The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-03-20
Another Letter from q Farmer.

MIR. EDITOR You will please excuse
US for intruding once more upon your
space. We come this time, with your
permission, to defend the rights of far.
mers or any other class to form into an
association and to meet in convention, If
thought best, for the purpose OF recon-.
mending, through the proper channels,
the enactment of certain laws for the
general good. Many in this State are in-
clined to discourage or ridicule rather
than to commend this movement,so called,
of the farmers in politics" A few have
committed the absurdity of suggesting
that harm would come to the country
thereby. Even here in Anderson, just
after that meeting on last Saleaday, ne
heard a prominent gentleman OF this
County say that if these meetings of the
farmers Were continued, they would, in
the end. disintegrate the Democratic
party. Now, we beg leave honestly to
differ with that gentleman and all others
who entertain any such views. That
meeting on Salesday was one in the inter-
est of the Democratic party of this Coun.
ty. True, it was held under the auspices
of the Farmers Association of this State,
but we claim that this Association, in al
that it has ever done yet, has kept strict.
ly within the limits of the Democratic
party.
In the history of our country, all classes,
especially in the Northwestern States,
have organized into Associations, held
conventions, and demanded through their
State Legislature and the National Con.
gress certain legislation for their mutual
beneftand self-protection. And just now
the country is being greatly agitated in
the proposed enactment of few general
laws by the National government looking
to the relief of the Agricultural class and
other classes, too, Of our people against
railroad monopolies, landed companies,
etc. The Sab Treasury plan Of furnish.
ing a currency and establishing agrlcul-
tural warehouses over the country, which
system, or similsr one, has besn in op
Grafton in France for years with beneficial
results, deserves consideration. Now,
where is the harm in the farmers, who
pay say three fourths of the taxes, meet.
ing together in convention and making
demands, either State or National, espe-
clally when the demands are TO go before
the people to be discussed upon their
merits. At the Convention to be held
on the 9th inst. in Columbia, if State
ticket should be nominated We cannot see
where it would in the least tend to divide
the Democratic party, for according to
the plan proposed, the ticket, if made,
will not be supported unless endorsed by
the Democratic State Convention. a
majority of the March Convention will,
no doubt, cheerfully acquiesce to the will
of a majority in this matter, and whether
State ticket be nominated or not the
Convention should stand together in the
end as unit. AS an individual we are
of the opinion that simply platform
should be adopted, and submitted to the
Democratic clubs to be discussed upon its
merits. To inaugurate in this way certain
issues would be to educate the masses Of
the people upon political questions and
prepare them to vote intelligently for
good men to put on the State ticket.when
the time comes, and along with the plat
form arrange series of mass meetings
throughout the State in advance of the
Democratic Convention, at which candi-
dates may be invited to attend and
address the people on such topics as the
platform distinctly sets forth for their
consideration. There would practically
be no opposition to this plan, and the
Convention can accomplish more easily
in this way what it wants than otherwise.
There is strong opposition to nominal
ing State ticket so early in the canvass.
and because of this opposition, as our
friend Peurifoy, from Edge6eld, would
say, "we should go slow"
Then let a platform, reasonable and
just in its demands, be adopted, and in it
appeal to the good sense and the patriot.
ism of the people to aid in such efforts
as will give equal justice and equal
advantages TO all interests involved.
A FARMER.
Equality, S. C.