The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-11-03
TO MEET AT PHILLIPPI.

LAW u
ment. This interim however, has
not been occasioncd by an aban-
donment OF the subject. While
we have said nothing, we have
been watching, and with all the
lights at u command, have been
striving to ascertain the cause, as
well as the object of this great tu-
mutt that mas been raised; to see
for what purpose this grand "army
OF men from the mountains to the
sea, has resolved in their minds
with II accord, to "meet at Phil
lippi."
Mr.. Tillman is unquestionablv
the leader and father of the "m0ve-
ment." At his call the convention
assemblies, is prorogued, adjourned.
His hand is recognized, and his
word is law, from which 10 voice
dares dissent. The watchw0rd is
thorough organization" and a lieu
tenant (organizer) is stationed in
each County ,;and with Il banner up
on.which is inscribed "Wc'll meet at
Piillippi" the march begins.
Now, we desire to repeat here,
what we have time and again ex-
pressed in these columns, that
some good will likely result from
this agitation, and, from al organi-
cation of farmers properly conduct
%ed, upon'a broad and liberal basis,
seeking in truth to benefit the far
amer in every way possible, we
might confidently expect qreat
%g"od- But after the most critical
@cxamination of the Tillman move
Ame1is isairly, impartially, and with
mo m0tsNe save Il desire for the
truth, we find many things which
will. notifying good results. And.
believing as we do, we dare to OK
ercise the right to speak of those
things which IN Il Judgment
bring harm instead of good.
When we Took at the movement,
beginning at thc Columbia Conven-
ton, and when W. read the pro-
~ecdings III every County in the
State where the movement has ia
ken root, we find the utmost va
riety Of objects that the organiza-
tions have sought to accomplish
The main objection to the Tiliman
movement as it is to-day, is the
heterogeneous form it has assumed
We have long since abandoned the
hope that Il platform could be
framed from the fragments odds
j0inted timber, used in the various
Counties during in the recent Pri.
maries.
This inconsistency confounds us
In n County, one thing is advo.
Gated, while in anOtherit is abused.
One section is striving to reduce
taxation and another to increase
it. How are we to get at the object
OF the Tillman movement when VIC
hear groans coming up from this
and other Counties, as to high tan.
cs; when we hear these organiza.
tons making positive demands for
u less expensive government, one
more suited to our impoverished
condition and the price of farm
products; and then hear the grand
Mogul declaring by his first rcsolu.
lions, that his object is to establish
an Agri ultural College, to have a
new Constitution and other things
which If carried out will cost some.
thing like 100000. We defy any
man to show where MIR. Tillmar
proposes to lessen the taxation.
There are members of the farm
ers movement iii Laurcns County,
who arc working for reform; in
deed we believe the majority arc
striving to lessen taxation and i'm
prove the country generally, bur
in u opinion there are those il
high places in this movement wlIt
have no other object than To gain
popularity. To satisfy persona
ambition they pandcr to thar
Sshich appears to be popular.
Again, when the movement frs
started, the leaders disclaimed pol
1tacs, and n prominent leader, al
least, said, in the writer's presence
that "as soon rs the movement be.
came political, he wOnId have
nothing to do with it," Now it is
a standing boast that the move
ment elected a majority Of the rep.
resentatives to the legislature.
Why should they have denied that