Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-01-31
Misftllaneuns Readins.
TILLMAN AND ROCKEFELLER.
Story of a Meeting of Two Distinguish
cd Men on Train.

Story of Meeting of Two Distinguish
cd Men on Train.
Senator Tillman returned to Wash
ington to-day from the south, but
press dispatches recounting a confer
ence he had with John D. Rockefeller
on railroad train in Georgia had pre-
ceded him, and therefore, he had an
explanation to make Some Of his COL
leagues charged him with having de-
serted the common people to hobnob
with plutocracy, but he denied this,
and declared that he could prove that
the "desertion was by Mr.. Rockefeller,
who sought the interview"
You know" drawled Mr.. Tillman,
in his inimitable way, "a man came to
my seat in the Pullman car, and before
he had chance to introduce himself
was struck with the fact that his
face radiated sunshine, and I said to
myself, Here Is an optimist, If ever
there was one.'
i I'm Mr.. Rockefeller the man
said, and Of course I knew him at
once. He sat down with me, and we
talked until reached my station,
about an hour I should say. Mr..
Rockefeller did not mention legisla-
tion, the recent panic, nor in any way
Intimate he had any more money than
I had, and you may be sure ! did not
say anything about it. say this just
to show that the story sent out about
our meeting did Mr.. Rockefeller an
injustice.
But got in a little talk on my own
hook" continued the senator. "Mr.
Rockefeller seemed to be interested in
the country through which we were
passing, and piled me with questions
as to the value Of the land and the
character of the people. That was my
opportunity.
"I remembered that he had been
credited with having given away $685.
100000 for educational purposes last
year, and I called attention to the eX-
pressions of Andrew Carnegie and
philanthropists Of that ilk in favor Of
giving more money to Tuskegee and
other schools for the negroes. I told
Mr.. Rockefeller that there were mill
lions Of whites in the south, whites de-
scended from pure English and Irish
and Scotch, who were living there pov-
erty stricken and ignorant, poor be-
cause Of their ignorance, and that the
northern millionaires never thought
Of helping them. Mr.. Rockefeller
seemed to be interested, and I warmed
up to the subject, injecting some vitri-
Ollie Tillmanites into the conversation
here and there"
The senator paused in his story in
order to complete a laugh that inter-
fered with his flow Of language. He
was exploding like gasolene motor
exhaust as he continued: "You know,
Mr.. Rockefeller is so used to giving
orders that he just exclaimed In an
ordinary tone, as if that was all there
was to it: That will have to be reme-
tied. Such a condition must not be-
"Well, sir, it sounded SO like Theo-
dore Roosevelt that I couldn't help
thinking how much I'd like to get
them two fellows together.
1--WE went on talking, and told him
how the New York moneyed crowd
run our southern railroads. had a
chance to get in good rap at condi-
fiopS on tho Southern at thn 1IIncti0n
near Aiken, S. C. The train comes
down there with Pullman cars for the
millionaires bound for Aiken and day
coaches for the poor people going on
down the line. The poor people get out
and sit around an old way station
while the train carries the Million
aires-think I called them ID mill
lionaires' in talking to Mr.. Rockefeller
ON to Aiken. Then the train comes
back and picks up the poor people.
The train is scheduled to run right
through, and the railroad folders do
not announce this discrimination in
favor Of the rich folks.
1--WE talked on. and Mr.. Rockefeller
seemingly interested, until I reached
my station. 1 got out and that Is the
last I saw Of him. I didn't mention
Standard Oil and neither did he"
Senator Tillman's colleagues pro-
nounced him MISUNDERSTANDING
ton special of January 25 to Philadel-
phia Ledger.