The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-05-06
TIE FARMERS IN COUNCIL.

ONE EAhs->s-s<.ss
SIX MONTHS....... ................-... 76c.
TIE FARMERS IN COUNCIL.
In view of the Importance of the Far
mers' Convention which assembled in Co
lumbia last week, we surrender to it al
of the space in the INTELLIGENCE
which wecan give to reporti its proceed
ings. The Convention met in Agricultu
raj Hall in the city of Columbia on las
Thursday, pursuant to the call which
had been published for its assembling.
Precisely at IL M. an ominous hum o.
suppressed voices and a slight stamping o
feet announced the coming man, and Cap
tain B. r. Tillman walked up the hall tt
the platform, and without any prelimina
ries called the Convention to order, ant
proceeded to read from his manuscript ar
address to the Convention, of which th'
following is synopsis:
IfIwere much in love with myself, this
manifestation of approval you have JUS
given me might turn my head and make
me egotistical. I hope to prove before
conclude what have to say that, while
am man who entertains positive opinion:
and am not afraid to express them unequlv.
ocally when occasion demands, yet still
know who I am and what am. have
been asked to call this Convention to order
and state my views as to the objects to be
gained and the proper mode OF proceeding
10 attain what we have in view. In some
respects am thus placed in peculiar and
embarrassing situation. There seems to be
current opinion that am dynamplter; p1eI;
society and overthrow the Democratic par
ty. The newspapers and the politicians
have striyen hard to thus picture me in
the mind of the public. have been chris
tened the "Moses," and the name has stuck
and will continue to stick. The appel!a-
ton was first applied to me in derision by
Colonel D. P. Duncan, and it was taken
up by the newspapers, and has constantly
been connected with me and the movement
which / claim the honor of having origi-
mated. But am not ashamed TO bear the
name. My friends even call me Moses
I hope sincerely that ] may, if even in the
very smallest degree, resemble the greai
lawgiver and leader of the Egyptians: and
if shall be able, like him, to benefit my
people-the whole people of the State
without regard to any one class-l will feel
that I have accomplished my highest OBJ
ject. This is my mission, and has been
since, at Bennettsyille last August, started
this movement. Selfish, little men, poll
ticians and editors, have impugned my
motives and questioned my patriotism call
ing me demagogue aud saying that was
only seeking some Office. Thus have they
sought to defeat my efforts and bring me
into bad odor. If Office seekers were no,
quite so plentiful this cry would not have
been heard. It seems to me that patriotism
and public spirit are rapidly becoming los
virtues with us, and that it is high time fol
us to begin again to cultivate them. With
truth and right on my side shall contin,
ne to move onward till reach my goal.
may not accomplish my mission this year
or even the next, but my cause Is holy
one, and if my friends will only stand by
me- death alone will cause me to relinquish
my fight. You must reform the farmers be-
fore you can reform the farming. There
must be among US more thought, more
brain phosphates. This agitation has
already broadened into formidable proper.
tions; it is now grand reform movement
which will and must triumph over all OBJ
stacles. The cry is ever heard that II we
are not very careful how we proceed We
will injure the Democratic party and di
vide our people. No man in South Caro-,
lima is a truer Democrat than am, put Il
necessary would not finch even If oul
grand reform movement should go into
politics and rectify the abuses in the Dem
ocratic camp and wash its dirty linen
> - %1a
seem to think that they alone constitute
the Democratic party, but they, should re
member the part the farmers played in tht
game of 1876, when South Carolina was re
deemed. These people think that we far
mers should work, vote and pay taxes, ant
eletthem manage the politics for US an6
pick out the officers. It wes feared that
would be very violent and communistit
and advocate the rending asunder of al
prevailing institutions, but all have tt
say is, that if every man in this Conven
ton is as conservative as am, no class o
our citizens will have any cause to com
plain of the action of this body.
He had somewhere seen cartoon which
had amused him much, and which had I'M
pressed on him an important lesson regard
ing the attitude of the oficehoiders ant
rulers of the party toward this farmers
movement. It represented large enclo
sure of glass, in which there were num-
ber of rats, each enjoying piece Of cheese
On the outside was cat endeaVoring to gel
in, and mad at the failure of her efforts tt
effect an entrance. Beneath the picture
the legend ran, "You Can't Get In
There were hungry political cats in South
Carolina who were mad because they coul6
not get into the Farmers Convention, but
the farmers were mad just now; for once
they held the keys, and they intended tc
stay in, and as they were in they had bet
ter take nibble at the cheese, just to SEE
how it tastes.
The farmers had been so long accustomed
lage to the unfavorable conditions arounC
them that they had reached state where
they were unwilling to make an effort tc
release themselves or to respond to an
: effort to secure deliverance. he told the
story Of Sterne, who, while walking neal
the Bastile in Paris, heard p]aintive cry
like that of a woman or child. II CAM
get out!" II can't get out!" His com
passion was aroused, and following The
sound he discovered that it proceeded mo-
from human prisoner, but from cagec
Startling, and yielding to the feeling of com
-niseration excited by the cry and tht
sight of the captive bird, he opened tht
door Of the cage. The bird hoped from
its perch to the open door, surveyed th'
fields around the prison, on which no Sin
gle tree offered refuge to tempt it to try
its long unused wings in fight, aud ther
turned discouraged back into the cage witt
the despairing cry 81 can't get out!"
This has been the condition of the farm
ers of the State, as he could testify from
his own experience. Made captives by tht
adverse circumstances which followed the
close of the war, subjected for ten years tc
q relentless system Of brigandage and op
preston, they had reached state from
: which there was absolutely no relief but
in new system of farming.
The cage has been open for ten years
and yet the cry of the farmers is 1--WE CAM
get outm and they seem until recently te
be willing to remain in condition of men
tai and political bondage. Unless these
shackles are broken and they would use
the opportunity to assist their citizenship
and come out into the light and liberty
which was their right, he was. afraid that
when the era of the new South did come il
would find the lands of the farmers in the
hands of aliens, and the sons Of the pres
ent owners sunk into condition Of slavery
more abiect and degraded than that Of the
slaves which their fathers held.
He asserted that more brain work was
needed to accomplish the desired emancipa:
ton. The reformation Of the farmer must
1,recede that of the farming.
The farmers movement had reused them
from this lethargic state, and they now
.oarood reodv To follow the suggestions of