The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-08-22

HrSC llme since Ine Illness Wnlcn al
most caused his death, Senator Till
man today delivered a real speech in
the senate in open session. There
was a good attendance on the floor
and in the galleries. The subject of
the speech and vigorous manner in
it's delivery (altnough the senator
read from the manuscript which he
had previously dictated) interested
the audience greatly and constituted
a welcome diversion from the tedium
of the tariff debate. Comment in
Washington was that the speech
sounded exactly like the Tillman of
old.
While Senator Tillman was explain
ing South Cardinals attitude towards
divorce in contrast with that of her
neighbors, Senator Overman, of North
Carolina, interrupted to explain tnat
the previous looseness of the divorce
law in his State has been corrected.
Senator Bacon undertook to make a
statement with reference to Georgia,
Whereupon Senator Tillman sat down,
remarking that he would let Mr.. Ba-
con make the speech. This sarcasm
had its effect in checking Interrupt
tions and Senator Tillman resumed
the thread of his fiery discourse,
which was as follows:
y Senator Tillman's Speech.
Mr.. President: A few days ago l
asked permission OF the senate to in
sert in tae Record and to have print
ed as a public document an article
entitled "The Mission Of Woman" by
DR.. Alfred Taylor Bledsoe. When
the Record appeared the next morn
ing it avs found that the article in
question contained what many sena-
tors thought was an unkind and un-
lust reference to Northern women. l
had not read the entire article before
submitting it to the senate. hao
read only the first part, and was
struck by the force of the historical
references quoted in it as. to the cause
of the decay and fall of Rome. l telt
tnat the article was very opportune
lust at this time, and that was why
wanted it given circulation in the
Record and printed as a public DOC
nment On discovering the attitude
Of nv brother senators toward IT,
which I can readily see was natural
if not justifable, I promptly Jolneo
them in requesting that it be expung-
cd from the Record. l wished 10
avoid even the appearance Of harDor-
inc mean thoughts or uncharltaOle
sentiments toward the women OF the
North. Some OF the very finest "o-
men T have ever known were North-
ern women and good women thanA
Cod are not confined to any sectloh
of our great country. They are TO De
found everywhere in the United Stat
&c and they will be the greatest FAC
tors in saving our civilization from
degeneracy and destruction.
The expunging of the article from
the Record did not prevent its reach
ing every part of the United States'
for the copies containing it had Deen
mailed before the action of the senate
ordering it to be expunged and coun-
+oramnding the order for it to be
nrinted as public document nao
been taken.
Comments more or less vitriollc'
and some of them wholly unjust ana
unfair. have come to me through the
mail. 1 have been astounded to see
how much ignorance has been shown
Some of the most scholarly Northern
magazines and periodicals ike Tie III
dependent, whose editors ought to be
ashamed of their ignorance, discuss
"Tne Mission of Woman" as though
it had just appeared, instead OF having
been published forty odd years ago.
l have received a number Of requests
for copies of "The Mission OF Wo-
man." and am sorry that the senate
refused to have it printed as puDllc
document, because the action OF the
senate expunging it from the perma-
nent Record only attracted attention
to it more and caused people to be
curious to see what had stirred up all
the row in Washington.
Further Explanation.
have investigated the matter fully
and feel that in justice both to DR.
BIedsoe and to myself ought to make
a further statement. He was pro
found scholar, a courteous gentleman