The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-03-12
CALI. FOR AN AGRICULTURAL con-
YENTION At COLOMBIA.
In iIIress SciIing EorM tie Gri,rH1c,s o, III,
Tiicrs Of hc So,i d,H I'ry"y ih'a 10 Railg
Ior hc Profc"tjoR ot their Hn5dts "Hi Ike
Promotion rf N,,r IG',r,Sjy.

H IFpff'iipR
YromotoU cf H,,r i.',"sjy
n tn, Ear0.r, # ronb C,roiar: seventy
six per cent. of Our States population are act
lively engaged in agricultural pursuits. Vt
least Que half of the rcinaiuicr are directly de
IcuICnt upon the iLrmC r.: t"C m"a; : II "
livelihood. "" may justly c'a,in then. thai
We constitute the state. yrt We 10 not gp"rru
, it, nor are the laws administered in our utci-
c>iS. and few are passed tnr our be- EFT.
We pay taxes and vote AMI there Is NJ fur
thcr use tor u. These taxes ID n,l grow any
! less, white our ability t. pay th,rL grow,
sma i"r Nc&r Ivy year, ana nothing worth nnnr-
ing has been done To foster and encourage that
interest which feeds and SuSr;,ins al 9th, t.
TIE negroes usci 10 nc the "mudsills of our
ccOuumic fabric but thousands of white mell--
| land owning farmcrs-iiud themselves slowly
but surely sinkin, beneath the waves tn toe
added to the foundation upon which y few men
and corporations are erecting their fOriurvS.
| impending bankruptcy starcs thousands in HE
| face. while u:ucr thousands are uycrsccin.
'huir own rlau;atinns for their vic:uaIS ami
! clothes.
IN insane system 0! farming largely prevails
! and our lands are growing poorer year by wear.
| Large areas Of South tai DINA are bcng nade
| y desert TO feed negroes while the laHI-oHn-
! crS, giving no Thought t. the future o.! them.
| selves Wud chi,lrcn, stand IDLY hy. or assist
| aud direct this stinnims oi u State. which hy
! reason IT soil, climate and geographical posi-.
! iiOn. might be made Il vCr!;ah!c Garden oi
| Eden. The negroes will go W,>,' when the
bones picked. What will wo do? We are
farming towards despair Ia thus c,ntinuins
| - impUvcriS,l our lands by ignorant culture
| but nothing is done by oar Legislature. ur It's
creatu,cs to stop ,,,or TO try to teach the rco-
| pic n better and wiser system. Forty thou
Shnl collars are spent annually in the State,
| thrcc-fJurrhs OF it aid hy farmers, to educate
mcn for other professions and pursuits the
| farmers get nothing aGl are LETT - ,topc their
! way towards the grave in lEu"raWcc ald is
consequent poverty. Even the pjttancc iona-
! tel tJ educate farmers hr the Uuitci States
| Government iS taken from u and Appropriated
! to sustain the institution nj which our future
masters are being trained. How thankful we
| should bc To the good Lord for such generosity
| and wisdom among our StaicsmCn so-caca.
| again, we pay 81, 900 annually 10y specific
tax, which comes out Of the farmer alone, to
sustain Il Icpar tlnrnt of agriculture. \ good
! slice Of this iS 81 cut TO collect the lhU> >phaie
royalty. which goes 10 support the STATE Cow
crumcn,. and the rest is frittcrci and wasted.
80 far rs We can see, the only benefit received
/ hy the farmers hciug u partial protection against
! fraudulent fertilizers.
! \ majority OF the board "f agriculture are
not engaged in farming. Wac wonders. then
that 50 little has been done BY it to benefit our
farming interests.
Four tad crors cut OF FIVE and the eel So ir;cu,
| poverty Of the iar"crS c.: :i.Oul ipr ccOnuuIy
| and reduction OF taxes. Hut th:S cry Which
came from every county, was ignored hy tho
last l.cgislaturc winch also rcrsiSrcury refused
! to obey Il plain mandate Of the Constitution to
| provide for a IrarpuriiDnmcut ut representa-
! tivrs hy h1liiuga "'n$,,s. 1t is Srn1il wonIcr,
| then. tina; nothing was done to protect farmers
against robbery by dishonest fertilizer manui,,c-
| tuccIS
The LcSislarHrc which recently adjourned.
| though not corrupt has been Very negligent OF
| the public welfare. The thoughtful and intel
| lIgent farmers Of the State cannot afford 10
elect another such body of llw-ma IcrS auI Con.
StitutOn breakers. Nor en- they afford tn al
low the agricultural Interests Of The State To- bc
| suhoruinatcd tG everything else and 10 effort
madc TO foster and protect them. Other States
| with less expenditure than We are making, arc
| doing ten times as much to encourage and ~
| sst those engaged in farming. But the mcney
spent is not entrusted TO politicians to those
elected hy politicians. The farmers manage
ana control it themselves.
believing. therefore. that the crisis demands
prompt and united action eon :, part OF the
true and loyal farmers of the State, aud that n
convention Of such can only rebound TO the
benefit of agriculture and consequently OF
every other interest and calling, we cali yuc!! a
convention to meet in the city of Columbia
| Thursday, tue 2!th of next April to take into
consideration the question touched u ?ou in this
address, together with such other matters aS
thcy may deem Of Importance - the r0lii cal
! social, cducatianpl or industrial interests o:
! the farmers and of the State.
Zach county agricultural -ocicry i- requested
10 send five delegates.
Each LEGAL or township agricultural cIub is
requested to SEMI one delegate
The farmers If each county are requested t.
/ send five delegates over and above those from
| organized societies, and 10 effect this it sugecs-