Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-02-06
The Farmers Convention.

action when they meet in their pro-
posed State Convention, in obcdi-
ence to tho call Of Chairman Shell.
Certainly there should be no nomi-
nation of State ticket which they
would attempt to force through the
Democratic State Convention.
There should be no organization of
n party within the Democratic party
in this matter. Let the farmers map
out a plan of campaign, specify the
reforms which they need, and then
go into the Democratic State Con-
vcntion to participate as all other
Democrats in the nomination of
State officers and the adoption of a
platform.
The comments Of the Cotton
Plant, the official organ of the
Farmers Alliance in the State, are
so timely and wise, that we give them
to our readers. Our cotcmporary
says:
"1'hc fight wagcd is cmphatically
bold, open and manly and while
to settle all issues inside Of party
lines is unqucstionably wise, we are
impellcd, from motives inspired by a
sincere desire for the real and per-
mancnt advancement Of the agricul-
tnral interests of the State, to enter
our demurrer to the plan proposed.
We do not believe it to be wise
plan, for several reasons.
'ln the first place, the position of
those who have uttered the address,
and those who endorse it, is incon-
sistcnt and illogical. The address is
made "ro t!ic Democracy of South
Carolina" and yet by the plan pro-
posed very large, and lin many
instances friendly PROPORTION of the
Dcmoeiats of the State are to be
cXefudcd from any participation or
voice in the selection of nominees
for State officers 1t would be at
best the nomination of State ticket
by the members of the Farmers
Association, independently of the
rights of all other Democrats, how
ever friendly they may be to the
measures Of reform the farmers pro-
pose. Thus, the nomination of a
ticket in this manner would be by
Democrats, to the exclusion of mem
bcrs of other political parties, but
such proceeding would not be, in
the proper sense, 'insidc the Demo
cratic party The Democratic
party has n constitution which pre-
scrbcs the manner and process of
selecting it's candidates, and when it
is proposed that only the farmer
element of it shall constitute the
party in reality, and shall dictate to
all other elements how they shall
cast their votes, there are many
good Democrats in every community
who will very naturally and pro-
pcrIy feel that they are to bc de-
privcd of a very sacred right--thc
right of voting rs they please as
Democrats, the right of voice in
the selection of the nominees of the
party.
"Thcrc is only one way for the
farmers to carry their measures Sin
side the Democratic party and that
is to submit them fairly and squarcly
to the Democratic clubs, and to
appeal to them rs acknowledgements
and patriotic, fair-mindcd, liberty
loving men, to vote, in their clubs,
in the selection Of delegates io the
party convention, and in the prima-
rics for men who can be depended on
TO execute the will of the Demo
cratic majority. Any other method
Of management will be, in practi-
cal sense, going outside the party
lines to decide upon men and meas
urcs, and excluding all who are not
members Of the organization so act
ing. If we have a majority of the
Democratic votes we can out vote
all opposition, ana carry whatever
measures we decide upon. If the
majority be against us, then we
must bidc our time or be denied our
rights 'inside the Democratic party
The farmers Of the State, we arc
sure, do not expect the reforms they
demand from any other source; and
if they arc i'll dead earnest (and if
they arc not we are badly fooled for
oncc,) they will get their rights,
inside the party in the regular way,
with peace and harmony, and with
honorable and binding submission on
the part of those who oppose them,
as the farmers themselves have so
long and honorably submitted to
denial Of them.
"Wc respectfully submit that the