The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-04-16
MAI. RIcE's REPLICATION.

denying somo Of the unjust chsrges he has |
made against us and to assert rights which we
shall not allow to be taken from us as LONG rs
we have control Of newspaper, i. G., that of
having and expressing our own opinions upon
public men, public grievances and their RENE
dies, and the style Of matter that shall appear
in its columns. We are tied to no mau-belong
to no man or body of meu-but looking iude-
pendently upon the public wants wc dare to
advocate what we con ;eive to be the quickest
and surest mode Of advancing the public good.
We deny emphatcally that we have said
word in derogation of the proper objects and
| purposes of Farmers clubs; but, on the CONTRA
| ry, years before the present Farmers move
ment was set on foot, we urged the Farmers
to form township and county clubs, for the
| farmers special good, and not until it was ap-
parent that the present clubs were to be made
| political ergani zations under the leadership Of
| politicians, did we utter word that could be
construed into feeling of opposition, but only
| words of warning against the danger of the
clubs being captured by political aspirants,
with suggestions as to the most speedy and per-
manent mode of redress from present grievan-
ces. In this position we are assured that we
have the cordial sympathy of the best and most
| intelligent farmers in the county.
Maj Rice views the present unfav orabe con-
dition of the farmers from political stand
point altogether, and advises that n change of
constitution and change of laws, will bring
about q favorable change in their condition.
| He seems to think that we are on the eve of a
great revolution-the people Farmers in parti-
| oular) against the government and the govern
| ment aganstthe people-and that Ciucinuatus
will come from the plow, seize the reins Of gov
| ernment, oust the presen: officials, put in new
| ones from the ranks of the farmers, at reduced
salaries, reduce the taxes, and in enc masterly
stroke of retrenchment and reform, make the
next crop pay the farmers debts, lift their
mortgages aud leave money enough in their
pockets to run their farms the next year
Well, if we thought such a miracle could he
performed by the political organization Of the
farmers, we would go even further than Maj.
Rice in supporting and encouraging the move
ment-we would pat money into it.
But while We know that it would be years
before our farmers could possibly feel any bene-
fit from any new laws that may be passed, any
|
the taxes, with interest on notes and mortgages
oil the time accumulating, and the high lien
prices compelled to be paid for supplies, under
the present listess and improvident system of
farming, we prefer encouraging the farmers to
make their clubs vehicles of useful information
upon oil subjects pertaining to their farms, and
to induce a more Industrious, persistant and
| economical effort to extrcate t. emselves from
their difficulties, rather than convert them into
political forums, to crafty the theore,ic nj whims
of politicians.
Mr.. Rice further says Of us, "You have
placed in ambush and insidously opened fire
upon me by your selected bushwhackers-ex-
tracts of other papers and misrepresentiug and
disingenuous correspondents; you have called
me demagoguc, asserted that had an axe to
grind" SC.
| In those charges Maj. Rice groups number
of personal offences, not only agant him, but
| against decoruw and a proper respect for the
feelings Of all who may think proper to use the
columns Of the paper to respectfully give pub
lie expression to their opinious upon public
matters.
1t is not true that we have selected BUSH
4 p'"SSe
sidiously opened fire upon him. Every article
that has appeared in the TINES, as q correspon-
dence has been written by gentlemen, of his
| own volition, and without any solicitation from
! US, VIII lie the extracts from other papers were
| public property, and corresponding with our
| own views, we published them openly and
above board, as we had the right to do.
| No charge has been made against Maj. Rice,
personally, and if he feels aggrieved at
anything said in those publications it is very
| evident that in their fire they have grazed too
close TO be pleasant to him.
| Maj. Rice takes occasion again to avoy him
| self the sleadfast fiiend Of the Farmer, even
under the derisye appellation Of ''Cheap
Bacon" Well, we know there are hundreds of
good men in this county who are now, and
have been all their lives, as firm friends TO The
farmers as he is; but they have neither the
wish nor incentive TO "keep it before the
people"
We again say ii at Farmers Clubs should te,
like all ether class organizations, for the i'm
provement of Farmers and the advancement
of Agriculture. In that way alone can they be
made Of permanent benefit to the Farmers and
their farms. If they are political clubs W e
shall hear nothing of them from the closing
of ono political campaign to opening Of
another.
Politics and business never did and never
will mix. Politics has ruined hundreds of
good business men and benefited bnt few |
Mix politics with merchandising and the bust |
ness of the merch9nt is ruined mix politics
with mechanics and the mechanic is ruined
mix politics with religion nd the denomin alton
that permits il is demoralzed, split into fac
tions and whole congregations broken up and
mix politics with the business Of farming the
same result is table--farming interests
will be neglected and the rui in Of farmers,
ger orally assured.
Theory Of 'taxalion without rcpreseat atatiop,'
which NJ j. Rice is continually raising. has no
foundation in fact in this State. part iculary rs
applied to the Farming class. for they have n
good working ma joriiy in the Legislature and
a fair representation in other State and County