The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-09-20
Extracts from speech Of Hon. Ben Terrell,
before the Farmers Alliance at Ulisn,
September 4, 1859.


before the Farms-s Alliance at UIisn,
september 4, 1850.
REPORNEo By J. L. STRAIN.
Major Terrell spoke substantially ~ fol-
lows:
Ladies' and gentlemen, and msmbsrs Of
the Farmers. Alliance Of Union Couuty: It
Affords mo great pleasure 10 meet and speak
to susha . representative body Of farmers %
u meet here to-day. Ic4too,, Am. . faruSsr,
advocating the i4ierests o. farmers, and I !
feel that in you I have an audience who
will bear testimony with me as N the actasi
wants Of the farming CLASSES. These will
attempt to speak OF and inquire into the
causes that lead TO them. But In ths. nrst
place will say that the farmsra can, effect
nothing without organization. Every man
whose interests a.e identified with tho farm
log class should seek admission int, the
Formers Alliance, for II is the only or.
gsD:sation on earth where they viii bs
properly guarded and respected. All other
professions arc practically srrayed against
the farmers. Merchants, lawyers, doctors,
and In fact every profession 10 more or less
organized for selfprotect and We dent
blame them. But We ss farmers clAtm the
right to follow their example and the
Farmers Alliance Is the only body that bits
fair to protect the farmers inierests,, and
pross . blessing 10 the country st large.
With the history Of the organisation you
are iamiher, and u 10 unneeessery 70 speak
The credit sys.sm and the nereilsss
power Of mo6iSd uis6 aud cofH6fzlioSS
have ground out, the life Of the farmsr, sgod
made his time-honored profersiou de9r Sd
ing. SO much %, that the youths OF the
land who have any ambition are loskipe 70
other fields for employment, and hence,
bone, sinsw, and brsins sse driven from the
farms, whore they sre % haeh needed.
Tho Alliance proposes = antsgoniss no
class or profession. Its ob3sos y sslfprs-
tectisn, and II only requires sSst.sdx Of Me
history Of The past quarter Of . ceusasS 70
convince every reasonable msn that ns-ssS
osssity does exist for . change Of front.
Twenty five years ego the farmers owned
half Of the country, now they own but cns-
fourth Of it. Then We bad no mortgages,
but now ct least fifty per cent. Of she prop
CITY 10 under mortgage. As the monisd
powers have been pressing harder and
harder continually, the farmsrs' posiaisn
has steadily been becoming more aud more
embarrassing. twenty-five years seo The
farmers controlled the ofFiees and ,6nans<s
Of this oountry, sad owned the products 81
the soil. Now things are ebasged, end
monird men own ell aud giys only q sriplt
phtsnoey h-enytntnesl IA rotufp. Thus
wc sss how things have been going on cad
on, and II the farmer submits 10 fhis he II
unworthy to bs called Q man. much less
farmer.
must admit thatsoms Of the Newspapers,
have treated this matter with spifit u ]
literally, but in many instances they have
been against US. They are directly or IN.
directly controlled by monisi powers thai
are allied With corporations whose object
and interest isto keep the farming eisssss
poor aud dependent.
The politician, lawyer, merchant, and Ia
fact all Glasses Of men, are opposed %
trusts. All suffer, mora OF lsss, ~ them,
Why should any one object 10 ths Alliance
when Il opposes no enc, but 10 si1p,y for
the building up Of the agricultural Interests