The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-05-05
FARMERS CONVENTION.

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below, a condensed resume OF the I'M
mense e7d voluminous work Of the
convention which met at the Agricul-
tural Hall in Columbia, on the 29th
of April, where Clarendon was honor
ed With the Presidency in the election
of aIr. Jas. E. Tindal The work of
the farmers was harmonious in the
main, and conducted in spirit OF
fairness The legitimate bounds OF
the meeting were transsressed more
than once, but no further, perhaps,
than would have been the case, had
any other class met under similar
circumstances wrought up to a pitch
of excitement by aggrievances, either
real or imaginary.
The farming interest is one OF vi
tai Importance to the welfare of the
whole country, and agriculture should
be fostered with tender solicitude, and
antagonized in no way, whatever.
The sins against it, for which every
body else is so seriously arraigned,
has been one more of omission than
commission-ianocuouS desuetude, and
in this arraignment the farmers them
selves should fall into line and bear
rs per cent of the blame, as they claim
that per ceatune Of the controlling
power. Every Democratic Legislat-
ure since the awakening Of 1876 has
had its clear working majority from
among the tillers of the soil, and all
they had to do was to assert, claim
and occupy. In some counties OF the
State the Offices are filed entirely
by farmers, and in all of them a ma
iority "hold the fort" VIII it not be
an appeal from Caesar to Cesar? It
cannot therefore be controyerted that
they must claim their baggage and
share the blame, when they have al
ways been as potent to remedy the
evil as now. The great trouble has
been the lack OF action-a due copsid-
Grafton and proper presentation of
this Bill of Complaint, which has been
reached and promulgated by the con-
rention recently assembled in Colum-
bia While the greater part OF the
work will go forth wi learty COM
mendation BY the peop.e, there are
some things covered by the eleven
Commandment" that will create fc-
tion and involve political issues. The
convention by resolution as we were
glad to see, disclaimed any such de-
sign as shaping public matters any
further than their rights as farmers
and tax papers are concerned.
This firmly adhered to, the awak-
ening of the backbone and sinew OF
the country will rebound to lasting
good to the State. They have all the
strength claimed and we hope by a
consecutive course that it will be US
ed in building upS waste places and
holding out the right hand of friend
ship to al'-but should the "Eiow-dy-
dos" named by Mr.. Tillman and un-
fortunately found in every class, inject
into this movement, the spleen and
poison of the wire-puler, intent only
on his own aggrandizement- Then
win the "kings Of the soil" have re-
enacted the tragic event which closed
the career of Israers blind giant when
he laid his great strength against the
pillars of the temple? We will all fall
together in shapeless ruin. But
against this stands like granite wall,
the patriotism of the State and the
good sense of the many who have no
ends to serve-cannot be brought and
win not be driven into anything that
bears upon its face, evil threatenings
to our entire people c. their interest
as whole.