The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-03-12
CALL FOR AN AGRICULTURAL CON.
VENTION AT COLUMBIA. >.
An address Setting Forth the Gricvances of the
7Hlers of the SOIL and Urging them to Rally
for the Protection Of their Rights and the
Promotion Of their Interests.


7Silers of the SOIL and Urging them TO Rally
for the Protection of their Rights and the
Promotion Of their Interests.
To the Farmers of South Carolina: Seventy
six per cent. of our States population are act
lively engaged in agricultural pursuits. At
least half of the remainder are directly de-
pendent upon the farme for the mear of n
livelihood. We may justly claim, then, that
we constitute the State, ye. we do not govern
il, nor are the laws administered in our inter
ests, and few are passed for cur beueft.
We pay taxes and vote and there is no fur
ther use for us. These taxes do not grow any
less, while our ability to pay them grows
smaller year by year, and nothing worth nam
ing has been done to foster and encourage that
interest which feeds and sustains all others.
TIE negroes used TO be the "mudslls' of our
economic fabric; but thousands of white men,
land owning farmers-ind themselves slowly
but surely sinking beneath the waves to be
added to the foundation upon which q few men
and corporations are erecting their fortunes
Impending bankruptcy stares thousands in the
face, while other thousands are overseeing
their own plantutions for their victuals and
clothes.
An insane system of farming largely prevails
and our lands are growing poorer year by year
Large areas of South Can oiiua are being made
desert to feed negroes, while the laud-own-
ers, giving no thought to the future of them.
selves and children, stand idly by, or assist
aud direct this skimming of State, which by
reason of soil, climate and geographical posi-.
ton, might be made n veritable Garden of
Eden. The negroes will 'go West when the
bones are picked. What will we do 4? We are
EARNING towards despair in thus continuing
to impoverish our lands by ignorant culture,
but nothing is done by our Legislature, or its
creatures, to stop or TO try TO teach the peo-
r1n hnftn
sand dollars are spent annually in the State,
three-fourths Of it raid by farmers, to educate
men for other professions and pursuits the
farmers get nothing and are left to grope their
way towards the grave in ignorance and its
consequent poverty. Even the pittance dona-
ted to educate farmers by the United States
Government is taken from us and appropriated
to sustain the institution at which future
masters are being trained. How thankful we
should be TO the good Lord for such generosity
and wisdom among our statesmen, 80 called
Again, we pay 900 annually by specific
tax, which comes out of the farmer alone to
sustain department of agriculture. A good
slice of this is spent to collect the phosphate
royalty, which goes TO support the State Gov
ernment, and the rest is frittered and wasted,
so far as we can see, the only benefit received
by the farmers being partial protection against
fraudulent fertilizers.
A majority Of the board of agriculture are
not engaged in farming. Who wonders, then,
that SO little has been done by it to benefit our
farming interests?
Four bad crops out of we and the cen SC eaucn,
poverty of the farmers cry aloud for economy
and reduction of taxes. But this cry, which
came from every county, was ignored by the
last Legislature, which also persistently refused
TO obey plain mandate Of the Constitution to
provide for reapportionment OF representa-
tives by holding census. 1t is small wonder.
then, that nothing was done to protect farmers
against robbery by dishonest fertilizer mauufac-
turers.
The legislature which recently adjourned,
though not corrupt, has been very negligent of
the public welfare. The thoughtful and intel
ligent farmers of the State cannot afford to
elect another such body of lawmakers and Con.
sttution breakers. Nor can they afford to al
low the agricultural interests Of the State TO be
suboroinated to everything else, and no effort
made to foster and protect them. Other States
with less expenditure than We ore making arc
doing ten times as much to encourage and al
sist those engaged in farming. But the money
spent is not entrusted TO politicians or to those
elected by politicians. The farmers manage
and control it themselves.
Believing; therefore, thatsthe crisis demands
prompt and united actioi j the part of the
true and loyal farmers ofsfhe State, and that q
convention Of such can only rebound to the
beneht ofEagriculture aud consequently of
every othetiuterest and calling, we col; such
convention to meet in the city of Columbia
Thursday, the 10Th of mex: April to take into
consideration the question ouched pom in this
address, together with such other matters as
they may deem Of Importance to the polit cal,
social, educational or industrial interests of
the farmers and Of the State.
Each county agricultural society is requested
to send five delegates
Each LEGAL or township agricultural club is
requested to send one delegate
The farmers of each county are requested TO
send hive delegates over and above those from
organized societies, and TO effect this il suppes-
ted that those in sympathy with the moye@ent
call mass meeting or county convention of
farmers in their respective counties to appoint
said delegates.
If the wisest and best of our farmers thus
assemble we feel and believe there is enough of
both patriotism and statesp anship among us to
find remedies for those evils and without
trenching upon tho rights of others, manhood
enough to demand and obtain q proper recogni.
tion of our rights and needs
while this is essentially n farmers move ment
we invite the sympathy and moral support of
good men of every calling. Agriculture is the
basis OF our economic structure and supports
the rest 1t cannot rise without carrying with
1t the superstructure.
There is among the politicians in South Car.
DINA an up-country and low-country, There is
no such line Of division among The farmers.
Our interests are one. Let us come together
from the mountains to the sen, and, exercising
the God-given right that the majority should
govern, organize as farmers and obliterate this
line forever.
I Hanna, S S Newell J Jameson, r. r
Beatty, NJ Egn, A Gray. B + Duncan, VIM.
wilkins, a T. FAINT, ) l. Walker, II L Clink.
scales L Erwin, ID n johnson, IL p Duvali,
Is II Montgomery, Is Martin B o Landrum
c G Tut, n Thomas, \ l. Hames II
Lyons, ii ii Gooch, J II David, j II Lane,
NJ D., I Covington, Morrison, J o Jones,
) Williams. } Bowen, M L Donaldson,
o Hawthorne, I c Willoughby, Sam J Hut.
son, Harry Hammond, II Stafford, w
Gooding, Mockbee, NJ F Barnett, VIM.