The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-03-02
South Cardinals RObespierre: Ben
Ttllman.


thought for which it is noted, The
Washington Post declares that .In
resistless force of character BENJAMIN
r. Tillman is the greatest man South
Carolina ever produced"
Doubtless when this superlative
sentence was penned by the editor
it was under the apprehension that
the distinguished senator from South
Carolina was upon his bed Of death.
Such tributes are seldom pro-
nounced before the end comes.
For usually it requires the miracle
Of dissolution to convert the politi
clan into the statesman.
But the latest news dispatches
from Washington are decidedly reas-
! suring in regard to Senator Tillman's
health, and like another famous in
valid-Mr. Stephens-he may yet en-
joy the somewhat uncanny satisfac-
ton of reading his obituary in print
The special achievement with
which The Post credits Senator Till
man is the feat Of overthrowing the
oligarchy of illustrious families which
from the time of the Revolution down
to the last decade of the nineteenth
century ruled the State of South Car
olina.
This regime" says The Post, was
partly political and partly social. 1t
was never guilty Of extravaganza and
never accused of graft. But the
great families ruled"
At some length The Post goes on
to enumerate the illustrious names
on the honor roll Of oligarchs. The
list includes the Pinckneys, the Rut-
Lodges, the Marions, the Sumters, the
Legares, the Calhouns, the McDufles
the Prestons, the Barnwells, the
Rhetts, the Hamptons, the Buffers.
To overthrow this powerful aristocra-
tic dynasty was a task for Robes
pierre. But eventually from the
sand hills of Edgefield there stepped
forth an angular and awkward man
of the people who was prepared to
take over the contract
Says The Post:
Less than 25 years ago BENJAMIN
r. Tillman determined to destroy
this aristocratic regime. 1t was q
battle of the giants. Hampton and
Butler were representatives Of it
Both were of illustrious families
both had fought and died for the
South on many a stricken field, both
were men Of unblemished honor
There rallied to them the serious
of the old families, and they were in
trenched in the traditions of GEN.
turios. Even Ben. TI.jr:Gn's elder
brother, WHO had displayed con5pi-
ououa abilities IN congress, spoke ana
voted against the policies of his
brother
But the 'Craker was, aroused. He
had found leader brave as Caesar,
devoted as Hampden, impetuous as
Hotspur, resolute, earnest, honest
invincible. After tremendous
struggle Tillman was elected COVER
| nor in 1890, and two years thereafter
he was reelected. He was an 'archi-
tect OF ruin,' in that he held in con-
tempt the traditions Of the past and
| smote the oligarchy until it trembled
| first citizen Of the State; a hero and
a statesman, the heir of great name
and of an immense fortune No
| more gallant soldier drew sword in
the big war, at the close of which
| he could have said with more truth
than did the crowned Valois on the
day of Pavia All is lost save hon.
Or
But without hesitation the new
champion of popular government
stripped Wade Hampton of his toga
and gave it to another. Only little
| for the Senate in which body he took
| his seat IN 1895.
Nobody who witnessed the scene
when Tillman delivered his maiden
| speech in the senate will ever forget
| it. His fellows appeared to be awed
| Certainly nothing like it ever before
| transpired in that theatre. 1t recall
| ed the presence Of the rude Gaul in
| the Roman senate, as recorded in an
| cient story. Tillman was fierce in
| his denunciation of the then Demo-
| cratic president and the Democratic
secretary of the treasury. Nor was
| he content with that. He assailed
everything political then in existence,