The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-03-26

What TILLNAN SAID
The FULL TEXT OF his NOW FA.
NOUS SPEECH
GOES FOR MARTIN HARD

| u~AO u SAA ANA - ~
The Senator Yields His Point for the
| Sake Of Party Harmony, But
Leaves Unmistakable Footprints Of
His Feelings in His Straight-From'
the-Shoulder ows.
On the report of the steering com.
mittee of the Democratic caucus, Sat-
urday, March Is, denying him the
craftsmanship Of the committee on
appropriations and giving it to Sen
ator Martin, of Virginia, Senator Till
! man, OF. South Carolina, spoke as fol-
| lows:
Mr.. Chairman, speaking to the res
olution I have just offered, I want
to say this: Nothing that this caucus
can do will affect my personal or
political status, except that it may af-
feet ny health. A chinese philoso-
pher once said, "a ducks legs are
short; stork's legs are long; you
cannot make a ducks legs long or a
stork's legs short. Why worry?" It
is an easy thing to ask man this
| question, but we all know that men
cannot control their brains, and they
will worry in spite Of themselves.
| The reasons assigned for the &C
ton Of the steering committee that 1t
is solely because they are solicitous
of my health and do not believe am
physically able to perform the ar
duous labors Of the committee on ap-
propriations are sincere hope, and
rest on that motive alone. II I did
not believe that this motive governed
them I would have to believe that
ambition and not the best interests
of the Democratic party caused their
verdict.
TilIman, as chairman of the COM
mittee on appropriations, was the
keystone of an arch, and it was nee
essary to remove this keystone and
get Tillman out of the way in order
to let some chairmanships very much
desired by some men fall where the
steering committee wanted them.
This is the natural human view to
take of it, and I prefer to believe
their own version of the affair. l
recognize that they are all honorable
gentlemen, and I believe not one Of
them has any reason other than his
own judgment as to what is right
and proper to actuate him in this
matter. I know all human beings are
naturally selfish and inevitably so,
and when spurred by ambition they
sometimes become unscrupulous and
cruel. Dealing with motives is very
dangerous anyway, and I will not
pursue that train of thought further.
1 am not contending here so much
for myself as for my State and the
principle of seniority. By all of the
rules that have obtained heretofore
in the Senate. since the foundation Of
the Government appointment on COM
nittees has been governed by the
rule Of seniority. 1t is an unwritten
law, almost constitutional provi-
sion, that should. not be lightly
brushed aside. It has been observed
by the steering committee in max
ing up it's assignments in the case OF
every man, except myself. Why this
discrimination? South Carolina has
seen ft to send me here for eighteen
years, and / have just entered on my
fourth term and have six more years
yet to serve. Last August l was re-
elected against two strong men by a
large majority without spending a
dollar and without making speech.
The people have thus shown their
continued love for and trust In me.
NV long service, and, if may be per-
mitted to say, my more or less dis
tinguished service entities me to this
craftsmanship. Four years longer
than Jacob served for his two wives
I have striven here in the interest OF
true democracy. When the Senate
had dwindled to thirty Democrats l
was still valiantly battling at the
front for the principles and policies
outlined in the Chicago platform OF
|lS96. Twas on the committee which
drafted that platform. Bryan was
not a member of it because he was
contesting delegate and only came
into the Convention with a right to
speak after the committee on Gre
dentials had declared his delegation
the lawful one 1t was late in the
proceedings when the delegation was
seated, and his speech, as we'll as
one I made at the same time, was In
defence of the platform. The gold
bugs in that Convention had packed
the galleries on purpose to howl me
down, and they did it until I told
them with all the emphasis "ulch
was CAPABLE Of that there were only
tree things which could h!ss-a
goose, a snake and a man. That
seemed to quiet them and they allow
ed me to go on without interruption
| afterwards. I had predated ryan in
advocacy of those principles. 20: !
made my first speech in the Senate,
which has been designated the
"Pitchfork speech, in January OF
that year, while Bryan's "Cross OF
Gold" speech was not delivered until
in July.
was a member Of the committee
on resolutions at the Kansas City
| Convention four years later and read
the platform. as some of you may re-
member, for no one who heard 1t can