The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-11-08

humans letter Is so ''Tillmanesque'
that when read 1t yesterday. L hardly
knew whether to laugh or cry; cuss
or pray. 1 expect little of all
Is I'm order.
He hits Blcase with a meat axe,
pitchforks me. ignores Smith and
spits In Simm's face.
L am not going to let myself loose
tn Il can help it, The situation is
too serious for from the way I feel
and he feels, we'd be fighting in a
pair of minutes and let South Caro-
lima go to the devil as we did before.
VIII honestly acknowledge that I
have never bcen able to get entirely
over an early affection for Senator
Tillman. i have said hard things my
self. but / don't like TO hear other
people say one word against him. III
Il had conquered and had him down,
would never have rubbed sand i'm
MS eyes. His letter is distinctly Of
fensive: Johnny Is smart, but he is
bad little boy. he sassed papa. Papa
Is sorry. but come here Johnny. hand
me the brush, now get across my
Knee. papa Is going TO spank you,
but IL Johnny Is good the balance OF
the week. he can go to the movies"
saturday" feel like saying damn" {"
but I'll say Bless the Lord"
That letter discioses why 1 couldn't
set on with Tiliman. why. .Latimer
couldn't and why he and Smith can't
agree. An imperious will that brooks
no 'oppesisen, 4 could get on with him
n )kDffx1 q sAl5 = nd to
take him and myself too seriously. 1
Will say. however, that God never
made man big enoughsto talk down
to Ine. My record in the senate needs
no defence. i have done the pen.
ance" Of the very nearly great man."
who was too far ahead of his time
have suffered the bitter fate that
comes to all advanced thinkers. AT.
ter ''pitchforks" are forgotten and
dung heaps" plowed under, the State
warehouse idea with agricultural pro
ducts as a bankable asset will give
me a place in history. where foul
SANDERS and my own weaknesses are
forgotten. God has been good. / do
not need an office for>ny name to live.
When Cole l.. Blease stood up before
5000 people and said he Is good
man, he would make a good COVER
nor. he has been badly treated by the
scurrillous politicians of South Caro-
lna' he made personal friend that
viii last him after the miserable boot =.
licks and sycophants have turned on
him. like those who used to lick Till
mans hand and at his bidding drove
tho steel into my heart and are now
ready To drive IL into Tillman's for
the favor Of another. Senator Till
man has ser|ed "a great purpose. he
does not need AN office to perpetuatc
his fame. but he Is n man. poor weak
clay. same as /. In us both is that
unpcrishable spark. that after death
has washed the drogs away, will shine
clear and bright. Why should ne still
seek tO dim the lustcr Of my star?
env: him not the faintcst ray of his
own. I rejoice i'm all true greatness.
and sorrow In what is little. for are
We not all MEN.
God must Judge between us and
the balance he strikes shall be for
all eternity. long ago forgave him,
his letter shows he has never been
able to do that.
God does not expect repentance OK
ccpt from the near" great. Life lis
a pose To 90 per cent The world is
"a stage. My sense Of humor saves me
IL made me laugh, To see how utterly
the public miscontrucs the true char
acter of both myself ana Tillman. 1t
Is the joke of the century.
Tillman's pose from the beginning
has been bluff brutal hunesty. pitch
fork Ben" Give EN- hcll ana rub
II in" lie overplaycd his hand n lit
tie. Down underneath lives I'm. most
sstute player of the political game
that ever dealt "a card The only man
without college training that ever
knew with classical education. Tn
der that rOughncss. exquisite ntcrar,
tastes. a giant mind that has read.
digested and assimilatcd the wisdom
OF all the ages. aud applied II to- prac.
teal politics. Beneath blustcr is the
subtle genius OF n Tallyrand, he has
made every man In South Carolina