The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-08-20
TLLMAN'S FAREWELL
BIDS PEOPLE BEWARE
Announcing His Retirement With End OF Present
Senatorial Term, He Urges That Voters
Cast Their Ballots Against Blease

WASHINGTON, Aug. 14.-Senator b.
r. Tillman, today announcing that
he would not again become a candl-
date for the senate. gave out the fol-
lowing signed statement:
Fellow Citizens:
81 was 67 years old the l1th day
of August and felt like sending all OF
you a greeting. l served you as gov
ernor four years and have been your
senator in Washington 20 years.
When my term expires March a.,
1919, if 1 live, so long, 1 shall have
held the highest Office in your gift for
2s wears An old man desires to
thank you for your generous support
all this long while. May he not, With
out boasting, but in sincerity and
earnestness, say that he has done his
very best for both South Carolina
and the nation? Constituted as l
am. I could not have done otherwise.
One of the first lessons my good and
noble mother taught me was, II
thing is worth doing at all, 1t is
worth doing we'll While l was gov
ernor, therefore, l was governor as
every one in South Carolina knows,
not of the Tillmanites alone, but or
all the people. And since l have
been senator l have tried to be as
good a senator as there was in Wash
ington.
A Large Figure.
"Since August, 1885, when l made
my first speech at Bennettsvllie, l
have been one of the most prominent
figures, and since 1890 the most pow
erful political factor in South Caro-
lima. From the very start Won the
love and confidence of large major
ity of my fellow citizens and it was
because of the genuineness of my De-
mocracy that I was so hated and bit
terly opposed. Many good men be-
lieyed that l was an office seeking
demagogue and could find no Ian
guage strong enough to express their
hatred and contempt.
1.-TWO years ago when test OF my
patriotism came, I demonstrated to
those who had always opposed me
that was not the selfis- politician
they had judged me to be. No one
knew better than l. the risk 1 ran IN
making the Ferguson letter public l
knew it jeopardized my reelection
but 1 would rather have been beaten
than to have remained silent. My
frankness, straightforward openness
Of speech and honesty of purpose
I despise hypocrisy above all other
yices-have thrown me into many
q briar patch when a more cautious
man would have avoided, but l never
have lost sight of the ideals which
opened before me at Bennettsvllle
and the welfare and uplift OF the
masses have always been the guiding
star which led me on. Your falth'
fellow citizens, sustained me, and l
greet you in this farewell address
with affection and confidence.
This is my goodbye to public Of
6ce T shall not be a candidate
again. Two years ago when l asked
you to reflect me that I might die
in harness / fully expected to ole
very soon; but the good Lord has
seen fit to prolong my life and by
teaching me to live nationally mas
enabled me to regain some degree
of health. Should 1 live to the END
of my term, I shall be u years OF
age and I now serve notice upon all
who are interested that I shall not
try to succeed myself. If l live until
March 4, 1919, shall die out of and
not in harness, as 1 have always
wanted to, but shall not worry.
Death awaits US all and is inevitable.
i 90 the way Of all my fathers, and
/ try to say in all humility and sin
cerity, Lord, Thy will be done
Hopes for Best.
-Four four years at least many
men in South Carolina have had
their eyes on the seat held. This
is natural because Of my illness and
the expectation of my early death.
There has been some discussion OF
it in the newspapers, which was to
be expected. How curious, fantastlc
and cruel is human selishness; but
withall how natural a thing it is. 1t
is the only element of human nature
which is universal. l do not COM
plain at it, and l earnestly hope that
the man who is chosen will serve the
people as faithfully as l have. You
NAV find a man with more ability
than 1 possess; you cannot find one
who will bring to his work greater
I @f