The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-09-24
Bill Arp or an Interview.
THE GEORGIA FARMER TELLS HIM
HOW THEY WILL RUN THE
STATE GOVERNMENT.


STATE GOVERNMENT.
From Mc AHtut0 Constitution.
Things are not altogether calm and
selenc in thee paris. The farmers
giuu!Id swell has amazed and bewil-
dcred the people. | asked my friend,
John Black, what he was doing in
politics over in Rome "Nothing,
nothing ut all" said he in sad, sweet
tone of voice. PPM staying inside the
house now, and waiting for the storm
! to blow over" Suppose it don't blow
over at all ," said I. Maybe the thing
is like the dcluge and all you political
sinners are out Of the ark and floating
around on the logs and chicken coops,
and every little while you look up at
| the great floating warehouse with its
closed doors and say, Boys, how long
/ is this internal shower to last "D
Blessed is he who hath boat of his
own and does not have to depend up
or the peoples line. Blessed is he
who don't banker after affice. This
whole thing would be funny if it
wasn't death to the frogs. A few
months ago our town boys were puz-
zling around and laying their plans
/ for the legislature, and were fixing to
catch the alliance vote for it had not
gone into politics then, and the boys
got hot over their rights, but they
have all swaged down and look as
meek and humble as turnover calf.
The farmers made no noise, but sim
ply said Boys, We don't think your
sort are 1ittcn, and you uin't fitten to
get iitten, so we will attend to this lit
i tie business ourselves" And the bows
made bow and said "Jesso.u =
1t reminds me of story they tell on
Mrs. Brown, the senator's plain-spok-
en- and discerning wife. After old Joe
had served nearly two terms as gov
ernor, some gentlemen were discuss
ing, in her presence, the question as to
who would be his successor. Mrs.
Brown was stitching away on some
garment and took 10 part in the con-
versation until one of them said:
'MrS. Brown, who do you think will
wear the governors mantle when he
retires ," She looked up and replied
in matter-of-lact way, 81 don't think
he is going to retire; he calculates to
wear it himself for TWO years more"
And he did.
1 heard big alliance man say
"We'll show you how to run legisla-
ture wheD our boys get there. The
boys will eat breakfast by sun-up, just
like they do at home, and in all hour
more you will hear horn blow at the
capitol and they will all be there and
go to work. and there wont be any
fooling around and no excuses nor ab-
sentecs, nor going down town to get a
drink, nor running off on excursions
to Tybce and Chautauqua. Mark
Hardin shant have fourteen clerks,
dog-on him, but he shall do the clerk
ing himself. We can't do without
him, and don't expect to, but he will
have to knuckle down to work. The
last session cost $50, 900, but the next
won't cost the third of it. I'll bet any
man Il suit of clothes it don't. We are
going to rent out about half the state
house. Every one of them stall-fed
fellows have got front room, and
back room, and asanctum, and q sane
forum, and q tiftv-dollar sofa to sleep
on, and they have their business hours
just like the banks, and you can't see
'em only when you don't want to see
'em; and they haven't got to 90 to
mill, either, or take up the fodder,
dog-on 'em. Well stTaighten out
their trace-chains when the boys get
there"
'"I hear" said l, that some of your
members are opposed to George Lester
for attorney general because he is q
lawyer"
"Well, yes, said he, 'some of 'em
was, but told 'em that George was q
poor man and i good soldier, and was
no lawyer to hurt, and | think they
will go for him. | know he amt
much Of Il lawyer, for had O case in
his court WHEN he was judge, and he
decided it pint-blank again me, though
| knowed | was right all the time.
No, he aint much of lawyer, but we
don't expect to need any-we are 60
ing to run the machine in a common
sense farmer way, without any red
tape OF Saliymagundy, and if these
Judges and solicitors don't do better
Than they have been doing, We'll turn
em all out and put in some old-fash-
law, but do know power of gospel
and high natral justice. There's too
much trigger work going on. The
courts nave DeeH lnree years trying IO
hang that devil, Voolfolk, and he
ain't hung yet. We could have tried
him in Euharlee Justices court in
three days, and hung him and saved
twenty thousand dollars that it has al
ready cost Bibb county. It's the law
yers that do it all, and the judges keep
on letting 'em and if they don't
change their ways we'll abolish the
whole concern. There's too much law
and too many b oks anyhow, and ev-
cry time lawyer makes speech he
gets some newspaper to say it was the
greatest speech of his life. But Well
struightcn 'em in the cotton patch"
Well, maybe these farmers will re-
| form some things, for our folks are get
ting Il little loose In the socket.
ALPS we'll that ends well.