Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-05-08

If you have eslf-government, aud
have bad government, you are TO
blame, and you can remedy it when
the shoe pinches. Now you don't
have sclf-govornment, and when the
shoe pinches you can't remedy it..
WHY THE CONTENTION WAS CALLED.
Captain Tilluan then went on to
explain how and why the Farmers
Convention was called. lie said
that he had something to do with
having the convention called, and
had been charged with having it
done to get himself nominated for
Governor.
Continuing, he said Let me tell
you why it was necessary to have Il
convention called and some one nomi-
mated for Governor, or else we would
be left by the superior tactics and
superior organization opposed to us
in 1886 and 1888. | went round
with Governor Richardson to the
seven meetings held in 1888. In
four out of the seven Counties where
the meetings were held they had
forcstalled us and had elected dele
gates to tho State Convention
before they heard me. They had
the credentials of the delegates in
their pockets and 50 the old plow
farmer had to go home and swallow
Richardson, when every one knows
he wasn't the choice of the people.
What did the State Convention
do? They made two important
changes in the party constitution.
They did away with the State can
vass. They don't like canvasscs.
They don't like this canvass. They
prefer working in the dark.
Then they did away with the clause
so that convention held in May
may nominate for September They
proposed to take brccchcs hold on
us, if you will excuse the colloquial
phrase. We are now just little too
smart for them, and we propose to
take brcechcs hold. We have
held our convention and put forth Il
candidate. The other side is in the
bushes and don't Nnow whore to find
a candidate. No n'.o yet has screw
ed his courage up to the sticking
p"int-unlcss my friend here is one.
Turning to Colonel Youmans,
Captain Tillman asked: care you a
candidate for Governor ?"
"No, sir" replied Col. Youmans.
THE oLIGARCuY THEORY.
Captain Tillman then continued
For the last ten years the control of
the State has been in the hands of n
few men. These gentlemen would
call their meetings and a fcw-shaIl
| say ringstcrs-wcll, ringstcrs, then,
those were in the boat, in the line of
succession, those who would get a
slice Of the pie after a while, these
would meet while the farmers were
attending to their own business,
would control the County Convcn-
ton and go down to Columbia.
We were right to hold a Convcn-
ton. Even the editors allow we had
the right to meet and formulate Il
platform.
THE NECESSITY OF a CANDIDATE.
Is there a man here who will dis
putc that if the platform was left
without a candidate it would have
been broken down by seekers for
office? Wouldn't the whole ring
got on the platform
In past years we tried to get from
their ranks some sort of half way
man to represent us. You know
how we slipped up at it. | felt we
had been burned at it too often.
They say I bosscd and controlled
that Convention. If any delegate
from Fairfield, or South Carolina,
can say | approached him in rcla-
ton to my candidacy, I'd like to see
him. CA voice "IIc amt hcrc.")
What would they have said if |
had refused, but that | was moral
coward and didn't have the courage
OF my own convictions
CRUMPLED ROSE LEAVES.
Let me show you Pm not on a bed
Of roses. In the first place, my
plantation has to be left to take care
of itself, except what the old woman
and the children can do. have to
neglect my own affairs.
In the second place, it is by no
means certain Pm to be your next
Governor. You know the other side
is going to move heaven and earth
to defeat me.
Then the torrent of abuse and
calumny to which I am exposed is
another thing, but, "thricc is he ac-
cuscd who has his quarrel Just"