The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-01-13


What otIier Interpretation can be put
on their actions? We feel and know
that the interests Of the farmers have
received little or no attention at the
hands of the Legislature, and it might
be sad that too many of the farmers
sent there, have been either traitors
towards, or fools I cannot think, ]
am unwilling to believe, that this
charge would lie against many, but
Evil is wrought by want of thought,
As well rs want Of heart
and they have been duped OF lacking
a leader to organize them, have been
unable to accomplish anything. Eve,
ry year we have had a majority in one
CT both houses, bat they were elected
on personal issues and many felt at
liberty to continue their electionaer.
ing at the capital. They have subcr.
dlnated their duty to their constituents
to what they thought their duty t.
themselves, if indeed they ever
thought of their constituents at ALL ex-
cept to take care to vote against some
measure that would enable them to
claim that they tried to keep down
taxes. \ few have obtained the Gov
eted preferment; they have got their
thirty pieces of silver" and it should
be the study of our lives to make
these men go out and hang themselves.
But as that would suppose con-
science on their part, we can only
hope to punish them by sending them
back to their farms, to toll and sweat
for their living as we have to do, while
we try to find worthier servants, who
will remember our interests while
looking after their own. And now, in
the slang phrase of the day: What
are you going to do about it ?" Will
you bestir yourselves and organize
and call upon your brother farmers in
all the counties in the State to do like
wise? VIII you cease to stole your
sock and pumpkin awhile, and to at
tend to your duties as intelligent citi-
zens? Will you take the time once a
month, no matter low busy, or what
the temptation to remain at home, 10
attend a meeting of your agricultural
society, and devote twelve days in the
year to learning or teaching the du-
ties of citizenship and improved meth
DDS of agriculture?
To whom much is given, much is
expected. Those of us who are COM
petent to advise and teach onr less for
t1nate bretl:e ;, cannot escape the con-
sequences Of not doing So lgnoran.
voters are the natural prey Of dema-
gogues and their votes count the
same as those of intelligent men, And
so in the race fer wealth. If our masses
are ignorant ofhow to farm proitably,
if even college graduates are thus ig
norant, as know many of them to be,
it will not do to argue Il can man
age my own affairs and every other
man must take care Of himself. No
agricultural community was ever pros
porous or had its lands increase in val
ue, unless there was something like
general prosperity. It is surplus
money, seeking investment, which en-
hauces values, and if we farm 50 as
not to have any Surplus, vt!u2s viii
never rise; while if q neighboruood or
township has a surplus and other re-
gions near are not similarly situated,
its lands viii not appreciate to the ex.
tent they ought, because no man will
buy lands at $50 per acre, wben ;a1d
just as good can be lad a few miles off
at SO. You alircmembcr Aesop's IA
bic of the Belly and the members; and
you all know a wound on the foot viii,
affect the head, and often throw the
whole body into y fever; and SO with
a commonwealth; your township cen
not prosper unless your county pros
rera, and Your county cannot prosper
unless your State prospers, and the
man who thinks he Can paddle his
own canoe thr, III tbs worl,l Without
assisting or being assisted ~ Others,
is as silly as the ostrich, which hides
his head in the sand on tic approach
Of danger and imagines It's body is
safe, although not concealsti. Ard
that is just what we farmers have been
doing. Each man among us has with
drawn himself from lis fellows, and
stliyen with llis;:t and m..ilj, t, be; ter
lIis in:iivillxl fortunes We have
utilized none of the common ,.nl re-
.ognize.l modes of advancing or agri-
,nliur,l Interests ION" n,cl s,llv the
world o5cr, sna.i as fairs, agricultural
societies., farmers ini' til IS. etc, c, n
.quently we are sta,nate |, AMI III
many parts OF the Stale The asricultur-
Il interests are steadily decaying,
while like patient ass, we stagger
.long under the burders haaped upon
Is, by Others, because OF our ignorance
.nl apathy. Sixty thousand men
Working together would surely hold
heir own against twenty thousand,
,ut twenty thousand are too much for
,ne, or even a hundred
There must be concert of action,