The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-08-26
T|LLMAN ISSUES FAREWELL LETTER

/ HklWLll llIlLK
will be fewer and will be more quick
ly mended than will be the errors of
any one class, be it ever SO enlight-
ened. believe this so religiously
that l would rather have bal gov
ernor or bad senator elected by all
the people than good one elected
by any one class. The whole people
correct their blunders; the rule OF
class tends to the growth and per-
faith that all the people OF South
Carolina are going to stamp out
Bleaseism sooner or later. The
strongest Bleaseites will be leaders as
soon as they are convinced that they
have made a mistake. If did not
believe this, would lose all faith in
self-government.
"Jefferson's slogan was, Teach the
people and trust the people,. To this
principle all patriots will give cred
ence, and all Democrats will gladly
obey. When the demagogue comes
along and blinds the people by the
glamor Of his arts and instills devil
try and poison into their minds, good
citizens must not despair. but dedou-
Bile their Efforts for the truth Is
more powerful than falsehood and
must prevail in the long run.
Again I reafiirm my faith In the
people. The battle between privilege
and freedom, between quality and
favorltism, is worldwide. and ages
old. 1t has brought the cataclysm
which we are witnessing in Europe
today. The people OF that continent
ara struggling to free themselves
from the slackles of autocracy, and
the divine right of kings. 1t Is a
| battle between autocracy and repub-
| licanism. The contest in South Car
olina in 1890 was to overthrow an
| aristocracy which had come down 20
us from colonial days.
The Real Revolt.
| 1T was a real revolution, in which
families were divided, father against
son, and brother against brother,
showing that principle and principle
alone, moved the people to action. 1t
was my high privilege to lead that
movement which emancipated South
Carolinians from the thraldom of
an oligarChy which had ruled the
State for century.
| That was my greatest work.
| taught South Carolinians to know
their rights and hod to obtain these
J rights. and the State has made mar
| velous progress in every way. In edu-
cation, in some of It's aspects. it has
progressed more than any Of its sis
ter States; for We have Clemson and
Winthrop as model schools, the best
OF their kind, and. If there were less
selfishness and more public spirit
throughout the State. the lamentable
Ignorance now existing In some sec.
tions would soon disappear. But our
common schools In many counties are
sadly deficient, and must be Inn.
proved. A democracy without ade.
quate means for educating It's citizens
Is bound to be shipwrecked. We car
not afford to let our children grow ur
like weeds. II we do. ignorance will
choke out all that is best in our peo,
pie and destroy our civilization. The
State in self-defense, II for no highe,
reason, Will. somehow or other have
to see to It that all tn white children
get at least the rudiments Of an edu.
cation. Compulsory education is &
big question, and l have never here.
tofore favored it, but acute disease,
demand drastic remedies, and II 6
statute can be framed that will force
the white children into school and a,
the same time give the blacks onl,
the kind Of training-manual and in.
dustrial--which they can assimilate
1t ought to be done. Effective compul.
sorry education will require a grea,
deal of money, but II we are not Will.
Ing to spend money for our children
God pity us. Whether a general law
or local option by counties Is the best
is matter Of opinion and will have
to be threshed out by the legislature
Their Mistake,
THE people two years ago elected
man governor who has run amuck
as 1t were. and displayed SO little
realization OF his high opportunities
that 1t makes me sad and angry te
be told, as I have been more thar
once that Tillmanism is the direct
cause of Bleaseism. All thoughtfu
and intelligent men know that thi,
Is only half truth, and half truths
are the worst sort of lies. Tillman
ism taught the people that they could
whip and destroy special privilege
with tho ballot. That was gooc
thing. all must admit Now. Is TIL.
manism to blame because the people
have used that same ballot witt
which to elevate a demagogue? Yes
! taught the people that they haC
a right to govern South Carolina anf
| proclaim the principle anew. They
do have the right even If they elect
a hundred Bleases. Teach the pco.
pl and trust the people We VIII
In the end, have better government,
at the hands Of all the people than
| we would have II any ono clase rnIod