Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-09-17
LARRY CAN'T AssAILs TILLMAN
Declares Him Untrue to People Who
Elected Him.

declares him OnrTuo 70 FooPio "hS
Elected Him.
News and Courier.
Would anybody have believed twen-
ty years ago that the time would ever
come when T. Larry CAN'T would turn
on Ben Tillman and bitterly assail him
as a traitor? Capt. Tillman in those
days had no louder champion. Through
the Columbia Register and in other
newspapers Larry, to quote his OWL
words, tried to do with his pen
what Ben did with his tongue" 1t Yves
Larry, so 1t has always been under
stood, who first suggested to Tillman'
then governor, the establishment OF
the state dispensary system, Larry
having gotten the idea from the coun-
ty dispensary which was then in ope-
ration in Athens, Ga.
Larry is now running a weekly
newspaper, the News-Reporter, In
Whiteville, N. c., just across the line
from Horny county, and in his last Is
sue he devotes nearly four columns TO
a review of Mr.. Tillman's career In tne
endeavor to prove that py MS Iet.e,
himself a trait or to the common peo-
ple." who put him into office. Larry
being now as enthusiastically for GOV
ernor Blease as ever he was Tor Capt
Tillman. His disaffection for the lat
ter Is not, 1t appears, OF recent origin.
He says:
How TiIlman Was Nominated.
1--WE have seen for years that the
environments of Washington city anu
new associations had wrought com
plete change in Tillman's policy II not
his views, when he voted Tor Lorlmer.
we knew that the day had come wnen
the masses of South Carolina IL not
the Democrats of that state, must
search out another leader who was In
closer touch with them and their In
terests. But we did not criticise TILL
man, for we disliked to help pull down
a popular idol, but quietly waited Tor
that idol, Of It's own free will. to tum-
BILE from the pedestal upon which ao-
miring constituents had placed II.
Larry has a good many interesting
things to saw in the article which fol-
lows this remarkable statement. Per-
haps the most interesting Is his de.
claration that the Reform movement
never profited in the slightest degree
the "one-gallus wool hat boys VINO
formed its backbone. But his article
speaks for itself. He declares his pur-
pose to write a defense OF the com.
mon people Of the Palmetto state,
from which 'it will be seen that the
charge Tillman makes Of ingratitude Is
laid at the wrong door," and with this
professed purpose in view he proceeds
as follows:
"When John L. M. Irby. in the fam
Gus March convention that gave birth
to the Reform movement, brought
about the nomination Of Tillman 1--WE
believe by one vote) after he CTfll-
mani had given up the fight and was
found sitting on the banks OF the riv-
er ready to go back home to his farm,
Ben Tillman was a small dairy farmer
in Edgefield county. and report said
he was in the same fix as thousands or
other farmers at that time, losing
money, If not a practical bankrupt.
mo one can deny that Tillman
made a magnificent fight for the re-
lease Of his people from practical po-
litical servitude, and taught them their
rights and their power. He triumphed,
and in their love and gratitude the
farmers continued to heap honors and
rewards upon his head. Ever since
1890 he has been holding lucrative Of
fees and drawing large salaries. It Is
believed that today Tillman Is rich
man. Any way, he and his family
living on the fat of the land, as 1t
were, and enjoying all the pleasures
and iuxuries Of life.
The Charge Of lnsratitude.
"As 1t was the votes Of the men
whom Ben Tillamn denounced as In
CRATES and so severely criticised, that
gave him those high offices, and 1t was
the men to whom Tillman rightfully
says he owes his scant majority over
Talbert and Dial, who saved him from
a crushing. ignominious defeat, after !
writing that eleventh hour letter at |
tacking Governor Blease. No one de- |
nies the good work Tillman did for the
masses in South Carolina, but no man
who ever battled for his people was
so long and richly rewarded. Without
intending to make any invidious COM
parison, we would ask, what general
among the struggling American colo |
nists did better or more valiant SER
vice for his county than Benedict Ar |
mold, the hero Of Saratoga But Ar |
mold betrayed his country in its dark |
est hour. and went over to the enemy, |
and his name will ever be used to ex-
press the blackest treachery. Now. |
we do not intend to convey the i'm |
preston that there Is any connection
whatever between the career Of Bene- |
dict Arnold and Benjamin Ryan Till |
show that when person goes over to |
the enemy. when the cause for which |
he has so valliantly fought seems lost
as in the fight between the Blease |
and Jones factions in South Carolina, |
when every newspaper and great in
fluence was enlisted against Blease
and pulling for Jones the humble mass |
es are wide awake and silently watch
ing the line-ups. To our mind, 1t was
Tillman who deserted the wool-hat |
one-gallus boys, and not they who de-
serted Tillman. The people judge a |
man by the company he keeps, and
when Tillman gave his once powerful
aid to an element that had so vindict- |
lively. yea venomously fought him in
the past. and left, as he thought and
every outsider. believed. his former
adherents and their gallant young
standard-bearer they had chosen to go
down in defeat he that moment lost
the confidence and support of the COM |
mon people in his state. and to whom
he owed much-in fact the lifting up
of Tillman from poverty and obscuri-
ty into distinction and affiuence. II
not into great richeG for a southerner.
A ProftIess Movement.
"Now, let us look upon the other
side Of the shield and see what the
wool-hat, one-gallus farmers, who had
made Tillman what he now is, have
gained by the bitter political warfare
and strife that has been waged in their
state for some two decades? 1t Is true
that they have been educated as to
their political power and rights. but
Tillman does not desereve all credit for
this. for with the establishment of the
rural postal system the farmers have
made wonderful strides Of late. In
other states than South Carolina they
have thrown off the shackles of polit-
ical servitude and are now settling
their differences at the ballot box,
through direct primaries. The rural
voters are getting better informed and