Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-13
The Farmers Association.

The South Carolina Farmers Associa-
ton does not entertain such extreme
views as has been in soma quarters sup
/ posed. The platform which it adopted on
| Wednesday is rather conservative in tone,
and the greater part OF lis provisions
will not be found Objectionable by those
who are not in full sympathy with the
| association and its objects.
The South Carolina farmers have been
having pretty hard time Of it for few
years, and they are inclined to think that
some of their burdens are due to bad leg
islatiOn ana to incompetent county gov
ernments. Not being prosperous they
are in a rather fault-finding frame OF
mind, and it is probable that they have
many reasons for finding fault. The fact
that they are yearly growing poorer
would seem TO suggest that their inter-
eets are neglected by those who have the
making and administering OF the laws.
There is one thing which they feel pretty
certain about, and that is that there are
too many useless offices and needless ex-
penditures, and they are rather emphatic
in demanding that these shall be abOl-
ton stronger, however, if they bad
pointed out the offices which are useless
and the expenditures which are needless.
1t is so easy to deal with abuses in gen.
eral terms that the public is not much
| impressed when they are dealt with IN
that way. 1t is much better to particu-
| larlZe them. because there can then be no
mistake about the ones which are meant.
The association calls for an agricultural
| college that is worthy of the name, and an
experimental station. And why shouldn't
the farmers have them? They are good
tnings, and if properly managed would do
much toward promoting the agricultural
interests OF the State
The demand that taxes shall be equal
| lied should be needed. 1t is notorious
| fact that the rich men all over the coun-
try do not pay taxes in proportion to their
property. The tax assessor may find
their real estate, but he is often batfied in
his search for their personal property.
| Fhe farmers, as rule, pay on all their
| worldly goods because they are all IN
sight, consisting, as they generally do, of
farms, stock and agricultural imple-
ments. Ii the Farmers Association sue
ceeds IN making every man in South
Carolina pay taxes on all his property it
Will deserve the thanks OF the people OF
the State.
The demand for a new constitution IS
something that ought to be thought over
awhile. New constitutions do not often
give satisfaction, because those who de-
mand them seldom find them satisfactory
when they get them. 1t is probable that
the farmers can get what they want into
the organic law of the State much easier
by means of amendments than DIV con-
stitutional convention. Let them give
amendments a trial, andlf they are dis
appointed they can then call for con-
vention.
The agitation which the farmers OF
South Carolina are conducting can hardly
fail to be productive OF good. They may
not have all their grievances attended to,
but they will draw attention TO their de-
sires and wants, to the abuses from which
they suffer and the unnecessary burdens
which they bear, and 1t can hardly be
otherwise than that reforms will follow.