Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-01-29
A REFORMED STATESMAN.
As He Grows Older Senator TilIman
Saes Thinos Bv New liuhts.

The sounding Of a clarion note" by
Senator limman for the freedom OF the
American press is another incident
showing his steady Improvement IN
understanding of political principles.
The senator's public career has been
one of notable progress from habits
of uncoutn speech and violent action
towards that sweetness and piacidity
Of behavior that marks the statesman.
II the senator is still given to occa-
SiOnal utteranceS which shock the
sensitive people of the north and east,
they are hopeful in contrast with the
explosions of his salad days. More
over, the senator has without doubt
acquired some knowledge Of the real
doctrines of Democracy and his de-
fense Of the freedom Of the press IL
lustrateS his advance in education.
These sentiments are creditable to
the mind and heart Of the senator-"A
free press can alone preserve free in
Stitutions. Our great danger now lies
In the control of the press and It's sub
Seuuent SubServiency to those who use
It TO deceive the people and to perpet-
Uate their grasp upon power. Ihe
newspapers now under fire for their
efforts to expose corruption in nigh
places should have the active support
OF every true American for their cause
is the cause Of US all.
4 little less than fifteen years ago
the author of the exalted periods quot
ed was governor of South Carolina
and commander-in-ch chief of its militia
forces From the executive mansion
In Columbia he proclaimed the coun-
ties of Darlington and Florence in a
state Of "inSuTrectiOn," and some five
hundred or more armed troops were
summoned to Columbia. One of the
governors first acts in dealing with the
emergency was to establish a military
press censorship and correspondents OF
newspapers were compelled TO submit
their dispatches to soldiers in uniform
stationed in the Western Union and
Postal Telegraph offices in Columbia.
That the freedom of the press which
Senator Tillman 50 cloquently defends,
might be preserved these correspond
cntS were forced TO send messengers
with their telegraphic stories To Au-
gusta in Georgia and TO Charlotte in
North Carolina where they could be
filed for transmission in the telegraph
office without being subjected to the
blue pencil of the militia SergeantS and
corporals who had come TO Columbia
from remote rural districts. At the
same time the governor and cOmman-
der in chief was openly discussing the
prOpriety Of preventing the publica-
ton Of THE State" a newspaper Of
Columbia. by armed force. Not only
was the correspondence Of South Car
alma newspaper men unfricndly to the
governors policies censored in this
manner. but the dispatches Of the rep
rcsentatives Of the New York W"rld
the Philadelphia Press, the New York
sun. the New York Tribune, the WASH
ingtOn Pos. the Washington star. the
Augusta Chronicle and the Charlotte
Observer, who had been sent To South
Carolina. were subjected 10 the same
treatment.
1t Is pleasant 10 observe that the
Senator has reuented # his youthful
imucwositv and 10 behold him In an
ur,uusite role. The dav has passed
when a military censOrShip Of the press
ccrG noSSihlv "per""tr"tc his grasp oi
powers. News and Courier.