carnegie and philanthropists
OF that like in favor Of giving more
money 10 Tuskagee and other schools
for the negroes. I told Mr.. Rockefel-
ler thRt there were millions CT whites
In the South. whitcs descended from
pure English and irish and Scotch,
who were living there poverty strick-
en- and ignorant, poor because of their
ignorance, and that the Northern mil
lionaires never thought Of helping
thcm. Mr.. Rockefeller seemed to be
interested and warmed up to The
subject injecting vitriolic Tillnanisms
into the conversation here and
there"
The senator paused N his story in
order tc complete Il laugh that inter-
ferred with his flow OF language. II.
was exploding like gasoline motor
exhaust as he continued:
"Yoa know. Mr.. Rockefeller is g.,
used to giving orders that he just
exclaimed In an ordinary tone as II
that was oil there was to It:
That will have to be remedied
Such a condition must not be-
well. sir. 1t sounded ST. much like
Tht odorr Roosevelt that I couldn't
help thinking how much I'd like to
set those two fellows together.
I'VE went on talking and told hin,
how the New York moneyed crowd
rur the Southern railroads. l had a
chance to get in a good rap nj the
condition on the Southern at the juno
ton near Aiken. s. G.. The train comes
Gown there with Pullman cars for :hc
| mil'ionaires bound for Aiken and day
coaches for the poor people going OH
down the line. The poor people get
out and sit around an old way sta
ticn while the train carries the mil.
iionaires-I think 1 called them d.
niillionaires in taking TO Mr.. Rookie
fe'ler-on tc Aikcn. Then the train
comes back and picks up the poor
people. The train is scheduled 70 run
right through and the railroad fold
crs do not announce this diScrimina. (.
tion in favor Of the rich folks.
I'VE talked on. Mr.. Rockefeller
seemingly interested. until reached
NY station. I got out and that is tho
last I saw Of him. I didn't mention
standard OH and neither did he"
senator Tillmar's colleagues pro-
rouncc him vindicated.-The State.