Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-03-20
VOLUME xLI. mo III. I

NAMED oppressive and the public
money was annually used in large
sums for purposes other than those
necessary for government COO
nomically administered. The offices
supposed to be in the gift of the
people were hold in the keeping of
politicians and distributed carefully
among the members of a small circle.
Money intended for the education of
tho sons of the people, and especially
for the development of the all import
ant farming interests, on which our
comercial and social systems are based,
taken for tho training Of professional
men and put beyond the possibility
Of use by those for whom it was in
tended. Later on large numbers of
the people were deliberately de-
frauded of the representation to
which they were entitled and which
was promised them by the Constitu-
tion and the laws.
The same people who had forced
/ and won the revolution Of 1875-76
saw and knew and felt all this. They
knew they were being wronged and
betrayed and were not receiving the
returns for which they had strivcn
so faithfully and 50 generously.
They would not believe that such
conditions were "wcll enough" No
body could make them believe it.
1t is not III their blood to believe it
so long as they are deprived of one
right to which they are entitled.
They had to choose between stand
ing quietly and submitting and see
ing the situation become worse for
them every year and making q fight
to assert their rights, to demand the
exact performance of the promises
of 1876 and to establish their power
i'll the management of their own af-
foirs. They made the fight as COM
mon sense, self preservation and
manhood required them to do. They
would have been pitiful towards and
unworthy of their freedom if they
had failed to make it. They arc vet
making it and will win it.
They have made it Loyalty inside
the Democratic party. They have
turned their backs on every blan-
dishment and have deticd every
threat from Radicals or Independents.
Whether they lost or won in prima-
rics and conventions, whether thcy
were beaten fairly or unfairly, out
voted or juggled ont Of the accom-
plishment of their purposes, they
have swung into limo on election
days, TO the last man; and when
there was riding or fighting, giving,
working or voting to be done the
men who gave and give the "Farm-
ers' Movement" it's strength and
force were always among the fore
most.
| They are Democrats and arc in
this movement heart aud soul be-
cause they arc Democrats in their
every fibre and to tho cores of their
hearts. They arc not men calling
themselves Democrats and believing
in government by the few and sub
mission by the many. They believe
with all their souls in the capacity of
the people to rule and labor with all
their strength to secure the rule by
the people of their affairs for their own
interests and the execution of their
wishes.
ANY impeachment of the Democ-
racy or loyalty of these people is
basely, flagrantly, cruelty, absurdly
false. They were Democrats when
many of those who accuse them
were moving toward the Radical
camp; they are the most intense and
loyal Of Democrats now; they will
be Democrats when, perhaps, some
of those same accuscrs are again
timidly reaching out hands toward
the unclean thing.
The Farmers Movement is not an
"unfortunate agitation" and it is not
a movement outside the Democratic
party. 1t is the most fortunate agi-
tation we have had since the big one
of rs. 1t has given the Democratic
party vitality and strength. 1t has
secured some needed reforms,
prevented threatened abuses and
avertcd disaster, 1t makes all it's
| fights inside the Democratic party;
it appeals only to Democrats for
help or countcnancc; it is pledged to
submit 10 tho decision of the Dom
ocratic organization. 1t is q move
ment by a, class containing seven
tenths of the Democratic voters of
tho Statc--but not for a class. It is