The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-02
Farmer Tillman Again in Print.

Mr.. 3. r. Tillman has written a
= lengthy letter to the News and Cou.
rler on the subject of the Farmers
Convention. He commences by say.
ing that ''pressure Of farm work. has
left him no time to reply to the criti-
cisms Of the press, called forth by its
action. If Mr.. Tillman expects to
be a leader Of a great public move.
ment he will have to make his private
business a secondary consideration.
If he thought a reply from him was
necessary, he should not have post
poned making it on account Of farm
work.
Mr.. Tillman discusses the propo-
sition to give the control Of the Ag-
ricultural Department and College to
the farmers, the Constitutional Con-
vention, the additional tax on fertili-
zers, and other matters with which
the public is familiar, and his views
will receive such consideration from
the people as they deserve. They
seem to US to be rather more theoret-
lcal than practical and in no way
meet the objections which have been
published.
His denial that he exercised un-
due control over the actions Of the
Convention IS very appropriate, and
no more than ordinary modesty re-
quired. Indeed, it is the only CLEAN
{: nodesty in the whole production.
He shows too great a disregard for
the hopes and opinions of a large
number of his felIow-citizens when
he sneeringly alludes to the Colum-
bia Canal as that blessed Columbia
ditch" There are people who are
just as intelligent as Mr.. Tillm:n,
and no less patriotic than he, who
believe that the development of
that canal will be the means of
great good to the whole State,
and they cannot be driven from
their opinion by sneer. The fact
that Columbia is likely to derive
some benefits by reason of her prox-
Unity to it is no sufficient reason why
it should not be developed. Colum-
bia is part of the State of South Caro-
lima, and her people are citizens as
well as those of any other locality.
Even if no other part of the State
we're to be benefited by the develop
ment Of this water power, it would
seem that even the local interests of
her people ought not to be treated
with contempt by any one who as
eires to be leader Of public senti-
ment- He cannot hope for sympa-
thy or support from q community for
whose hopes and interests he has so
little respect.
Mr.. Tillman's letter is character
lied throughout by the egotism which
has marked his previous utterances.
For instance, after alluding to some
means of providing for the Agricul-
tural College, he says: Il guarantee
that with these helps, and with the
money mentioned, the College can be
opened on the 1st OF January, 1888"
If he expects the people of South
Carolina to undertake such an i'm
portant and expensive enterprise on
his Individual 'guarantee," he should
accompany the offer with schedule
of his financial resources, so that
they may judge ofhis ability to make
his guarantee good. Of course this
offer to guarantee" the opening Of
the College is mere braggadocio, like
that other sentence in the Letter
where, alluding to the competition
that will arise between the several
Counties to secure the College, he
says: Il hope to enter Edgefeld in
the race if l can wake her up" Is
all Edgefeld asleep that it remains
for Mr.. Tillman alone to "wake her
up" and enter her in the race like a
trotting nag from his private stable?
Seriously, Mr.. Tillman is making
q sad mistake in this whole matter.
It was wrong in the first place to
start g political movement in the
name Of the farmers as distinct from
other classes Of citizens. And it is
vain to suppose that even a merito-
rious movement can be led to a sue
cessful termination in the overbear-
ing, coutemptuous. egotistic style
adopted by Mr.. Tillman.-Colum0ia
Record.