The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-24
The Farmers Convention.
OPINIONS OF THE STATE PRESS.
Send Conservative Men.

One thlng IS plain. Inc farmers
of South Carolina are to have q
Farmers Convention" The call
has been issued; it is published on
the first page of this weeks Index.
To our mind another thing is equally
clear. This convention will be large
ly attended. The causes which have
led to this convention are not so
clear. On the part of Mr.. Tillman,
through whose instrumentality this
convention has been called, the cause
for it is the mismanagement Of the
affairs of State and, as he charges,
the oppression of the farming inter
ests of the State. That there may
have been mismanagement in the
States governmental affairs, may not
be successfully denied, but that there
has been any legislation which has
had for its object the oppression of
the agricultural interests Of the State,
is a downright slander upon the good
people of the whole State. 1t is a
slander upon the farmers, because
they have composed q msjority of the
Legislature since the Democracy
came into power, and upon the bal
ance of the citizens Of the State, be-.
cause agriculture is the backbone of
all other business in this State.
There may be wisdom in calling the
convention, and much good may re-
suit from it. There are many eco
nomical and industrial reforms which
this convention may suggest and take
steps to carry out, and on this account
we favorit. But the Tillman idea Of
cutting up root and branch the pres
ent order of things, of coming out
and being separate from all other
classes of the citizens Of the State, is
the rankest folly, and if attempted
will set the white people Of the State
by the ears. Nor could this conyen-
ton do all these things even if it so
desired. 1t can never get anything
like a majority of the farmers to CO.
operate in any such madness. If it
did, such course would cause q
clash between the white people that
would give the State back into alien
hands. No, the trouble is, the bad
crop years for three years past and
the low price of cotton, has produced
rather stsgnation in farming inter-
ests, and, like a man suffering from
some dreadful malady, they are look
ing about for remedy, q panacea for
their troubles and are ready to be
taken in by any patent medicine
quack that may pass by. DR.. Moses
Tillman has passed by and many of
them are ready to invest their last
dollar in his medicine. Let them be-
ware that they do not follow bis lead
blindly. AS the convention is to be
held we would advise the farmers to
hold meetings and send their most
conservative men to it. Don't send
cranks, who think that right now the
agricultural millennium is about to
burst upon them, for it is not. Send
thinking men, that may think and
act for themselves. In our opinion
the convention called is serious
matter and from its action important
results may dow.-Pee Dee Inder.
Should Have Organized Long Ago.
Elsewhere We publish call for q
convention of farmers to be held at
this place on saleday in April. 1t is
signed by number of our best citl-
zens who believe that the farmers
should organize, not for political pur-
poses, but for the advancement Of
their interests and the promotion Of
their welfare as tillers Of the soil. In
all sections of the State similar
movement is taking place. Such an
organization should have been made
years ago. The Grange was, perhaps,
rather too complicated and had the
objection of secrecy to many persous.
1t has been allowed to 60 down and
some concert must be had among the
farmers. If the proposed plan meets
with favor and is attended with sue
cess, every other calling in life must
be benefited. We trust there will be
afull attendance and that q solid and
permanent organization may be ef-
fected.-Abbeville Medium.