The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-03
SOUTH cARoLINIAN OBJECTS
TO TILMAN's ADMISSION
Editor Telegram:


Editor Telegram:
In your editorial of Tuesday you
speak of "such a man as Senator Till
man" admitting that it was best for
all that the South was defeated"
Pardon me, .'such man as Senator
TilIman" can be interpreted in more
ways than one.
The anti Tilmanite faction in
South Carolina is as strong today as
ever-Tillman is not the voice of the
old South.
During the war for Constitutional
Liberty. 1854. everything was lost and
destroyed, slaves dwellings, furnish
ings, silver, family portraits, etc., by
the vandalism of war. All save our
heritage of culture. education, and
high ideals which money can not buy
or war defile.
Tillman had nothing to lose. Till
man by sheer nerve, brain force and
executive ability rose from the ranks
to be governor of the proud state of
South Carolina-all honor to his ris-
ing.
Tillman won his vote from the
masses, and infiamed class hatred by
preaching that "the classes were try
ing to hold them down."
Tillman's derisive and original COM
ments certainly fostered that feeling
Of jealousy. The South Carolina mil
iitary Academy-the west Point of
the South" which yearly turns out
hundreds of trained military young
men, was dubbed by him, "the Dude
Factory
A gentleman meeting Tillman said
81 will shake hands with you but
am your enemy politically. my
enemies are sometimes my best
friends" replied the ever ready Till
man.
To return to Tillman's admission.
onca asked my father, ooh! why did
we have a WARP"
1--WE fought for justice, the stateS
rights to secede", he replied.
But could not justice be tempered
with reason?" / asked.
! mo, we fought for principle, he
proudly replied; South Carolinians
do not tamper with principle"
Thus spoke the old South.
We admit that Abraham Lincoln's
death was unfortunate for the South
Had he lived, justice would have been
melted out. Financially we would
have been reimbursed for our slaves,
)sold to us by the Northern markets,
now admittedly curse on our fair
Southland.
But how many "Mammies" and
Daddies" on "the ole plantation" to-
day wish volubly that they still be-
longed to "ole mawsers chillun and
gran -chillun."
The South was never defeated
lnever!-only overcome-the Northern
army having ten men to one, owning
the mint and the navy. The bravery
of the handful of Southern men will
ever be the theme of historians and
bpoets.
One veteran said, I'VE wore our
selves out whipping the Northerners."
jim the fight for state rights, principle
and constitutional liberty.
/ Florida has been the state of my
adoption for the past four years but
as one who bears the name Of the
gallant commander of Fort Sumter,
the historical fort from which was
fred the first shot of the saddest war
in past history. the fort that was never
surrendered, never evacuated during
the war, until the immortal Lee laid
down his arms at Appmatox. AS
one proud of my native states war
record, the war record of the Revolu-
ton, of the Mexican War, of the War
for States Rights, of the present
crisis.
When Governor Manning visited
Camp Moore at Columbia, s. c.,
What can l do for you boys?" he
asked. Let us take the first train
for Mexico, they replied in unison
these grandsons of the Lost Cause,
ready to do and die for their country,
united now, the boys of the Blue and
the Gray in the fight for right.
But let me add, in conclusion, that
Tillman's sentiment is Tillmanite not
that of every or this
SOUTH CARoLINIAN.
Daily Thought.