The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1914-01-03
Judge J. N. TiIIman for Con-
gresham.

district, Judge n. Tillman OF Fay
etteville is a candidate for the Dem
ocratic nomination for Congress to
succeed Hon. !. {. Floyd, who will
voluntarily retire at the expiration
of bis present term, and it may not
be amiss at this time to refer to
something of his life and career.
In these latter days it seems to be
one of the essentials that a candi-
date for Office should have been a
tpoor boy and have worked himself
up through his own eh'orts-at least
that fact is always paraded before
| the sovereign voter whenever oppor.
tunity offers, although it isnot pla n
Just how that adds anything to the
qualifications for the office he seeks
1t can be truthfully said that
Judge Tillman was reared on a farm
in Washington County; that he sold
cord wood on the streets of Fayette-
vile; that he tramped from house to
house selling blackberries and other
farm produce; that after going
through free school" he entered the
University, and built fires and swept
floors for funds to pay his way.
But he has other qualifications for
Congressman.
After graduating with high stand
ing from the University of Arkansas
he read law, and was later elected
to the State Senate, serving one
term with great credit to his people
and himself. One of his notable
achievements was the passage Of the
seperate coach law, one Of the most
valuable pieces Of legislation ever
enacted in Arkansas,
Mr., Tillman was then elected
Prosecuting Attorney of this dis
trict, and made such an excellent re-
cord in the office that at the end Of
his second term he was reelected,
defeating one of the strongest and
best known lawyers in the district
On the death of Jndge Pittman he
became Circuit Judge, and was later
reelected to to the same position,
Judge Tillman's career on the
bench has few parallels in the his
tory of Arkansas,
He was quick to seize the vital
principles from the entangling and
contradictory maze legal author.
tiles presented by opposing counsel,
His decisions were clear cut, and
based on such discriminating know.
ledge of the law that he was rarely
reversed by the Supreme Court
When he went on the bench the
illicit sale Of liquor had been carried
on in many places in the district TO
such an extent that it had become a
public scandal, Conditions were
particularly bad in Fayetteville, the
home Of the state University
1t was there that the liquor inter
ests were seemingly most strongly
intrenched, So powerful had they
grown that they seemed almost im'
mune from attact, and many office
holders had a wholesome respect for
their political influence, Judge Till.
man at once announced that the
illegal sale Of liquor must stop, and
he began his campaign of law en-
lorcement, not with some humble
boot.legger in a small place, but he
went right after the influential men
who were engaged in the business in
the city OF Fayetteville, his home
town, and he did not stop until it
was practically impossible to buy
liquor anywhere in the district, eS.
ccpt in those places where it was
! legally sold, And that is why you
will not find the boot-leggers aud
and blind tiger men supporting Till
man for Congress
In 1905, while Judge Tillman was
still on the bench, the presidency of
the University became vacant, aud
the Board of Trustees offered him
the position, The action Of the
board came as a surprise 60 BIN,
but he accepted the place, and at
once began 20 devote his indoml'
table energy TO the upbuildrng OF the
institution, When he assumed the
presidency the University had a
large preparatory department, low
entrance requirements and a little
more than 800 collegiate students
When he left It seven years later ia
re'enter the practice OF law the
preparatory department. had beer
abolished, the entrance requirements
raised TO the standard Of other state
universities, and there were 700 spc
cinl and collegiate students In th,
opinion Of those competent 20 judge,
the school had made more progres,
towards becoming real University
in the seven years Of his administro