Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-03-25
TILLMAN and HIS COLLEAGUES
Speech on Being Denied AppfOpria'
iiOnS Craftsmanship.
Mr.. MARTINS CONDUCT DENOUNCED.

Mr.. MARTINS CONDUCT DENOUNCED
Held that Choice of Position Was His
BY Right, and Quoted correspon-
denee With President 70 Prove His
Fitness-Was Not Angry With Hoke
Smith,, Who Was His Friend.
Following is the full text Of the
speech that Senator Tillman made re-
Gently on the report Of the steering
committee Of the Democratic caucus
denying him the craftsmanship Of the
committee on appropriations:
Mr.. Chairman, speaking to the res
olution have Just offered, want to
say this: Nothing that this caucus
can do will affect my personal or po-
litical status, except that 1t may af-
feet my health. A Chinese philoso-
pher once said: "A ducks legs are
short; stork's legs are long! you can
not make a ducks legs longer or a
Is an easy thing to ask a man this
Iquestion, but we all know that men
can not control their brains, and they
will worry in spite Of themselves.
The reasons assigned for the action
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 ardu-
Gus labors Of the committee on appro-
priations are sincere, hope, and rest
on that motive. If did not believe
that this motive governed them. /
would have to believe that ambition
and not the best interests Of the DEM
tocratic party caused their verdict.
TiNman, as chairman Of the COM
mittee on appropriations was the
keystone Of an arch, and 1t 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
1t, and prefer to believe their own
version Of the affair. / recognize that
they are all honorable gentlemen, and
believe not one Of them has any rea-
son other than his own, judgment as to
what Is right and proper to actuate
beings are naturally selfish because
Iunscrupulous and cruel Dealing with
motives is very dangerous anyway.
and I will not pursue that train Of
thought further.
For State Not Self.
Lam 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
ha onparpr,onf snf nm nOn-
mittees has been governed by the rule
Of seniority. 1t Is an unwritten law.
almost a constitutional provision, that
should not be lightly brushed aside.
1t has been observed by the steering
committee in making up its assign
ments In the case of every man, ex-
cept myself. Why this discrimination?
South Carolina has seen fit 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 was reelected against two
strong men by large majority with
making speech. The people have thus
shown their continued love for and
trust In me. My long service and II
I may be permitted to say, my more or
less distinguished service, entities me
to this craftsmanship. Four years long
er 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 I was
still valiantly battling at the front for
the principles and politics outlined In
the Chicago platform Of 1895. I was on
the committee which drafted that plat
form. Bryan was not a member Of 1t
because he was q contesting delegate
and only came into the convention
with q right to speak after the COM
mittee on credentials had declared his
delegation the lawful one. It was late
in the proceedings when the delegation
was seated, and his speech, as well as
one made at the same time, was In
defense Of the platform. The goldbugs
In that convention had packed the gal
leries on purpose to howl me down.
and they did 1t until told them with
all the emphasis which / was capable
Of that there were only three things
which could hiss-a goose, snake and
man. That seemed to quiet them
and they allowed me to go on without
interruption afterwards. I had pre-
dated Bryan in advocacy Of those prin-
ciples, for I made my first speech In
the senate which has been designated
the "Pitchfork speech" in January Of
that year, while Bryan's Gross Of
Gold" speech was not delivered until
| in July.
I was a member Of the committee
on resolutions at the Kansas City con-
vention four years later and read the
platform, as some Of you may remem-
ber. for no one who heard 1t can ever
forget the demonstration which fol-
lowed my defamation Of that plat
form.
Saved the Day.
Four years later at st. Louis, when
Parker's gold telegram threw the
Democratic cohorts into confusion, and
1t seemed that the party was about to
disband in disorder and become mob,
again stepped into the breach and
made the speech which pacified the
delegates. In 1895, 1900 and 1904 l
campaigned for the presidential nomi-
| nees, although had no faith whatever
in Parker's election and knew he would
| be defeated, as he ought to have been.
I was not at the Denver convention
way and I was in Europe. But in my
lectures, which carried me all over
the country and into every state, 1
preached the true gospel and had as
much to do with the success Of what
is now called 'progressiveness," / be-
lieve, as Bryan himself. That term
properly interpreted in its essence is
the Chicago platform and nothing else.
I do not mention this for the pur-
| pose of influencing your action, but
like an old soldier, point to my work
and the wounds I received In battle,
and ask simply for justice. I do not
ask pity or sympathy. / won't have
them. Give me what I am entitled to
and nothing more. Had I not believ-
ed that President Wilson wanted me
to accept the craftsmanship Of the
committee on appropriations would
not have asked for It, but having re-
ceived his letter in answer to mine /
felt it my duty to ask for the place in
order that I might help him, as he
seemed to think could.
In order that you may fully under
stand everything connected with 1t l
| will read the letter / wrote him, and
| then will read his reply:
January 81, 1913.
| Hon. Woodrow Wilson, Trenton, N. j.
| MY Dear Mr.. Wilson: despise the
words president elect and yet think
Of you so much as president to be that
can not bring myself to call you
| dear governor / have been thinking
Iob bo,,t u,rttipoy you for Gonna fina Won