The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-23
Farmers in the Legislature.


In an address recently issued ito the
turner's of South Carolina calling for
a Convention to be held at Columbia on
the 10th Of April next, the following
statement was made: "We constitute
the State and yet we do not govern it !;
nor are the laws administered in our in
terests, and few are passed for our bcne-
tit. We pay taxes, but there is no
further use for us.''
This address was signed by ninety-two
persons, a majority Of whom are practi-
cul farmers. The declaration which we
-ihave quoted above is a reiteration of a
complaint which has been heard from
time to time during the past eight or
ten years. In fact, there has not been a
time in the history Of this State for the
last fifty years when similar claim has
not been made on behalf Of the farm
ers. We simply wish now to call the
attention Of the farmers themselves, and
of all others who may be interested in
the movement for "new DEAL" to some
facts which should be known to
] every person il the State, and to say
again, as we have said before, TINT,
A'having 20 per cent Of the population
of the State, aud at least half the re-
mainder being directly dependent upon
the farmers for the means of livelihood,"
the farmers themselves have it within
their power to correct all the evils from
which they now suffer There has not
been a Legislature in South Carolina
since 1876 who has not been elected by
, the farmers, There has not been a Gov
ernor, or Congressman, or State official
elected in South Carolina since 1876
who has not been elected by the farm
ers. That is to say without the votes Of
the farmers no public official could have
beea elected in this State except in the
county Of Charleston.
Let us see what representation the
farmers have had in the executive Off
ces Of the State Government. In 1876,
when the Democrats were restored to
power, there were three farmers on the
State State ticket. Hampton, the Cover
nor, Sins, the Secretary Of State, and
Hagood, the comptroller general were
farmers.
In 1879, the comptroller gener-
al and the secretary of S;;,te were farm
ers.
In 1880, the Governor, the secretary
Z of State, the comptroller general, the
treasurer and the adjutant general were
farmers.
In 1882, the secretary Of State,
the treasurer, the comptroller general
aud the adjutant general were farm
ers.
In 1884, the sec, ,etary Of State. the
comptroller general and the adjutsnt
general were farmers. The commits
sioner Of agriculture, since the estab-
'ishment OF that department, has been a
{, farmer.
1t will be seen that the farmers
have had a fair representation in this
department Of the State Government.
The farmers have also had two able
representatives in Congress since 1876
Col. ID. Wyatt Aiken from the Third
District and Col. George d.. Tillman
from the Second District.
The House Of Representatives is com
posed Of one hundred and twepty-four
members, and we give below q state
ment showing the number Of members
from each county and the number Of
farmers who have been members from
the year 1880 down to the present time
This information, which we give in
tabular form, will be Of considerable
interest at the present time. and will
tlispel, we hope, the claim that the farm.
ers Of the State have not had a fair
and just representation in the lower
House:
t' Cousties. Members. 1884. 1882. 1850.
Aiken. ASsa"e n....:::::..: ::::: ! : 5 ?
Anderson ....... 3
Barnwell. ......5 2 3