Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-09-05
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Tho URsDAY, SEPT s, 1889.
The Farmers Alliance.

Hon Benjamin Terrell, delivered
before the Oconce County Farmers
Alliance at this place last Thursday.
We have purposely omitted his an
4ccdotes and profanc words. His adj
dress was an admirable one, and de-
Slisesed in q very entertaining style,
with one exception, which to us was
avery serious one, namely, his un-
called for nse of profanity. When a
speaker rises before an intelligent
audience and advocates a righteous
cause, he has no possible excuse for
Scursing, and deserves severe criti-
Scism and condemnation for so doing.
1T is an insult to both the civilization
and Christianity of his hearers, and
If he has no respect for God or re-
sligion himself, tho prophecies of the
occasion demand that he should
refrain from the use of profane oaths.
Thinking this away, though, he
made a most timely, wise and prac-
3tical address to tho people of Oco-
lice on the organization and work of
the Farmers Alliance. 1t is onr
purpose here briefly to call tho at
tention of our readers to one or two
thoughts, only, of the many which
8he SO forcibly advanced. The first
lis the abolition Of the credit system,
and the adoption of the cash system
in all Of the farmers dealings. There
can be no doubt that the reckless
trading on credit, by SO many, is
the great cause of continued poverty
and hard times which abound more
or less throughout the country.
Credit is too easy to be had when a
mortgage or lien on prospective
crop is profforcd as security, and
often before the crop is made it is
.encumbcrcd with lien calling for
its full valnc whom harvested. The
existence and continuance of this
universal and pernicious custom in
South Carolina, we believe, has been
tho main cause Of such slow pro-
gress and want of prosperity on the
part Of many who have toiicd hard
from sun to sun, year after year.
If this condition can possibly be
.remedicd by the proposed organiza-
tion of Farmers Alliances, and the
united efforts of all the farmers
surely can do much to remedy it,
then we bid them God-spo"d in
their noble, sclf-sacriticing and pa
triotic work. 1t is a work in which
every citizen, regardless of trade or
.avocation, should feel a deep and
abiding interest. 1t is a work which
has for it's object the Improvement
and bettcrmcnt of that large and
important class, numbering eighty
per cent Of our whole people, who
arc the very foundation of society
itself. On them depend the support
of all other trades and professions,
and it stands to reason that from the
abundance of the prosperity of the
producer must come the overflow for
the consumer. We arc all dcpcn-
dent on the welfare and prosperity
of the farmer, and therefore should
lend him a helping hand in the hon
est and honorable effort to help him
self.
Therefore, SO long as the farmers
strive to better their condition by
uniting in an organization which has
for it's motto, "Equal rights to all,
special favors to nonc," they deserve
and have a right to demand of the
army Of consumers all the help they
can give. 1t is for this purpose, as
we understand them, that they are
banding themselves together 1t is
not for the purpose of cngcndcring
class-fecling, or of ruling in politics,
except so far rs is necessary to pre-
serve their rights, (and this they
certainly have right and are in
duty bound to do,) that they have
organized in their Alliance; but for
the lmdablc purpose of cffccting
their "mcntal, moral, social and
financial Improvement"
But the accomplishment of this
high purpose will require patience
and perseverance,. We must not cx-
pcct this revolution to take place in
a day. If in the one matter OF got
ting out of debt alone, the purpose
can be accomplished in five years,
they will have worked one of the
greatest revolutions of modern times.
What blessing it will be when
every farmer can put his corn in his
crib, and his cotton under a shelter
.n1 Io1l IT until - p,oy nlooon hin,