The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-11-16
OLD BEN TALKS
Senator Tillman Delivers Address at Col
Teton County Fair
TO SEVERAL THOUSAND

pulsory Education and the TAFT
Luncheon at colusa--sspeech
Lacked Some of the Old-Time Fire.
But was Interesting.
"A dispatch from Walterboro to
The News and Courier says that the
Colleton County Fair has been sue
cess is no longer questioned. Frl-g
day was the day of days for Colleton
county. At an early hours that
morning a line OF buggies, wagons
and other conveyances was pouring
a steady stream of people into the
town. These found their way TO me
Fair grounds, and at the time Sena-
tor Tillman began his address the
crowd inside of the grounds was
variously estimated at from three to
five thousand.
The feature of the day was Sena-
tor Tillman's address. His speech
was lackig some of his old-time fire,
but was none the less interesting
and occasionally there showed flash
es of his old-time vigor. His views
on compulsory education, negro edE-
cation and the Taft dinner in CO.
lumbia, were listened to with marked
attention and at time he was inter-
rupted by applause.
Ex-Governor Hayward introduceG
the Senator in his usual happy maD-
ner. 1t has been fifteen years since
Senator Tillmar has spoken to a.
Colleton audience, and as he remark
ed many events have grown dim IN
connection with the people OF this
county. He, however, has many
warm admirers in the county. and
they were present in great numbers
listening to every word as il fell
from his lips.
Senator Tillman was very pro-
nounced in his views in opposition
to compulsory education. He baseG
his opposition to the relationship OF
the races upon the fourteenth anu
fifteenth amendments, which would
make the compulsory education Law
apply, with equal force to whites
and negroes. He had passed through
one experience Of negro domination
and misrule. He does not wish him.
self or the coming generations 10
pass through such another expert
ence. He is afraid that to force
all children into the school house
would bring about the enfranchise-
ment of negro voters. And while
he advocates the education OF the
white children still he thinks that
compulsory education would bring
about the results of the three 'P's"
preacher, politician, penitentiary
He compared the negro population
to the white, thereby showing how
much greater the negro vote would
be than the white, were compulsory
education enforced. And then again
he stated that one of his reasons for
not favoring compulsory education
is that it is against his ideas or
liberty, because practically it is in
vading ones home. ~
Senator Tillman took occasion 70
give a rap to the self-appointed COM
mittee at the Taft dinner in Column
bia. He said that South Carolinians
had been set down by travellers as
a hospitable people, but the idea
of any self-respecting man inviting
YOU to a dinner that you have pre-
prepared yourself by the payment or
$40 in advance" He spoke OF traV-
cling from Charleston to Columbia
IN Tafts private car, but said that
he told Taft that on reaching Co
lumbia he would have to cut acquain-
tance and would turn him over 10
Gonzales, Hoyt & Co." Then as a
private citizen went to hear TAFT
speak, and at o'clock that after
noon I went again with him as far
as Trenton
Senator Tillman discussed at
some length the feasibility of the
national Government draining The
low lands of the coastal region. thus
reclaiming several thousand acres OK
the most valuable lands. In ms
opinion it is justly proper Tor the
national Government to eXpend MON
ey in draining the low lands OF THIS
and other States, as in putting water
on the arid lands of the West.