The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-06-03
THE FARMERS CONVENTION.
MIR. ID. II. TILLMAN's VERY MODEST
~. DISCLAIMER.


TO the Editor Of The No,cs and Courier:
Pressure of farm work since the adjourn
ment of the "Farmers' Convention" has
left me no time to reply to the fusilade
of criticism called forth by it's action.
And, first, left me correct some mis-
takes and misapprehensions of your Re-
porter. The effort to belittle the Con-
vention and elevate me on the pedestal
OF the demagogue by saying, cit was
Capt. Tillman's Convention all the way
through" etc, will not hurt our cause
in the least, because it is not true. 1t
was representative body Of earnest, in
telllgent men taking counsel for the good
of The State, and what little control
exercised over it's actions arose from the
fearless manner in which T had attacked
existing abuses and the unanswerable
arguments adduced to sustain my posi-
ton. The committee on resolutions,
VINO had full control of all business
brought before the body, consisted of
one from each county, appointed by each
county delegation. L had nothing to do
with their selection, and 1 don't even
know half q dozen of the thirty picked
men composing that committee. What
more need be said to show that these
men went to Columbia with their minds
already made up, and had no desire to
hear lengthy discussion Oh the questions
nave been agitating and others besides.
went into the Convention on Friday
anticipating long and hot debate. I
was prepared with facts and arguments
TO sustain each and every one of nv reso-
!unons. The speech made at the open
ing OF the Convention had required little
labor and thought, while to show the
Justlce' the wisdom, the necessity of the
reforms L advocate has been NV sole
study Tor months. The Convention
needed no arguments other than I have
already used i'll the News and Courier TO
convince 1t, and [ am glad that I was
spared the labor of making any. The
News and Courier will, if it continues it's
present bombardment, give mo an oD-
Portunlty to use much Of this ammuni-
ton, so may say it is well to be pre-
pared even if it was not necessary 70
shoot But [ desire to make n predic-
ton right here, and that is that the
farmers of the State will ratify most if
not all OF the acts Of the Convention. and
time will show whether it was Farmers
convention or "Capt. Tillman's Con
Ventlon. L can tell where the shoe
plnches. 1t was a ''Farmers Convcn-
ton, and was thoroughly representa-
tye body, and every one knows it. Int
IL nearly Kills some people because it
agreed with "Farmer Tillman."
The tlnsinuation that the Convention
was dphnk on Friday evening, as shown
by the use of the words "stappered in ;,
was unworthy the brilliant young gentle
man whose otherwise full and occnro+o
record of its proceedings is worthy Of all
admiration. L hope for his own sake
that 1t was typographical error, and
that he wrote or meant 'straggled in 8"
for it cannot be shown that there was
any drunkenness. "N. G.. G." was vorv
mad about the Citadel being abolished
on paper, but this was IN rmoent rons
way to get revenge, and the accusation
only recolls on the accuser, if he SO in
tended it.
One more mistake in the report Of tho
proceedings and I will pass on to the
editorials. l had nothing to do with the
appointment of the committee of seven
to memorabilia Congress- [ did assist
Mr.. Tindal in making up the executive
committee at his request, as it was TO he
supposed [ was better cognizant Of what
men were best suited to carry out this
work than he was 7 only mention this
because 1T is so industriously tried to be
shown that the Convention was an as
semblage of puppets in my hands, which
is totally untrue.
Tho first objection raised by the News
and Courier against what it terms the
'Iillman platform" is the appointment
OF committee to propose bills and wait
on the Legislature next November and
urge their passage, 50 as to change these
resolutions into law. The "modcm
Moses" wrote his resolutions to cover all
the points he wished to make and gave
no thought to the 'stone tablets of his
ancient prototype" If [ could have
done this with less than eleven resolu.
tons, would have done so. [ do no,
teel that am ordained to lead the farm.
ers "out Of the Wilderness" but / sin.
corely and honestly believed the reforms
embodied in these resolutions would &C
lar towards helping to advance our apTi
cultural cultural interest; SO believing, I should
their adoption. '1 "ie'
rms committee, representing the lorof
and respectable body of farmers Who 20 %
t, gently met and authorized it to present
enese ss .l. matters to the next Legislature
VIII exercise great influence even ;f fhoi
body shall be composed Of noo,,s = ~ %l't'
thansfarmers. We will, if we can Yl,o1 aa,,a
men to the Legislature to 'take it. I b.
1t is surely permissible to show the ~
tice and expediency of our action. On.
simple fact will show not only why tbi,
js Necessary, but that the News anf