Evening star., 1918-07-03
Was a Great Reader.

Was Great Reader.
Young Ben Tillman. however. was a
-reat reader. The family took Bon
er's New York Ledger in those days,
snd he and one Of his brothers used
o run down the road three miles to
slowly, one reading and the other
istening to the articles in the paper.
!, When he was thirteen years Of age
isle was sent thirty miles away to
asethany College and received instruc-
tion under the direction of George
Galphin. After remaining there for
two years he was called home to help
his mother in business. Later he re-
turned to school and at the end OF
the year returned home to enter the
army. 1t was about that time he lost
an eye.
Il might have been colonel or
general if l hadn't gone in swim
ming" he once remarked. when tell
ing of that loss. He went in swim
ming in milipond near his home one
water for three hours. On his way
home he felt pain in his eye. Ihe
pain grew worse and finally the eye
burst. He had been suffering from
tbroid tumor and that destroyed
his eye He was Ill for long time
again the war was over.
Became a Farmer.
After recovering he bought plan
tation in Florida and went there TO
him, however, and he returned to
south Caroline. Ills mother gave
each of the children farm and he
became the possessor of 400 acres.
He became a farmer then and nam
tanned that he was farmer through
out his long service in the Senate.
He began to talk Of farm reforms:
In 1885 he attended meeting OF
farmers from all parts Of the state.
He made a speech urging the estab-
university for the teaching Of agri.
cultural and technical pursuits. and
he put his address in plain. blunt
words. 1t attracted attention. He
was attacked for his remarks on that
occasion. and he replied. He finally
rate agricultural and technical col
lege, and his agitation for such an
institution and the fight made on him
drew him into politics. His fight cul-
minated in the establishment OF the
Clemson Agricultural and Mechanical
College at the old home of John {.
Calhoun, Fort Hill.
But the fight for better educational
facilities was only the fuse for a
larger fight. The demand for educa-
FeICffH ihto q
mand for other changes in the state
government and policies. Tillman
took a prominent part in those DIS
cussions as farmer, and in 1880 ne
was put forward by the farmers or
the state as candidate for governor.
The canvass Of the state was exciting
and the rivalry intense, but Mr.. Till
man tucked the democratic nomina-
ton for governor under his arm TO
the tune Of vote of 270 to 80.
Election as Governor.
Mr.. Tillman was elected governor
the following fall, it being his first
political office. He had been urged to
run for the state legislature some
time before. but declined. An over
whelming vote returned him to the
gubernatorial chair in 1892. His term
as governor was marked by the estab-
lishment of another college-the Win
throp Normal and Industrial College
for Women, at Rock Hill. an institu-
ton which the senator has long main
tanned will lead all similar schools in
the south.
Another feature of his state admin
istration was the passage of the law
for the establishment of the dispen-
sary system for the control of the
liquor traffic by the state. Under this
plan the state acts as the merchant
or vender Of the intoxicants.
Soon after he left the state execu-
tive mansion he entered the race for
the United States Senate in opposition
to Gen. Butler. The canvass In that