The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-17
TILLMAN'S SPEECH.
SOME USEFUL HINTS TOLD IN AN ENTER
TANNING WAY.
Speech of Capt. u. IL. Tillman DeiiV-
cred Oh the Opening of the State
Convention of Farmers in Column.
bia. November 8, 1856.

AS chairman OF tne executive ColiiIiltteehI
pointed 10y the Farmers Convention last Apri
ain the connecting link hrtwCcr that bous
and this, and |. therefore, lake II upon lnySei
10 call this Convention tOorder. Whlle many
Of those see before me to-day were members
of the April Convention, and have clear con
eeptitn of the objects and purposes OF TINS
meeting, 1t may assist as In ;srIlElnE. at u
unlty of thought and actioH il | sfS.l give
what consider rs most important for MS II
do, and also point out III what way our lilter
es:s as farmers are likely To be benefited by
our coming together. You Will. therefore. par
don me for trcspassing ON your patience While
L do SO
And first let me congratulate you that the
predictions made by those who have all along
anta.oniZed the Farmers movement" nave
not come to pass 1t WuS thought the move
mcnt would collapse as soon as the April Con
Nention had adjourned, but the State C"nHcn'
tfnn, which met In August, found us lacking
only forty votes OF being able to control IT,
When we failed tn utilize our great strength
in that body. mainly because too many men
wanted to lead, aud also bcCauSc or suspicious
aroused against myself by the false rulnOrS sci
atioal by those who were bent on dividing us,
a cry OF JOY went up from our enemies that
'nOw Tilman and his farmers movement are
dead and will trouble us no more Bait the
farmers, though disappointed soon rallied
and have elected a large proportion OF the
members OF the coming Legislature, men
pledged to carry out our ideas OF retrench.
nent and reform, and To give the agricultural
interests Of the State that fostering care aaa
protection which they SO much need.
"rhingS which last are SLOW OF growth and
We ought to be more than satisfied with our
present status and the success of the effort TO
exert our just share OF influence IN Sih;hptthS M
politics of the State Hitherto, while forming
so larsea majority of our people. farmers nave
had no appreciable Influence In Its political ai-
fairs. The growth OF abuses and extravaganza
in managing our public funds have been Inc
consequence. Strenuous objection has been
made TO our PAL ticipating in politics NJ ali,
But this objection has only served To arouse
resentment anu increase the momentum OF
the movement II is to be regretted, however,
that even IN the eyes Of many farmers them
selves our organi cation is mainly conSidcrcs
as being political. Such is not my conception
of It's inteEt and purpose. Our political at
n,ohphtre, which was growing heavy and nfe-
pnitr, Will most certainly be purer hy re-; rT,sgn nt
more careful and circumapcct than formerly
trom the shaking up they have received.
But my hope and desire when commenced
was to inauguratc agricultural rcfornn-to hit
our people from the slough OF despair ana
bankruptcy into which they arc Struggling
deeper and deeper day by day,anl To set their
feet In new and pleasant paths. have sought
10 open their eyes, to put them to thinking
that they might realize whittier We are DRIFT
In., and nee what n dark and drcary iuture
awaits us as farmers, unless change IS
brought about. This can only be done bf
united effort. and all thinking men OF what
ever class will admit that the object is E.ud'
able and patriotic one, and whenever the
means OF doing it are pointed ont all good cit
izeus, of whatever calling, will, | hope, be
ready and willing to do all in their power to
effect il.
But we farmers must rely mainly upon our
selves and cease to depend on the guidance or
assistance OF Others. Organ lAltion must bc
our wntchword, for in ID" other way can u e
necessary concentration of opinion ana or ei-
fort be obtained Othcr occupations very Wise
Iv have not only local but State and National
Unions to promote their interests. and why
should not agriculture, lying, as 1t tdoeS.a at the
foundation of all-thc source OF the success oi
a,l-the life of material prosperity and nation
ri power? Cnie>s the huSbandman meets
with The due reward Of his labor, b tnking
ceases to he profitable, manufactures are idl',
railroads uiproductive, the wheels of com
Incrce h!ove slowly, and all business IAN
While there arc varying interests, each dc
nnndin due consideration yet South Carroll
na Is ain St purely an agricultural state, ana
tlkcn is Il whole, Is slowly but surely reirt-
grading. What little wealth is creaicd over
and above what we send abroad for food and
ether necessary commodities Is concentrating s
in our towns and cities. Fhe towns feed the
country instead OF the country feeding the
towns: and crushed between the millstoncs of
Western competition in cotton culture, and
working with borrowed capital at high rates
Of interest. we are being ground to powder
The 900 which we spend yearly for ertil-
Peers. in The vain effort To compete with The
virgin soils OF the West, do not suffice TO pns
rs on an equality with our Western brethren.
