Section II

        The older Howells were not much given to Politics.  They were too outspoken

and uncompromising in their views.  They were leaders of men, but not the seekers

of their neighbors' votes.  They maintained their leadership by force of character

and generally had much to do with the choosing of other men as officials, never

seeking public favor for themselves.  Later my father, Madison Peyton Howell, was

a successful politician, a leader in 1876; yet he with all his popularity, rarely

sought office for himself.  He was State Senator from Colleton County in the late

80's, but was swept out of office by the Tillman Reform movement, because he

would not bow his knee to Tillman.  He was regarded by Tillmanites as too

conservative and too close to the aristocrats of Colleton though he did not claim

to be one.  If he had joined the Tillman movement there is no telling how far he

would have advanced politically.  Probably, with his ability and acumen, he would

have been a United States Senator or a high court judge.  Little things thus largely

influence a man's career.

        Maj. Howell, true to his Howell heritage, stood firm against Tilimanism.  He

gave up his power to get votes, but retained the love and respect of his countrymen

personally. . Tillman hated the artisocratic ruling class then in power in South

Carolina.  He especially hated lawyers, and was even an enemy of The Citadel,

South Carolina Military College, which might have become West Point.  He called

it the "Due Factory", and to destroy it with Clemson.
        
        The Tillman movement was based on sheer prejudice and class hatred as

Major Howell knew.  Farmers and laborers were arrayed against lawyers, merchants

and business men and were taught to regard them (especially officials) as natural

enemies.  Tillman was a "rabble raiser".  He called the farmers the "Wool hat

boys" and the "one gallus men".  The class prejudice became so extreme that the

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Madison Peyton Howell, Jr. Electronic Book
Colleton County SCGenWeb