Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-03-08
TILLMAN IS A CANDIDATE
LOnq Service In the Senate Entities
Him to More.
CHANGED CONDITION CHANGED Mind
Senior Senator Does the Expected
Claims that Because of the War and
His knowledge and Experience He
is in Better Position to Serve Than a
New Man Would Be.

| TNHO"lSSSS o'e .NfS''~~~ 49,
is in Better Position to Serve Than a
New Man Would Be.
] Following is Senator Tillman's ad-
dress TO the voters OF the state an
lnouncing his candidacy:
Il hereby announce my candidacy
for the United States senate 10 sue
lceed~mySelf.
Just before the primary in 1911 /
Iannounced that | would not again be
La candidate, stating, 1 shall not try
to succeed myself. At that time.
while there WAS war in Europe. the
United States had not entered the
conflict and no onc-ccrtainly not
President Wilsun-eXpccted us 10 en-
tier il. Most assuredly, the nation did
not wish 10 mix In this great world
conflict. For Il while Germany pre-
tended to respect our neutrality. She
made fair promises about not sinking
lour ships, but all the while she was
blending all oI her energies 10 Dullu
La fleet OF submarines. When she was
ready she mapped off great areas Of
the ocean which from the beginning
uf the world had been free 10 all
people, and notified the nations that
she would, without warning. sink IN!
shin that dared to enter these areas.
In pursuance of this threat she pro-
lCrcdcd 10 sink our ships, causing the
death vi hundreds vi innocent men,
" omen and chidrcn-citizcns Of the
| United States. In sell respect, We
were forced to enter the war: ana we
ARE in that war to the finish unless
we are To belle all our traditions and
lose all of the rights, liberties and IN
hcritrd privileges bcqucathcd to us by
lUur fOrciathcrs.
Everything has been changed by
luur entry into the war. The life or
the Individual is no longer his own.
II belongs 10 the nation: and every
man ought to be guided by that con-
ISiduratiun alonc-a sense OF duty 10
his country. How can | best serve
my country is the only question pa
triots are asking themselves.
considering my own case. the con-
lclusion | have reached Is that | can
best serve my country by continu-
ing in the senate. Having determined
that il is my duty, | will not bc de-
Itrrrcd from asking for reelection be-
cause of statement | made in 1911
lundcr entirely different circumstances.
In reaching this conclusion | have
NATURALLY been influenced in great
lmcasuresN by the hundreds OF letters
from patriotic citizens in every Sec
ton of the state. who have urged
upon me the view that having given
To me every office To which ! have as
pircL il would be base ingratitudc on
my part if ! should retire in this crisis
when they believe II TO be my duty
TO ask for reelection.
Years of Service.
IL know that % years OF service
here the best Of which | was capable
have given me Il position which no
new man, however brilliant he may
he, could hope TO attain. Since the
Democrats took charge OF the govern
mcnt, | have been chairman OF the
lcommittce on naval affairs. My best
efforts have been given to the crca-
ton of u great navy: and for the
nayy's readiness to effectively CO.
operate with the allies and the sue
1ccss It mas met n c6fblhg the I1boat
menace, | can justly claim much cred
ii. | know that my intimate knowl-
edge of naval affairs resulting from
lmy long service, enables mc now to
he of real service TO my govern
lmcnt II retire the Craftsmanship oi
the committee ON naval affairs is lost
TO the state.
Every day scores Of letters come
to me from soldiers and sailors and
service and for advice. ] know that
lmy intimate acquaintance with de-
lpartmcntal officials makes II possible
| for me to be of service to them. My
dealings with government officials
have given me their respect and
friendship My principle has always
been to ask for South Carolina only
what she was entitled to. Having
asked for something have always
fought until | got it if it were pos
Siblc TO get ii ut all.
in view OF my conviction that /
am now better able than ever before
to serve the nation and my state, If
II retire because OF the statement
made in 1914, ii would be an act OF
lcowardice. n disregard OF the best in
tcrcsts of South Carolina. and an in
Justice to our boys who have offered
their lives in defense OF their coun-
Try. | have everything to lose and
nothing to gain by Offering for re-
election. | would be safely out of the
troubled waters Of politics in which
Ii have been swimming since 1885,
but would feel somewhat like Il
dcsrrtcr in the face Of the enemy.
i Two Rocks for One.
When | first came TO Washington,
scctionalism was violence and ] was
forced TO listen TO false and insulting
accusations against the south and Its
people. The Democrats had decided
il was wisest to say nothing. | thank
God | never followed this course. but
from the beginning protested vigor-
: Iously with my brother Democrats
lagainst such craveness. When any one
threw a rock at the south, ] was al
ways ready TO throw two back. In
: decd | have been told by competent
Judges. and | believe 1t to be true
that my speeches in the senate and
my lectures throughout the north have
done more 10 enlighten the northern
people on the race question than al
other instruments combined.
; have labored consistently for the
greater development and use of the
Charleston navy yard and am indi-
vidually responsible for its establish
men. The clothing factory at that
| yard Is a concrete example of one oi
its benefits.
1T was largely due to my efforts
that congress enacted the railroad
: rates hill which gave to the country
5 fair railway rates and to the farmers
: much relief from the burdens the!
were then bearing.
"The exposure OF frauds and robbers
Vi lHe w th'
armor plate manufacturers was among
my first important acts as senator.
Time after time l offered amend
ments to the naval appropriation bills
authorizing the government to build
its own armor plate factor. Each ol
these was defeated, but | have lived
long enough to see the enactment oi
: my original proposition authorizing the
erection of a plant by the government
and that plant is now actually under
. construction at Charleston. W. Va.
= 81 have lived to see most OF the
2 financial legislation which | always
2 advocated enacted into law. The ma
: tional reserve bank act and the farm
? ers' loan act, enabling the farmers tc
get money at low rates OF interest. are
, among the things | helped to secure
= Both Of these were long cherished
: dreams of the farmers alliance ant
their germs may be found in the 'Ocala
l demands
2 "One of the things of which / an
2 most proud was that l compelled
recognition of South Carolina's claim
against the Federal government fol
} money loaned by the state in the wal
Iof 1919 Ry this 1856 600 the states