The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-09-14
LABOR REFORM ASSOCIATION.
Their Objects and PrineiPies-T1c Good
-, Already iAcsenpltahed.
P41BFzELDs, s. o., aug. 80, 1876.

s5sssssed sresSSsAal lsttssyfS :fah citizens os
Andersen, requesting Information re-
spccti 'g AntiCotton Shop aud Labor
Reform Associations, their objects. their
| effects, AID chiefly the "motles of organi-
zation." Through your courtesy we ilDpe
TO answer all these correspondents in one
letter.
Yo", sometime ago in very compre-
hcnsive editorial, presented the princi-
pies and purposes OF the Association in
very lucid manner.
Quite recently you published the Con-
stitution Of Central Association in con-
nection with short letter fron. your very
able correspondent. Col. Warren d.
Wilkes.
This Association had it's origin in n
conscious necessity. Owing TO the imbe-
cility Of the government, farmers and
business men generally received no pro-
lection. Labor had become unreliable.
generally pcrvaded by spirit Of insubor-
dination, and very decided and general
reluctance to submit to rightfrl authority.
Ignorance and Incidence were seeking to
dictate modes Of culture, terms of labor
and modes Of traffic.
The traffic in farm products, especially
Of seed cotton, had we'll nigh ruined the
farming interest In some Of the most pro-
ductivc sections Of the country.
There were found white men who, i'm
their haste to get rich, threw aside every
patriotic impulse and every honcst prin.
ciple, and who did not hesitate to spend
the night i'll receiving bags of cotton,
corn and peas from laborcrs, which they
knew were stolen from the employer.
This villainous practices only increased
the decentralization which an imbecilc
and liccntious government created and
fostered.
Employers and Industrious laborers
finding themselves completely at the
mercy of the depravcd and lawless, saw
that their only safety w,is in thorough
and general union"
Besides all this, the assessment of the
active capital employed Ill production
vas virtually taken from the proprietor
and given To the corrupt government
official; this assessment was generally
most unreasonable, and, in many in
stances, most malicious and oppressive; !;
and lpon this assessment was levied
rate Of taxation, which is continually
suggesting the queat;on whether our civil
izatiou is worth in dollars aud cents the
price we are paying for it. If govern
mant costs more than an industrious and
economical people can possibly earn, is it
reasonable for the people to begin to
demand that we should seek to establish
u government in South Carolina that
shall be recommended to all producers:
/. by ita cheapuess.
g. BY its honesty.
8. BY its strength.
In South Carolina most especially do
we need government in which these
qualities abound Reorganization" was
effceied upon the following principles
i. The aba;ement &C :he Illicit traffic
in seed cotton aud other farm products.
2. The control, productiveness and in
creased remuneration of labor.
3. The lcssening the intolerable bur-
dens of taxation.
To give energy and force to these prin-
ciples, the members voluntarily made
certain pledges, the chief of which are az
| follows:
l. That wc will not engage in the
traffic OF seed cotton and other farm pro-
ducts ourselves or permit others to do it.
except under such restrictions as the ex.
ecutive committee may impnse,
2. We will not employ any laborer un'
less he has a certificate of discharge from
the other party, from legally consti
thted court or from the executive com
mittee of some sub.association. 49,,
3. We will report any Aagrant act o
injustice in the assessment of property oi
in she disbursement Of The public funds
| Yon see that we rely., frst. upon wha.
eyer power thure u,sy bs III the admins
tratlon Of the law !. for in the constitu
| tion provision is made for public prose
cu.ions against those who uphold public
nuisances. I'VE rely mainly, however
upon the united forcs of strong, health,
organized public sentiment directes
| against these great evils.
! Any lahorer who may be convicted O
theft, or at5on, or wiilful irsubordina
ton, is dismissed from employment ant
branded; any, employer who may cheat
or defraud, or oppress q laburer, is OK
PEELED and branded; any official VIII,
may be convicted in tho thought Of hi
fellow citizens os seeking to act dishon
estly or contrary to the inicFesss of tn
people, Is marked with q brand us dis
graceful and disgustfal rs that whicl
dod placed upon Cain.
These associations have produced al
). effect in Laurens County almost magical
They have broken up the organization
of the "Rogues," which existed in ever
neighborhood; they have made employ
| ers more careful aud correct in their ac
counts, and more reasonable anu h.s;;:::.,an
in their discipline; they have mad
laborers MIRO steady and constant an
, faithful in their work and they hav
, made officials more polite and respectful
and obligiDg; they have destroyed th