Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-05-14

remarkable man, but we have never
felt warranted in following him blind
lN. AS a. matter Of fact If we should
undertake to catalogue all the sena-
tors short -comings that we can think
of. the list would be pretty long and
black: but we do not allow ourselves
to forget that he has been responsible
for lot of good and If it is only bao
things that We are looking for among
public men, we are not limited to a
consideration of the record of Sena-
tor Tillman.
AS able a man as was and is Sena-
tor Tillman, he could not and cannot
satisfy everybody. There are those
who will swear by anything he says OF
does, and there are still those who
will pitch and snort and rant at the
very mention of his name. But we
recognize this as characteristic Of hu-
man nature, and we recognize that
Just as it applies to Senator Tillman
it ALSO applies to us.
| Among the newspaper comments
that we have noted .on our observa-
tions about Senator Tillman, two are
especially interesting. One is from
the Augusta Chronicle, a paper that
has been friendly to Tillman since the
beginning Of his public life, and the
other is from the Lancaster News,
whose editor we believe, was once un-
able to see any good whatever in the
leader of the Reform movement.
Says the Chronicle:
The vast majority of the newspa-
pers in South Carolina who have read
and discussed Senator Tillman's plea
| to be retained in office-and they have
probably all read it-have evinced a
sort of near -sightedness in that they
seem to see only the old political side
| of a problem as measured against the
broken man of today who made that
problem. Craftsmanship and the
worth of prestige have all but been lost
sight of, and the vision is dimmed by
the clouds Of surprise raised by such
q document coming from Tillman. In
deed almost the whole consideration
has been Tillman; very little of 1t
Tillman's worth to South Carolina.
Where there has not been found in the
senator's plea an opportunity to re-
vive memories of Hampton and But
ler and taunt him with an overwean-
ing personal ambition of those days,
the forgiveness by his enemies has
been in the vein of paraded charity.
From nearly all of them-and among
them are to be found more than one
whose supporting community owes
much to Tillman's efforts-the sort OF
commendation offered is with force
full emphasis that. it's sufferance born
Of sympathy; not desire, not graft
tude. Because he is sick and made a
plea which is punctuated with pathos
they are willing to put up with him
one more term: but that he Is worth
a term in the senate to the state OF
South Carolina very few Of them have
said. 1t Is a case wherein South Car
olina- through a great majority OF her
public journals, Is showing the world
a willingness to reverse that humane
motto which says: Their faults we
write upon the sands of time; their
virtues on tablets of love and men,
ory." Yet out Of mass Of clipped
comments on the most pathetic incident
in the life Of Ben Tillman there falls
one in which more than a sentiment Of
indulgence is expressed. The York
vile Enquirer comedies to the senator
some worthy accomplishments in the
past: a remaining value to his state
in the future-for 1t would take q
new man years" to climb to the posi-
tion Of prominence, and through that
the power to be of value to his con-
stituency, which Tillman's rank in the
senate gives him today. That Is, really,
Tillman's offering to South Carolina
today. rather than a plea for indul-
gence. The Yorkville paper COM
ments as follows ."
Here is the view of the Lancaster
News:
The Yorkville Enquirer in an edito-
rial entitled Senator Tillman's Plea" J"
after consuming about three-fourths
of one Of its long columns in labori-
ously setting forth both the good and
the evil it thinks he has done, winds
1t all up with this sapient climax: 80
far as The Enquirer Is concerned, II
does not feel called upon TO advise
anybody to do anything other than to
vote as may seem right when the
time comes" No doubt this sage ad-
vice will be very comforting and reas-
suring to the stricken senator, and
very enlightening to the voters of
York county.
Just why the News finds so much
pleasure in naggng at The Enquirer,
we do not know. We have noted 1t
for years; but Notwithstanding the
length Of our columns we have not
controversy with our Lancaster con-
temporary. However, as it happens,
We had just clipped from the Detroit
Free Press a humorous item, which
seems to illustrate to nicely our con-
temporary's view and attitude as to
matters political, and we will take the
liberty of reproducing 1t here:
Grace and Fred have had a dread
full quarrel"
What's the trouble?"
He took her to baseball game the
other day."
"Oh, l see, and he lost his temper
over the fool questions she asked
him."
No, l knew you'd think that But
in the fifth inning Ty Cobb tried to
steal second and the umpire called
him out"
'Well?"
Grace jumped up and called the
umpire TODDeT, ana FTeu ulun IKE
| it. He was safe by mile she said
to him. That blind man out there Is
giving us the worst of it. Then Fred
suggested that inasmuch as the UNI
| pire was closer to the play than they
were he could see it better and ought
to know whether Ty made the base or
not. That's where Grace broke with
Fred. She said any man who was fool
enough to think the umpire was right
when he decided against the home
team. was too big a fool to make q
good husband for any girl and she
didn't want him ever to speak to her
again"
MERE