Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-11-20

effect that result four methods were
adopted. One Was keep up The
assault on theysubs Treasury plan; the
second was to attack the characters
and good names of the officers YOU
had chosen to lead you in your great
struggle; tho third was to decry and
abuse you as disorganizers, and the
fourth was to organize and put out
independent candidates to boat The
regular nominees who represent
thetYieWs Of the Alliance.
THE WAY OF GREAT RRFoRMs.
AL leaders in great reforms have
gone through "great tribulations,'
and you are not and will not be an
exception. Old ruts worn d ep are
hard to get out Of. Customs arc
strengthened by age. Tyrants grew
bold and defiant by long reigns.
The men who live by office abhora
change lest they be exchanged.
Those who lack faith in q successful
result are timid; they halt between
two opinions, and at the first sign Of
division or weakness, join your enc
mics. Some flatter with "much fair
speech" persuade you Of their GAR
hest support, and, in the hour of
trial, desert you.
Your greatest danger is in internal
dissension and division. If you
stand together, your national strength
is great enough to restore and main
tain justice to all. At first, I thought
your requirement for membership
too restricted. On reflection, T con
slider it wise. You are not politi-
clans. You are not office seekers.
Your rule is, therefore, wise, because
It excludes from your bodies those
who might and would join to get
control for personal promotion or to
create ~dissension in tho interest of
your enemy. Consisting, as your or
der does, of farmers, of one distinct
producing class; being the principal
taxpayers and burden-bearers, there
is no temptation to any of your mem
bers to prove traitor or desert to the
enemy. And the very limited Sc
crecy in your movements is but a
proper safeguard against spies Or
enemies who would avail themselves
OF their knowledge of your pro-
ceedings we're they conducted on the
house-top to SOW dissension among
you.
You have been denounced for op-
posing some men who have been and
are candidates for Office. This, too,
is an unjust complaint. You are
not seeking offices. They are yours
to bestow. I say yours, because the
farmers are largely the majority,
probably five to n in Georgia.
You are asked for office. You have
opinions; you have a plan which you
believe will not only benefit the ma
jority, yourselves, but the minority,
also, as much.
And when the office seeker says he
cannot and will not agree with you,
nor attempt to serve you as you wish,
he has no more right to complain at
your refusal than he would wore he
to ask you to give him your walking
stick for him to club you with it. Of
all the arrogance, presumption, as
sured superiority, impudonce, self
%conceit imaginable, that man is pos.
sessed of these, who, while in oper
opposition to you, demands of you a
position 70 support hin in order that
he may fight you.
"MEAsUREs; Ior MEN"
Political questions are always
fruitful Of differences Of opinion.
Your sub-Treasury plan is q good il
%lustration; and those who oppose it
should not expect those who favor it
to. surrender their opinions as little
children yield to the Judgment of
parents. You are. not children.
You have acquired knowledge by
ago and thought and bitter expert
enco through long and patient
suffering. After thirty years of
patient following, you have deter
mined to be led no longer, but to
lead. When those whom you have
followed without questioning, spring
before you to take command of your
column, it is time for you to demand
of them, who and what they are;
whether they are for you or against
you; not what they have been, but
what they are now. He who asks
for your leadership should be the
whole-hearted champion Of your
cause and not refuse to fight under
your banner.