Bat sadde>t of all, our lands, especially in all
the up-country, are growing poorer and poor
.r day by day. Calls and guilieS, showing
multiplied by the tens of thons an DIS annually,
and an ignorant and lazy tenantry, directed,
or rather overlooked. by ignorant and careless
whit men. are bltchering our farms as fast
AS they know how. How Is all this 10 end?
What will be- the final outcome? is IL not
rimc then, high time for sonnet hing TO be done
tO briug aDOutu changer Is IL motor pri mary
imporlance TO every citizen to do all that he
can to prot cct. develop and promote in every
phSsibfe way this paramount interest Of the
State?
do not feel, then, that we need apologize
h,r having gone into politics anu having used
eur ballots tnenforce our demands that some
of The burdens OF unnecessary taxation he
b.Ikin or us, ana that our rights anu Interests
shall receive some consideration ut the hands
ot our lawmakers We are n poor people and
cannotafford the luxury Of such an expensive
AlGcOstly government, and our prime reason
why this Convention has met was to show our
rulers that we are in deadly earnest, and that
This movement is not Of an evancsccnt or
transitory nature. The mere fact oi our meet
tng i an indication Of determination on our
(ulrt TO exert our m0ra power as farmers TO
enforce our demands, and we have only To act
Aarmonousiy and in Il conservative spirit to
obtain AL we ask.
But while we complain. and Justly COM
plain, ut the burdens imposed upon us by
Stale AMI Federal tS~tion, there is tax
which we pay that far Uutweigi,S both Of
theSe. That tax is the one imposed by igno-
rance. Our faulty methods OF farming and
lack OF knowledge how to manage our lands
as to Keep up their fertility costs uS mil.
lions OF dOlsIrS annually. and this los is irre-
parable, inasnuch ;tS 1t dces not consist in
spending our incnmr merely bun Is really an
tnroad on our capital. and we are in sad real-
ty "killins the goose which lays the golden
flow to stop this is the problem before us.
aald to its solution we must address ourselves.
The reforms we demand in Il political sense
will doubtless be granted by the coming Leg
stature. While those wlp, are opposed 10 II
poor mans government vii: die hard and
some Of our "peis will kick and SGucal when
the public teat is slipped from between their
Tceth, as they find their useless Offices %bo iSh-
ru,. iccl pretty sure 1t Will he donc. But now
20 combat the Ignorance. the prejndiccS the
apathy and the esoti>m ct the large mass of
our agricultural population Is Il difficult and
well-nigh hopeless task. 1t can only bc sue
cas>fully done by conc ntratc'i effort under
the auspices and with the assistance of the
Sta'c, AMI it will take time, no matter how
zerlullSly and ably IL may be undertakes. /
vii, briefly outline how think it may be
dome and the probable cost.
First. we must pcrpetuntc and enlarge our
present organization. Work earnestly uni II
we enlist all the best of our people in the
cause and extend the organization into every
county and township The aItrition Of mind
against mind in these local and state gather
ingS will Itself serve Il good purpose in euu-
eating farmers and cnlar2inS their stock ol
Knowledge. The exchange OF experiences
and the rehearsal OF failures and successes at
these meetings will 90 far TO excite inquiry
and stimulate thought. Fairs and stock
surpa>s other exhibitors. will follow, and in
stead OF the present Stagnaiion and gloom q
Five current Of healthy thought will soon ht
eourSing through the minds Of the people
ard energiZing their every act.
But this healthy seeking after light, This pro
sressive spirit, under existing conditions
must be stimula' ed by cAtraucOuS influences
and In order To keep these agricuiturti sncie
fieS alive and up 10 their work farmers instl
luteS should be- inauguratc and held In each
cnunty scfpntiStS nd nructical oypCrtS In