The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-07

they " ~: be glad TO hear. lrhe 'expost
tioa OF his plan will usually bo sunloient
TO ensure its adoption, aud II, by iB
adoption In any and overy case, tho
condition and affairs Of all arc broughe
up to tho highest limo In oaoh COM
munity; and IL this work Of uplift'
ing can DO extended throughout tho
whole state, II ia evident that q tre-
mondous impetus will be given to tho
whole farming interest, and that general
improvement will DO tho suro result.
For these reasons, and for those ends,
the organization Of tho farmors through
out South Carolina promises most doslr-
ablo results, and should be encouraged
and promoted in ovory way by tho
frionds Of the farmors end by tho farnlors
themselves.
AS to tho second point--what thero was
to condemn In the spooohes mado ut the
Sumter meeting--but little, happily, Is
required to DO said. We think that Mr..
w. II. Thomas was greatly In error In
some Of his remarks, which were calou-
lated, at least, to "array ono GLASS Of clti-
"zens against another" evon while ho
deprocated that result. lilo was nssurodly
right IN saying thnti not to tho interest
OF tho farmers to war upon any body OF
their follow 'CitiHens. IIe was Just ns
certainly wrong in claiming that tho
merchants, who are well-nigh dopendont
upon the farmer for their oxistenco'
have "no interest" in tho farmor's lands.
II 1t be true, rs Mr.. Thomas says, that
the merchants control tho most Of tho
farming lands and crops, 1t is apparent
that they have as deep and vital interest
In their preservation and SUCCESS rs the
farmer himself has. It is to tho imme-
diate interest of tho merchant, In this
view, that the lands shall not "depreciate
"in value" but shall be maintained
ut their highest producing capacity.
But we need not insist upon the con-
tradiction into which Mr.. Thomas has
betrayed himself in this instance.
Another error was in saying, that be-
cause "ail other classes combine for the
"protection Of tholr interests" SO should
the fafmers combine, if thoy would
not be left behind. No GLASS In this
State, excepting the farmers, has COM
biped to project or promote It's in
te!ests. or at any rate, has organized for
that purpose, and there Is no dispoai-
lion so 10 combine that we know of. AL
classes in South Carolina arc mutually
ihte1depepdent, and tho interest of no
class can suffer materially without affect
ing every other interest. For this rea-
son, If for no other, tho people Of the
State, without exception, share the de-
siro OF the farmers to improve their con-
oltlon, ana merchants, lawyers, doc.
"tors," and all other citizens rs we'll, re-
gard with Interest tho present farmers
movement, and wish the farmers success
in the attainment of the objects they hold
in view.
DO the farmers desire, as Mr.. Thomas
says, to throw of tho yoke of the lien
law? There is no power, or inclination,
IN the Slate to prevent them from 30
doing. The efforts already made IL this
direction hayo failed, not because the
farmers have made no organized move
mont to that end, but because they have
not agreed among themselves as to the
dcsirability Of repeating 1t. If the
1armers really desire q Farmers College
they Will meet no opposition, outside OF
the1r own ranks, to the establishment Of
such an institution. If they "pay six
times more taxes than tho merchants"
this can only be because they have six
times as much property. If their repro
sehtatiVea In tile Legislature have not
been selected for their capacity and dis
position to represent the farmers iu-
terest, the farmers have themselves
alone to blame. And if legislation gen.
orally has not been such as the farmers
desire, this certainly is not the fault Of
the minority Of a body in which the
farmers have had working majority,
as has been shown, for many years.