The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-07-25
For the TINES.

of every enterprise and every individual
res's. None, therefore, but downright
fool would willingly throw an obstacle in
the way Of its success. If it was nesdful
that any one industry should have the
preference over another in our legislative
enactment. with one consent oil would say
let it be tho farming interest. But is it NOT
manifest to every thoughtful mind that
there eau be no real prosperity or wbste
supremacy in South Carolina without 3.
happy blending and mutual protectio1l
all the ayocstions that contribute sughs'ol1
character or strength to the State govern
ment2 The excitement that is now convu-
sing the State seems to have been born of
the idea that the worth of the farmers to
the Slate has not been fully appreciated and
consequently they ore suffering from legis.
lative oppression. If this is the the germ
from which sprang the agitation that has
torn our people asunder, then l submit that
the blame lies at the door Of the farmers
themselves. Four years ago Congress was
in the hands Of the democrats and the
country held them responsible for the laws
they enacted, as the republicans in turn will
be held responsible for the laws they are
| now making. By parity Of reason, since
the farmers are in majority in the legis-
lalure they are responsible for the laws that
| appear on our Statute Books. And the ac-
hamboozled does not shift the responsible
The farmers pay three-sevenths Of tho
taxes, have four-sevenrbs Of the population,
and ive-sevenths Of the repr esentatives.
No one objects to this inequality of repre-
| eentation. They havo had tho lone share
| in tho law making department Of the State
since '76, aud when their selfish desire for
the whole csrcas is realized, we only hop o
that the wisdom of their enactments will bc
equal to the greatness of their respcnsi-
hility. But we tremble for the honor Of
Sout h ca oliua if the present class agitation
is forecast of what the future will be. If
it had been the deliberate and studied pur.
pose Of the farmers in this move to destroy
the unity of the white race and disintegrate
the democratic party, they could not have
hit upon plan that would have been more
| successful. There is no objection 10 the
farmers holding oonven ions and enbodypg
their views in platforms. But tho friction
that caused the blaze Of opposition was the
man that they put forward as the exponent
of those principles. 1t is well known that
Capt. Tllman was an EXTREMIST and inimicsl
to lsrGe number of our citizens. And tho
very state of things that now exit IN tho
State was predicted before the March con-
vention met. If some one Of our able con-
sentative farmers had been nominated the
out opposition. Objection to Capt Tillm,n
uoes MT fucau UppUsitiuu tu tiry Furmers
Movement. l presume, however, that Capt.
Tillman was put forward for guberuatioral
hono:s, because he was the first patriotic
watchdog whose false bark lod the people
to suspect that the public crib was b.ing
plau Tered. His claim to exaitation rested
| In the presumption thst he had detected
wrong doinss among the State offcisls, and
that he had the brain and the courage of
his conviction to expose the corruption to
public gaze. Virtually, self nominated,
watch him, with his eye riveted on the oool
of office, as he, step by step, proceeds TO
disintegrate the democratic party. Hi, de-
sign must be hid from the farmers. and Mt
the very outset he attempts to cover up the
truth under the debris of such epitbets as
ban6oozle, debarched, leprosy and the like.
| His first charge was that the democratic
govei nment Of South Carolina wa. per.
meated with political leprosy. The honor
of-the party, the Integrity of the State. and
the honesty Of her officials demanded that
this charge should be refuted. He was
made publicly to admit tha. his accusa,ion
fipsgIba.i0h. ne aud lis tail of Ys%ysrs
that he claims to wag then turn around and
say you are responsible for the excitement
il the State. If you had not replied to our
charges there would have been no cause for
excitement. Yon should have let history
construo your silence into guilt. To hang q
man without o trial is specimen of re-
formation that stands badly in need of being
reformed. His. next thunderbolt is
launched at the members of the lower
house. From the stump hal he declared
that they were debsuched, bam 5oozled, etc.
Now no honest man believes that McKissick,
Sarrutt, Thomas, Fowler and Beatty sold
their vote for q bottle Of whiskey or
hOwdy-do. There are men who are not
right themselves, ever ready to suspect better
| men OF wrong doings. lie next empties the
Vial Of wrath in the Senate chamber and de-
cla-es that those honorable men are guilty
| OF perjury The an'mus Of that charge
| grew out of the fact that certain Senators
refused to burden our people with sixty
thousand dollars for taking an unnecs~r.
census By waiting few years the other ]
oAynsafna-k f--A~i-----A1--- 90,
| one, but Capt Tillman, believe s-.~,n1 -,
field or the State has suffered dstriment be-
cause Of this delay? In the next ace he
\ turns his guns on the railroad commission.
lie declares that these men were tied up
aud tanned as wild animal. Meaning that
they were bribed. Strange enough he for
| got to tell the farmers the immense benefit
the commission had been to them. Before
| the commission came into ex stence, the
taxes or rate Of freight on the Columbia,
Charlotte & Augus,a road for 10 tons each
for so miles was as follows: Ferti izers, $50,
Cotton seed, $2a, Cotton seed meal, $50.
See the difference to-day, and notice the i'm
mense saving to the farmr rs: Freight on
fertilizers is $40 80, on seed, 50, AMI on
cotton seed meal, $50 90. A saving of
more than 6O per cent. That Is the way
these tanned men helped the farmers. His
next blame falls on the friends of tho State
University and the Citadel. He charac er-
ICES their graduates as dulles and aristo
crats-Men who led us gloriously to victory
on ihe ensanguine field during :hS war and
safely guided us when the storm Of human
passion rau highest In '76. If these men
who felt the touch of our elbow in war and
in peace are dudes and ari-tocrals, then give
us more of the, same caliber. One would
now imagine that he had empticd himself OF
all Ibis pent up wrath. Not so. His last
blow is drive at the hard earned honor OF