The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-06-15
People Who Don't Read The Papers
Especial to Augusta Chronicle. I

Special to Augusta Chroniclc1
COLUMBIA. s. c., June 3D. ohm Oar
San's BROOKLYN speech may not have
been the sole cause Of the small free
trade meeting in Columbia last week. 1t
may be that free trade is not popular in
South Carolina any longer 1t my be
that the season Of the year, when farm
crs are busy with their crops, had some
thing to do with the slim attendance.
1t Is possible that the floods and the
change of guage on the railroads kept
some away. 1t is probable that people
are too much interested in the farmers
movement and the proprosped Agricul-
tural College to listen to tariff discus
sions. and it is not altogether unreason-
atle to suppos that if all the farmers
Of the free trade club had exerted them
selves rs Dargan and Davis did large
meeting might have been the result.
We are all more or less influenced by
personal considerations. Many Of our
small politicians do not see any personal
benfit to them in the free trade move
menr, and they do not "catch on" so to
speak. Agitate any question that comes
right home to the dear people, and you
can get crowd any time. Tell them
that their State and county taxes are too
high and they believe it. and at once
leaders come to the front who propose
to relieve them Of the burden of taxa
ton. There is an old adagc, too, that
any man who will abuse the powers
that he can always. get an audience.
This free trade club did not propose 10
dcnouncc persons, but laws, and conse-
qucntly nobody cared to hear such de-
nunciations. am not upholdng the
principles Of free trade, but the object
of this ASSOCIATION is a good one-the ed
ucation of the people in industrial qucs-
tions-and for that reason it deserves to
succeed.
Our people do not read enough and
believe too much that is told them. 1t
would be Interesting to know how many
citizens Of South Carolina read the
newspapers. Unless there is change
in this respect we will soon be in the
position, if we are not already there, Of
Honest John Patterson's nstituents
When somebody threatened to publish
some of his rascality he is said to have
replied, publish and be damned my
constituents don't read" Lack Of prop
er information among our people regard
ing the conduct of public affairs makes
them distrustrul and suspicious. The
annual reports Of the State Officers Of
South Carolina are never seen except by
members Of the Legislature, and rarely
ever read by these honorable gentlemen.
Such documents should be published in
large numbers and distributed among
the people. They would then know
whether or not their government was
economically and wisely administered.
The people trust too much to their
Representatives instead Of examining
for themselves. When the rubbish and
trash and dirt were removed from the
halls Of the Senate and House Of Rep
rcscntatives, after the last session of
the Legislature, large number of the
reports Of the various State officers
were found on the desks of members,
where thew had lain throu rhout the on
tire session doubtless unopened. And
yet those members who paid so little
attention to these reports voted on the
appropriation bills and other, important
matters affecting the interests of the
State. Some of the reports thus pick
ed up after the adjournment were after
wards used to supply the demand for
them from parties in other States. At
least one department Of the govern