Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-09-05
'PleAllianCe Meeting.
Speech Of the distinguished Texan,
Col. benjamin Terrell.
i EEpoRTEp BY r.. =. JAyNEs, ESQ.

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According to previous announce
ment, public meeting of the citi-
zens of Oconee county was held
in Walhalla Court House, on
Thursday, August %. in the inter
est of tho Farmers Alliance. There
were representatives from every SEQ.
tion of the county, and despite tho
RAIN in the early morning, as well rs
the lowering clouds which threatened
every moment to pour down their
waters in torrents, the Court House
was filled by eleven o'clock with
earnest, practical and intelligent
farmers.
The distinguished speaker arrived
in Walhalla on the "Wednesday even
ing train, coming directly from An
derson, where he that dsy addressed
the farmers of Anderson county. He
spent the night in our quiet noun
tain town, and was in good trim for
a big speech Thursday morning.
Capt. j. L. Shanklin, President
OF the County Alliance, called the
meeting to order at eleven O'Clock
and in a few appropriate words in
troduced
HON. BENJAMIN TERRELL,
of Texas, who spoke for one hour
and forty minutes. He said:-
FELLow CITIZENS AND BRErHREN
OF THE FARMERS ALLIANCE: 1
have come to-day to discuss the
organization known as the "Farmcrs'
Alliance" 1t commenced few
years ago among the farmers in Tex
as. 1t was first organized in Lam.
pasas county for the purpose of pre-
venting horse stealing. The far
mers' horses were frequently stolen
by bands Of marauders, who roamed
over the country. Of necessity the
farmers had to organize in order to
pursue and catch the thieves. One
man could not bear the danger, bur
den and expense, alone to follow and
capture his property. Hence the
farmers came together for the pur.
pose of self-protection and dcfcnce.
They organized and pledged them
selves that each would bear his part
of the burden of the pursuit. They
formed an Alliance for this purpose,
and in short time so powerful was
the organization that they broke up
every horse-thieving den in the
State. Yes, they pursued and ar
rested the thieves, and I might as
we'll say-for it is the truth-they
called halt on many when within
no less than sixty yards. They were
arrested, you bet. Well the ALI
ance stopped the thieving. It then
ceased, having accomplished it's pur-
pose. But having suppressed the
thieving, the farmers learned the
value of organization; they then
, formed Alliances with social fea-
lures and for the purpose of clevat-
ing their condition. The Alliance
gradually grew in power as an or
ganization by adding one feature
after another, until to-day it stands
as the champion of tho farmers
mental, moral, social and financial
Improvement.
Tell me we do not need organiza-
tion! The farmers do need organi-
zation. As unit tho farmers are
strong. Organization brings us
closer together and unitcs us in one
common cause as a grand and vast
brotherhood. BY organization and
effort we can reach that point that
the Southern cotton planter can sell
his cotton at his own time and price.
Why, by organizing, the farmers in
Georgia have reduced the amount of
mortgages this year twenty per cent.
Do you ask me how will you mo-
rally improve by the Allianco2 Sup
pose some man robs widow because
he can do SO under the technical
forms of law. No one says any
thing and the rascal goes un-
acourged. Now, here, when tho
roughly organized, you bring him to
account. ITe is made to defend
himself by the principles of equity
and justice, and unless he can thus
sustain his cause, he is expelled and
published. So you see mono but
the wicked and wrong docr can be
hurt by the organization. 1t is
meant to suppress the wrong and
promote the right.
But you ask, is not the organiza-
tion wrong? No; organization never
does q wrong when organized for
the purpose of benefiting humanity.