The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-04-09
The Farmers Meeting Last saturday.

The Farmers Meeting Last Saturday.
We are somewhat at loss 10 know how to
designate the meeting held in the Court House
last Saturday. Was 1t n county club, as our es-
teemed friend, Dr. FAINT called it was it the
Union County Farmers Association, rs the Sec
retary styles it or was it an Executive committee
chosen by the representatives OF the Township
Clubs. It, however, seems to have assembled
| with plenary power to do or undo anything the
] members thereof saw fit, either in or out of the
meeting Not being engaged in farming nor
owning farming land, we felt a little delicacy
about whether our presence would be accept
able there, and, therefore, did not attend tho
| meeting. We regret to learn, however, that the
| meeting was very slim one, with but about
eight or ten simon. pure farmers in it. We
sincerely regret this, because if the farmers
wish to make the present movement a success.
for their benefit. they must be on the watch to
keep political cliques and scientists from taking
full possession of the organization for their
own advantage and advancement.
We have said that the meeting last Saturday
assumed plenary powers in what it did, and in
order that We may be understood in this re-
| spect we will state that at the meeting previous
| the club, or association passed a Constitution
and bylaws for its government. and article
VII. of TINT constitution reads rs follows:
The club shall be authorized to enact and en-
| force such Bylaws as may be deemed desirable
| to its successful operations and permanent use
| fulness, reserving the right to change the said
| By laws, or amend this constitution, by tpo-
third rote Of the dct,re members at any annual
meeting after t,ro months precious notice.
| -, - 80 Al, ,
by the Club or Association ut its former meeting
-one month ago-and in the face of it, with.
out even giving the required two months no
ticc, but upon the motion of member, in q
small monthly meeting, the following important
article of the Bylaws was summarly stricken
out:
ART V. "No religious or political questions
shall be introduced into any address, ESSAY or
discussion in the meetings of the club nor
shall personalities be INDUCED in, or harsh Ian.
guage be used in regard to individuals, organ.
izations, public officials or newspapers. The
sole object Of the club being improv emcnt in the
knowledge and promotion of n successful ncri-
culture, oil personal and political differences
should be ignored in seeking this end"
| Again: Immediately after the meeting ad-
journed last Saturday we were provided with
the list of delegates elected to the Farmers Con-
ventiou, but we find in the Secretary's rerort of
the proceedings that change in the delegation
was made after the adjournment, by dropping two
names and inserting others in their places.
Now the gentlemen whose names were drop
ped and those inserted all good and true
men, and there could he no objection to them
but the question has been raised, who assumed
the authority of making the change, after they
| were duly elected by the meeting?
The Court House Ring, the State House Ring.
the Legislative Ring and the Charleston Ring,
have been so often and persistently held up to
the people as offensive ciques who govern
the State and control its official patronage,
that we are inclined to be very suspicious,
when we see politicians and capitalists more
than ordinarily Jealous for the welfare and hap
piness of ian oppressed and ,down .rodden
people, and feel it TO be our bounded duty,
as q public journalist and one whose interests
are closely identified with the interests of the
compressed" to raise note of warning when.
ever we see reason for believing tn at an organ.
ization, formed by respectable class of citi-
zens for the public good, is in danger of being
diverted from its original purpose and made
subservient to the wishes and opinions of few
individuals or a ring.
Understand US, we do not charge any person.
persons or cliques with an attempt to obtain
control of the present movement of the farmers:
but we do say that the action of the last meet.
ing was, to say the least .outside ofthc consti-
tuition and the changing Of the delegates,
after the meeting adjourned, an act of presump-
ton on the part Of some parties.
If these innovations upon the Constitution
and bylaws are not guarded against, the Far
mers organization will be like dumping out of
the frying-pa into the fire." because they will
be jumping out of one ring of politicians into
another; and we are decidedly opposed to polit-
ical rings and cliques Of any form; and it is
with this feeling, together with desire that
the organization shall be controlled by the
Farmers for the Farmers sole AMI permanent
good. that we have presumed to show them the
necessity Of keeping steady rein upon their
leaders.