Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-11-12
McLAURrN COMES BACK AT BEN.
Not Sure Whether to Curse or Pray,
Shouts "Bless the Lord"

I1llman s letter Is so 'I1llmaneSQu9'
that, when l read it yesterday, 1
hardly knew whether to laugh or
cry, cuss or pray. | expect q little of
all is in order.
He hits Blease with meat axe,
pitchforks me, ignores Smith and
spits in Simmss face.
| am not gong t. iet myself loose
cir l can help iD. The situation is
too serious, for, from the way / feel
and he feels, we'd be fighting in
pair Of minutes and let South Caro-
lima go to the devil, as we did before.
| will honestly acknowledge that |
have never been able to get entirely
over an early affection for Senator
Tillman. | have said hard things
myself, but | don't like to hear other
people say one word against him. If
| had conquered and had him down,
| would never have rubbed sand in
his eyes. His letter is distinctly Of
fensive: johnny is smart, but he
is a bad little boy; he sassed papa.
Papa is sorry, but come here, john
ny, and hand me the brush. Now
get across my knee; papa is going
to spank you. But if 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 discloses why | could
not get on with Tillman, why Lati-
mer couldn't, and why he and Smith
can't agree-an imperiOus will that
brooks no opposition. | could get on
with him now; I'd laugh at him. |
used to take him and myself too Sc
riously. ! will say, however that
God never made a man big enough
to talk down to me. My record in
the Senate needs no defense. | have
done the "pennance' Of the every
nearly great man." who was too far
ahead Of his time; | have suffered
! the bitter fate that comes to all ad-
! vanced thinkers. After "pitchforks"
are forgotten and dung heaps
plowed under, the State warehouse
| idea, with agricultural products as
| a bankable asset, will give me a
place in history, where foul sland-
ers and my own weaknesses are for
gotten. God has been good. [ do
not need an office for my name to
live. When Cole l.. Biease stood up
before 5000 people and said, "He is
a pOnH hn
Governor; he has bee badly rr.ai-
ed by the scurrillous politicians o.
South Carolina" he made a personal
friend that will last nlW artnr the
miserable bootlicks and sycophants
have turned on him, like those who
used to lick Tiiiman's hand and at
| his bidding drove the steel into my
| heart, and are now ready to drive it
into Tillman's, for the favor of ano-
ther. Senator Tillman has served a
great purpose; he does not need an
Office to perpetuate his fame, but he
is man--poor, weak clay, the same
| as |. In us both is that unperisha-
bic spark which, after death has
washed the dross away, will shine
clear and bright. Why should he
still seek to dim the lustre Of my
| star? / envy him not the faintest
ray Of his own. | rejoice in all true
greatness, and sorrow in what is lit
| tie, 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
except from the near" great; life
is pose to 80 per cent. The world
me. 1t made me laugh to see how
utterly the public misconstrues the
| true character Of both myself and
Tillman. 1t is the joke of the CEN
| tury.
Tillman's pose from the beginning
has been bluff brutal honesty
''Pitchfork Ben"-"Give 'em hell and
rub it I'M" lie overplayed his hand
little. Down underneath lives the
most astute player Of the political
game that ever dealt a card-the
only man without college training
that ever knew with a classical edu-
cation. Under that roughness there
are exquisite literary tastes, a giant
mind that has read, digested and as
simulated the wisdom of all the ages,
and applied it to practical politics.
Beneath buster is the subtle genius