The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-09-22
A Voice from Savannah Township.
SAVANNAH TuMNsIIir.

4 voice from SaN2lnan Township.
SAv,SNAH TUwSsmir.
ASpEKsoN CuvH1Y, Sept. 10.
Nix. EDITOR Please. for once, allow
liS through your columns 10 give our
views on the ln,cting of tho farmers Of
Savannah township III reference 10 tho
settlement of their debts. Tho farmers
Of Savannah met. rs was stated by the
Secretary Of the meeting. to consider the
hcH mode Of j,i Yig Mcir drIt, and not 10
consider. - some have enormously con-
strucd, a way 10 keep am paving them.
Sucl an idea WAS tho least of their
thoughts at that time. and hope is yet
bu' some whose minds are very biased
and rl"r ready 10 ini>c0nstruc have gone
so far ~ 10 tlludc To the people OF Savan-
nah township a, KcadjustcrS, Mahoncs
and everything hut honest mcn--a thing
most TOO much to take without express
ing ~umc thought, III vindicaiiOn of their
actions. or sentiments i'll corrObOratiOn of
their intention. The people Of Savan-
nah. aS Z. class, are as honest ~ any pro-
pie. rs willing to pay their debts ~ any
other section and, rs tho first resolution
expresses il, ITO preserve our honor, in.
tcgrty and scli-rcsncct unsullied,' did
they call the meeting for u mutual con
s;dcration ~ 10 LJw To pIy their debts.
Now, Mr.. Editor, laying aside all self
interest conscicntiously, have they not
fallen upon good plan? Should there
he a few more 4 - years, mono of the far
mcr' could ever pay out of debt and
would it be right to pay Mr.. a all this
year and Mr.. B none? Should the far
iners make fine crops and be able 10 pay
the arrcaragc together with next years
debt, there would lie nothing 90 very cul-
pable about ii; but to pay one man all
and another none would he tho most un-
Just thing in the world. This would be
Rcadjnstmcnt sure enough Why waH
the bankrupt law made. II il was not to
secure justice by giving TO each creditor
pro rata share? S0mO nave said that tho
farmers acted rashly; but there was real
~ very littio rashncss about tho matter.
II has been dry III Savannah for the three
past years, and the people have been fall
Ing behind every year to some extent.
Hence, after estimating the cotton crop at
- per cent. and the corn at 81 per cust.
OF an average crop, they caino to the con-
clusion TO pay, in the iairest possible
manner, NIL they could, and not that they
would not pay any, after having asked a
| reduction i'll the price of fertilizers and a
| discount on the merchants profits. IIav-
I ing scanned tho first resolution, we don't
| see anything that would call forth cen
I suro from any fair minded man.
| As for the fifth resolution, we will ad-
| init tha. there is = possibility of its being
4 misintcrprcted as the word same is
1 euuivOca' in tho construction Of tho SEN
( tcncc, but not in the mtentivi The real
| intention Of tho resolution was, should
| there be reduction made by dealers i'll
l fertilizers Il pro rta share, and not tho
I uhoir. Of tho reduction should be given
but fair and hon0rablo-a Sulf.evidcnt
! proof and vindication Of tho justice and
fair dealings of tho people OF Savannah
4 township. Now, if dealing fairly and
| honorGbly with our co!cred friends, tho
! ponnilcss tenant, and all classes be read
y ii N nd "a l,,k
/ havo moro Mahoneism and adjustment,
and all Will prosper in agrcater degree.
4 Tho Necs and Courier, after dwelling
upon the option PLANS advantage to tho
\ farmer, goes on TO say that the farmers
do not divide their profits OH good crops
with dealers i'll fertilizers; they do not
hold meetings and pass resolutions, that
in view of fino crops and high prices, tho
\ farmers shall pay premium over and
4 above tho prico agreed upon in the first
instance: These are not parallel cases.
The dealers hold thcir meeting before
K hand, and sustain no loss, but include
1 their profits in the stipulated price, whilo
the farmers, having no control over the
u seasons a5 tho dealers do over their pur-
chascrs, sustain al the losses. 1t also
\ goes on to say that the merchants and
4 dealers in fertilizers arc rich an,l arc able
to take care of themselves Precisely
so just what wo know. But wlon tho
/ poor farmers of Savannah township pcti-
L ton the merchants anU dealers in fertil-
\ iZerS, in the MOST hum bio terms, for Il re-
duction as great ~ thoir profits will JUS
\ tiiy and as they may bo wi..in', to Mako
thoro comes upa cry of cci!suro from the
-Nc'rS and COuricr--n consuro because Of the
4 peoples being honest we reckon. Con
\ sistency, thou art n jewel" Tho New. and
4 Courier, speaking OF the manufacture of
R fertilizers, says there is no room for re-
1 duction," but still further on in his argu-
III t.st.- =
\ dealers in fertilizers are rich, and can
take care of themselves What OF the
4 Inconsistency We always thought the
rich were tho ones who were able to max O
reductions, and we still think so. Now,
as they arc ablo to take care of them
selvos, and rich, too, thoy must surely
be able to lend helping hand to the
poor, Swho have not said they would not
pny their debts, hut simply asked for /,
reduction in Wow of tho present hard
times and of harder coming. Tho far
mers are ns willing to pay their debts as
any class. and God forbid that they
should entertain any other thought than
that OF honor and integrity. Honor lost
and all is lost with us, for, as n class,
wo are poor. Then let us stand by our
honor and integrity till all elso DO gone.
We do not pretend to exonerate Savan-
nah OF every mean and selfish man; but
we do conscentiously say that she is a
4 respectable township, and that the old,
whose honor cannot be impeachcd, wore
present to give their opinions and add
counsel to the occasion. Thcro is truth
i'll the assertion, n good name is like q
precious jewel, and wo believe tho far
| mers OF this section have recognized it
| ere this, and came out like men and
/ openly ask cd for a reasonable discount in
] order 10 meet their demands; not secretly
4 swearing within themselves that they
would not pay their debts, or that they
would take advantage of the laws, which
| thing would ronder them odious in every
body's eyes, and stigmatizc them with
shame and disgrace. If the farmers OF
\ Savannah township had mado threats
and passed resolutions that they would
| MOI settle np their due,, wo would hnvo
| Joined in the satire hurled at them n few
| days since But rs they have ondcav
ored, in our opinion, to net fairly and
| honorably with al parties, we will never
take stand on tho side of ridiculc, tho
| Ne,ps and Courier and Atlanta Constitution
| to tho contrary Notwithstanding.
| In political view it never foresha-
| d. Xed tho readiuster sentiment, and we
| cannot SEQ how such intentions could bo
| so construed. AS long as the farmers
+, hc:: g.. blame, sustain uii losses ana SUBJ
nit TO all censures, all things go on in
| tho right direction; but let them attempt
| to give their views upon matters, and all
Is wrong. Fellow-friends, always strive
| to be in the right, and then maintain it.
Mr.. Editor, wo believe we have ex-
pressed tho sentiments OF every farmer
in Savannah township in reference to tho
| meeting. We hope those who have been
consuming the people OF savannah will
preserve unsullied their own Iiumes be-
fore again clubbing us with the misnomer
OF Readjusters aud Mahoncs.
Let the Atlanta Constitution take care of
its F'eltonites and Spoaritcs before at
tempting to ridicule the good name OF
SAVANNAH fnNCnShin with AfnhnnniSr,