The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-03-05
TILLMAN AND HOAR.
Great AbOlitiOnist Admired South
CarOlinian.

senator Benjamin r. Tillman and
the late Senator George F. Hoar. of
Massachusetts, were the closest Of
friends. says the Washington CORES
pondent to the Boston Transcript. The
great Northerner and the Southern
fire e-eater struck hands a week after
T1llman reached the Senate. Their
hrst meeting was a clash and occurr-
ed in the committee room of Senator
Hoar, where Tillman had dropped in.
Eye-witnesses say that the two men
went at each other hammer and
tongs, each with the characteristic ges-
lures that have made them famous.
They struck fire ON the Southern
question, Of course, and the debate
was not finished until Hoar had reach
ed the boiling point and informed the
South Carolinian that Some of my
ancestors fell at Concord Bridge. sir.
and the blood didn't thin out when it
came down to me-"
Il like you, sir, like you" retorted
Tlllman. You have grit" and the
friendship thus strangely begun con-
tinued until the eyes Of the Masschu-
setts Abolitionist were closed in death.
Tillman once had up in the Senate
a resolution RETIRING to the Supreme
Court some question relative to the
South Carolina dispensary system. He
wanted Hoar's aid and went to the
Senator's committee room to get it.
but only the Messenger sat there.
where is the Constitution" de-
manded Tillman.
"One Of it is anchored up in Boston
Harbor and the other you will find in
the manual Of the Senate" responded
the smiling Ed Doherty."
Damn it. where's Senator Hoar?"
retorted Tillman.
'Doherty told him. and as a result
was sent to the railroad station with
a message, which Immediately produc-
ed the Massachusetts statesman on the
floor Of the senate. Hoar slipped in
an amendment to the Tillman reso-
luton and had it retired to the COM
mittee on the judiciary, of which he
was chairman, had a meeting called
couple Of hours later, and just be-
fore the Senate adjourned had the
amended resolution put through. Til
man was out Of the chamber at the
time, but was astonished as he was
delighted to learn what had been
done.
"Well,' he commented, "Masschu.
setts began helping South Carolina
more than a hundred years ago and
| guess she will always have to-"
Senator Hoar, one of the greatest
students in Congress, had not known
Tillman long before he began to insist
that his new friend from South Caro-
lima should take up systematic
course Of reading. He suggested half
dozen books, Tillman devoured them
and called for more. AS the Senator's
list was inexhaustible, Tillman was
kept busy. One day a fellow Senator
got at Hoar on the subject.
Look here, Senator you're killing
Tillman, if you only knew it," he said.
He tells me he sits up half the night
reading your books and sometimes he
doesn't get more than two hours
sleep. You ought to let up on him."
A smile of delight overspread the
features Of the Massachusetts states
man. Good" he exclaimed. "The
country will be better Off Tillman
will make his mark in the Senate yet"
A hot debate was going on in the
Senate one day and Hoar and Tillman
got into colloquy. They started
hring quotations at each other and
Tillman more than held his own, so
We'll, in fact, that third Senator was
moved to arise in his place and smil-
ingly remarked: 1T seems to me
that the Senator from South Carolina
is rather getting the better of the
Senator from Massachusetts in quota
tions.'
Il can't help it," shouted Tillman
Il got 'em out of his books and he
told me to read EN-