The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-08-27
TILLMAN'S SPEECH.
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negroes. The States colleges and
universities Of the South, maintained
by taxation, were controlled by trus-
tees elected by the negro Leglsla-
lures. Carpet haggers, scalawags,
and negroes were among these trus-
tees, and Dr.. Bledsoe and other
Southerners like him were ready to
cry out: "Icabod, thy glory has de-
parted forever"
At the thought Of women any
where, especially OF the South, en-
tering this monstrous and filthy
arena, DR.. Bledsoe's chivalrous, SEN
sitive spirit recoiled with horror. He
pointed to the women of the North
not for what they we're, but for what
they might become, and would be-
come, and would become if they per-
sisted in their determination to aban-
don the sphere in which God had
placed them. He lifted the kindly
finger Of warning; he drew the
knightly sword OF protection; he did
not level the brutal pike Of censure
and condemnation. His scholarly
mind appreciated the cause Of the
rottenness of imperial Rome, and be-
lieving that history repeats itself, he
trembied for his country. I know
from experience how hard it is for
old men to adopt new notions, to
accept new ideals. Visions are Tor
young men; old men must dream
dreams, and cling to their tradi-
tions. They dislike to be rudely
awakened, and are ever holding back
against innovations and changes. The
world moves forwards, ever forward,
because the young men will seek to
progress. 1t Is the ideal civilization or
condition in society when the two
forces are equalized, and the young
and progressive visionaries are coun-
selled and directed and held back by
the wisdom Of their seniors. Old
men see the world rushing along
pell-mell, helter-skelter, going to the
devil, so to speak, we mourn In spirit.
"The old order changeth, yielding
place to the new" and the transitions
are 80 startling that they hurt US
cruelty.
Tackles Suffrage Issue.
am led to make a few remarks
on woman suffrage, although 1t is e
dangerous topic to handle just at this
time. I flatter myself, however, that
my well-known reverence for good
women will shield me from being
misunderstood. The idea is fast be-
coming a practical issue, and Sena-
tors will realize the Importance OF
tour obtaining as much accurate in
formation in regard to it as the ma
ture Of the subject will permit. Much
value data could be obtained In
States where the experiment Is now
being tried. Vital statistics should
by all means be gathered in those
States where woman suffrage already
obtains. We ought to have records
made Of the birth rate, death rate,
divorces and other things affecting
the everyday social life Of the peo-
pie, which would in hundred years,
say, show US whether female suf-
frage has affected these things inju-
riously or not.
In Rome, when the manner and
customs with regard to women began
to change and they were given more
privileges than they had ever enjoy
ed before, divorces were so largely
increased that free love became the
rule-the birth rate correspondingly
decreased, at Lecky's History shows.
Now it is a beautiful dream that fe-
male suffrage will purify politics, be-
cause our ideals of women are so
high, and we regard them 80 abso-
lutely as the sources Of goodness and
purity, that we can not conceive OF
their not elevating and helping any
thing they touch. But the vital and
important thing for us to consider is
the effect on women themselves. We
had better endure the evils OF cor
ruption in politics and debauchery in
our government rather than bring
about q condition which will mar the
beauty and dim the luster Of the glo-
rious womanhood with which we
have become accustomed all Of our
lives. We can better afford to have
degraded and corrupt politics than
degraded and bad women. To have
both in ever-increasing degree, as
was in case in Rome, would make
the world so unspeakebly horrible,
as well as so corrupt, that good men
and women both would disappear
from the face of the earth, and civil
ization would be blotted out like 1t
| was in the dark ages after the fall OF
Rome. Indeed, an so thoroughly a
convert to the belief that you
can not touch pitch without being de-
fled" that I shudder to think Of the
consequences to the womanhood OF
| America should suffrage become uni
versal taking in both sexes and all
races. Yet the experiment is going
to be tried, I fear.
The Ballot Privilege.
I know the the demand for suf-
frage on the part Of women is grow
ing too fast for old fogies like me to
stop it. except possibly in the South
and New England, where conserva-
tism is more strongly intrenched
than anywhere else in this country.
I believe religiously that whatever
the women ask for the men will give
them, even though it be to their ulti-
mate injury; and the country will
have to test and be tested along these
lines in spite of all the theories and
ideals which have governed US here