The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-05-05
THE FARMERS In COUNCIL,
PROCEEDINGS OF THE STATE CONyEN.
TION IN COLUMBIA

a
the Counties Represented Proceedings
I'm Detail.
Pursuant to the call heretofore mb
lished, the State Convention of Farmers
met III Agricultural Hall, Columbia, Oh
the Goth ult. Promptly at IL o'clock the
Convention was called to order by Capt.
Is. IL. Tillman, Of Edgeficld, who pro-
ceedcd to deliver an address in substance
rs follows:
If were much III love with myself,
this manifestation of approval you have
just given me might turn my head and
make me ogotistical. | hope to prove
before conclude what ] have to say that,
whilo am man who cntcrtains positive
opinions and am not afraid to cxpress
them llnequivocally when occasion dc
mands, yet still L know who l am and
what L am. L have been asked to call
tins convention to order, and state my
views as to the objects to be gained and
the proper mode of proceeding to attain
what we have IN view. In some respects
am thus placed in peculiar and en-
barrassing situation. There seems to be
current opinion that am dynamitcr.
communist, who stands ready to sub
vert society and overthrow the Demo-
cratic party. The newspapers and the
politicians have striven hard to thus pic
ture mo in the mind of the public. I
have been christencd the "NIoses," and
the name has stuck and will continue to
stick. The application was first applied
to me i'll dcrision by Colonel ID. p. Dun
can, and it was taken up by the ncwspa-
pers, and has constantly been connected
with me and the movement which I
claim the honor of having originated.
But i am not ashamed to bear the name.
My friends even call me Moses J. hope
sincerely that / may, if even in the very
smallest degree, resemble the great law
giver and leader of the Egyptians; and if
L shall be able, like him, to benefit my
peoplc-thc whole people of the State
without regard to any one class-I will
feel that have accomplished my highest
object. This is my mission, and has
been since, at Bcnnettsvillc last August,
l started this movement. Selfish, little
men--politicians and cditors-havc i'm
pair my influence and bring me into bad
odor. l shall nevertheless continue to
move onward till | reach my goal You
must reform the farming before you can
reform the farmers. There must be
among us more thought, more brain
phosphates. This agitation has already
broadcncd into formidable proportions;
it is now grand reform movement
which will and must triumph over all
obstacles The cry is ever heard thut if
we are not very careful how we proceed
We will injure the Democratic party and
divide our people. No man man in
South Carolina is trucr Democrat than
am, but if necessary | would not finch
even if our grand reform movement
should go into politics and rcctify the
abuses i'll the Democratic camp and wash
its dirty linen.
1t was feared that l would be very
violent and communistic and advocate
the rending asunder of all prevailing in
stitutions, but all have to say is, that if
every man i'll this convention is as con
scrvativc rs [ am, no class Of our citizens
will have any cause to complain of the
action of this body.
He had somewhere seen cartoon
which had amused him much, and which
had impressed on him an important les
son regarding the attitude of the Office
holders and rulers Of the party toward
this farmers movement. 1t represented
q large enclosure of glass, in which there
were number of rats, each enjoying q
piece of cheese. On the outside was Il
cat endcavoring to get in, and mad at
the failure Of her efforts to effect an en-
trance, Beneath the picture the legend
ran, "You Can't Get IN" There were
hungry political cats in South Carolina
who were mad because they could not
get into tho Farmers Convention, but
the farmers were inside just now; for
once they held the keys, and they in
tended TO stay in, and rs they were in
they had better take nibblc at the
cheese, just to see how it tastes.
The farmers had been 50 long accus-
toned to the condition of dependence
and vassalage to the mfavorable condi-
tions around them that they had reached
q state where they were unwilling to
make an effort to release themselves or
to respond to an effort to secure deliver
ance. He told the story of Sterne, who,
while walking near the Bastile in Paris,
heard plaintiyc cry like that of wo-
man or child, Il can't get out" ~ can't
CO.. GO, ,c,,tr' His compassion was aroused,
and following the soc:%!:A so1;c;%A he discovered
thot - ,,rocoodol MT from n hnman Dris-
oper, bat from Gagged starting, and, yield
ing 10 the ie6ling Of commiseration cY-
cited by tho cry and the sight OF the
captive bird, he opened the door OF the
cage. The bird hoped from its perch
10 the open door, surveyed the fields
around the prison. on which nc single
tree offered q refuge to tempt 1t to try
itsiong unused wings in flight, and then
turned discouraged back into the cage