Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-07-10
Sketch Of Senator Tillman's
Early Achievements.
(From The State

convention was IN SESSION., 1HS Wollu
of New York sent its special CORES
pondent, James Creeland to Column
bia. Mr.. Creeland wrote a series OF
articles describing men and condi-
lions here. Senator Tillman had been
elected to the United States senate to
succeed Gen. N. C. Butler, and he
was then a member of the constitu-
tional convention. He had served as
governor for two years, his term of
office having expired in November,
1894. John Gary Evans was governor
at the time of the meeting of the con-
stitutional convention.
The following sketch of Senator
Tillman was written by Mr.. Creeland
who was considered an expert and
impartial newspaper man.
Especial Correspondence Of The
World.)
Columbia, S. C. Oct. 3.-This an
cient and peculiar commonwealth is
at this moment under the domination
of the most notable and eXasperat-
ing leader the South has known since
the war. With one or two exceptions
he is actually debating the terms of
the new constitution to the
ton that has been sitting in the fam
Gus old State house.
Benjamin Ryan Tillman is the alb
solute ruler of the State, overriding
all other authority and trampllng
down friends alike when they oppose
his will.
When Tillman enters the United
States senate next winter that aug
ust body will receive a shock, for
this is no ~sing-songy whiskerado like
Mr.. PETER, but the incarnation of
agricultural socialism armed with
lightning that "a blast and scarify.
There issnot a man on the floor of
the senate today fit to cope with Till
man when his oratorical bowle-knlte
is out. He thinks in pictures and has
a nimble wit. Even the unterrified
John James Ingall would have a hard
time of it with this one-eyed leader of
the agrarian revolution, who has
smashed the saloon power, over
thrown the heirs of the old-time oil
archy of landed proprietors, humbled
the pride of cities and towns and let
loose seas of reckless rhetoric, engulf
ing the traditions of South Carolina
in a flood of Greek, Latin, slang, pro-
family, crankiness and common sense.
He towers up in the South.
The sergeant at arms of the senate
has my sympathy, but the senate it.
self has a stirring experience in store
for it.
Tillmans Die in Their Boots.
The Tillmans of this generation
have mostly died in their boots. One
of the senator's brothers was killed
in the Mexican war, another died
from wounds received in the battle
of Chickamauga and two others were
shot dead in personal encounters. The
whole family is high strung and full
of grit. "Uncle" George Tillman who
served in congress for IA years, was
actually turned out of his seat for
daring to oppose the will of his young
er brother. Today you may see the
two brothers graphing with each
other in this curious convention,
which has met chiefly to provide for
the permanent disfranchisment of the
negro race and to recognize the So
cialistic principle of State ownership
of saloons in the Constitution.
Senator Benjamin Ryan Tillman
was born 4S years ago on his fathers
plantation at Chester, in Edgefield
county, South Carolina. Shortly aft
erwards his father died, and his moth
err, assisted by her elder sons, con
Quoted the hilly cotton farm on the
edge of Chevis Creek. They had a
hundred slaves when the war broke
out. Mrs. Tillman was an intelligent,
not to say brilliant woman, for a
plain planters wife. During the war
young Tillman went to school at Lib
erty Hill, 80 miles from home, under
the tutelage of George Dolphin, a
teacher and linguist of local renown.
The lads thirst for knowledge and
his indomitable will were displayed
in his 18th year. He knew that at 10
he must enter the Confederate army.
His brothers, then serving in the field
wrote back, urging him to get a good
foundation Of knowledge, for the wa
might last so long that he would
never have another opportunity for