The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-01-29
RAILROAD LEGISLATION.

ii SOuG9 ouuS shS t@u1ooI HoHoASS wv r.
y otic lawyers of the State. make the selet
e ton ourselves?
s. RAILROAD LEGISLATION.
IS The Legislature which has just ad
U jou-ned has other sins to answer for, o
Q rather the Senate must be held respon
sihle The people demanded thas th
), Railroad Commissioners should hav
u something to do besides draw their sala
ries and spend them. We want protec
ton against the greed of the gigantic
, corporations owned a: the North, which
j regard South Carolina as a lemon to b
squeezed, and care nothing for TIE vel
. fare of our towns, our State OF our pea
:. . pie.
The railroad laws of 1S-made tne
commission power TO defend the
people against imposition. The same
legislature wkich enacted it having been
bamboozleed or debauched, at the very
next session left 1t only as slnecure
with fat salaries and no power. We
have just seen the disgracsful farce re-
peated. The law was vastly improved
at the session of 1888, but after year,
which has shown the weakness and un-
fitness of the present incunbents, for
they have done very little, the Senate
peremptorily refused to make any
changes. The Railroad Commissioners
now in Office have been ''tamed" so to
speak, by the railroads, and men who
have not been so long under their wing
might have done something in the inter
est of the people, but that same Senate,
which has again and again thwarted the
people, which refuses to reduce salaries,
which fought the Clemson College and
yielded at last to necessity only, which
is the stronghold of aristocracy with its
! old, extravagant, non-progress!ve, i'm
practicable ideas, which in word is
dominated by Charleston's rich politi-
cisns-that Senate resolved to mantaln
! this ''e1is!iDg institution" too, statu
quo.
OF all the taxes we pay, the pensions
to Confederate veterans are submitted to
! most willingly, and We regret that we
cannot increase the pittance they re-
ceive. But the continuance Of men in
Office as political pensioners, after their
ability or willingness to serve the people
is gone-when the interests, and even
rights of the people are thereby sacri-
iced-this pandering to sentiment-this
favoritism-is crime, nothing more
aud nothing less. Rotation in Office is a
cardinal Democratic principle, ard the
neglect to practice it is the cause of
many ills We suffer.
We cannot elaborate the other counts |
in this Indictment We can only polnt
briefly to the mismauagement OF the |
penitentiary, which is burden on the |
taxpayers, even while engaged in ho
pubic works which might benefit the
State. To the wrong committed against
the people of many Counties (strong-
holds of Democracy by the failure to
reapportion representation according to
population, whereby Charleton has five
votes in the House and ten votes in the
State Convention, which chooses our
State officers, to which 1t is not entitled.
TO the zeal and extravaganza of this
aristocratic oligarchy, whose sins we are
pointing out, in promising higher edu-
cation for every Gloss except farmers,
while it neglects the free schools, which
are the only chance for an education to
thousands of poor children whose IA
theirs bore the brunt in the struggle for
our redemption in 1876. To the con-
sinued recurrence of horrible lyncbings
which we can but attribute to bad laws
and their inefficient administration. To
the impotence of justice to punish Grim
inals who have money. To the failure to
call constitutional convention that we
may have an organic law framed by
South Carolinians and suited TO our
wants, thereby le'sening the burden OF
taxation and giving US better govern
ment.
DEMAND FOR A CHANGE.
Fellow Democrats, do not all these
things CRY out for change? Is it not
opportune, when there is no national
election, for the common people who re-
deemed the State from Radical rule to
take charge of it Can we afford to
leave it longer in the hands of these who,
welded to ante-bellun patriotism and
honor, are running it in the interest Of E
few families and for the benefit of sell
fish ring of politicians. As real Demo,
Gratis and white men, those who here re-
new our pledge to make tne fight inside
the Democratic party and abide the re
suit, we call upen every true Csrolinlan,
of all classes and callings, to help ua
purify and reform the Democratic party,
and give US a government Of the people,
by The people, and for the people. If |
we control the State Democratic Convex
ton. a Legislature in sympathy will
naturally follow; failing to do this we risk |
losing all we have gained, and have no
hope of any change for the better. The
logic of events and past experience show
that we must nominate candidates and
put them in the field early, so that the
masses will understand what they must
do to bring about the change we 50 de-
sire. Such course will cause an active
canvass, wide discussion of the issues
presented, and the people thus learning
the truth can show whether they are
in favor OF the farmers movement OF
not, by electing or rejecting ..ourS.noml-
nees.
We therefore issue this call for a con.
7entiou of those Democrats who sympa-
thize with our views and purposes, as
herein set forth, to meet in Columbia, in
the House of Representatives, on Thurs
da-, the 27th day of March Dro1imo, at
10 O'Clock m., 70 nominate ticket for
every State Office, from Governor down,
| to be put in the fold for ratification or
rejection by the next Democratic State
Convention, and We pledge ourselves to
abide the result, whether shst is for US
or against US.
Each County will send as many dele
gates as it sends to the State Conven-
ton, and we suggest that mass meet
| ing or convention be called in each
County to elect delegates on sslesday in
Msrch.
By order of the executive committee
Of the Farmers Association OF South
I