The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-01-15

work, grt their daily bread from il, and arc i'll
tercstcd in its existence. Onco the mann on-
jccts of the Alliance IS to hrneflt lahorihS
men and womcn-nut To injurc them, even
though they do not become members OF our
order We arc the friend of all laborinE men,
and have no constitutional right or ncrSoli;ll
desire to iniurr any man who seeks 10 max,
a living by honest toll. The Alliance would
be unworthy of us, if il deprived any Indus
trious citizen the right to work for living.
1. The Alliance ha; no more legal rl"hl 10
form Il conspiracy within guarded doors, or
elsewhere, to destroy Il newspaper, tiltn II
has 10 appoint q committee from thclf own
number TO 90 to his place OF business anu
throw his types and presses out OF the Will
). Not having the legal right to turn the
Farmers Alliance into an ofGahlIalloii
to injure citizen in person, GOOD h;tlhG, or or
estate, the Alliance, rs Il body, may DC hciu
accountable in the Courts for the money "ah'-
ages whrh it may inilici. ,,,
i. While Il few mcnh"lS OF the Alil,
Bunne1 20 be stopped, yet the Alliance, II
ii conld stop the paper, would not care l" pay
for what damage they themselves may have
combined to accomplish. .,,
:. The boycott Is un. american, ana IL VIII
bc Il cuiamily for free American rili%chS l"
band themselves together as conSpiratorS
against the life, the good nanc or Tie oHSi-
ness interests OF any citizen.
s. The candidate fora'!ini>Slon 70 me orucl
is assured that his religious or Political riSniS
will not be intcr!ercd with. 10 MAKE ~
crime to subscribe for Il newspaper Is Nlo'''
tive of that solemn plrasc. When an OrG;lil'
!zation violates in unmiStak,bic terms, liS
solemn ublI IsutiOn To mcmLcrS IL VIII hol Only
lose caste with the public. but will sustain Sc
rious and irrcparabir injury in the eSiihl.'i"h
Of the better class Of its own membership. ,
9. The best interests Of the Alliance iiSeli
would forbid such extreme measures. lOru-
lar organizations must lave the al'proFaI "i
the public. NOintelligcnt public VIII approve
of any act which wonId set Il bar 10 the inte!-
ligence of its members, or seek 10 deny ltS
members the right 10 read newSnapGrS.
10. such extreme measures Will drive IRON ron
our ranks some OF the best men in Inc of3ail'-
zation, but the greatest evil which VIII come
to the Alliance rests In the fact that II certain.
~ will. to some extent, inJure the orGhii"i
ton, not only i'll the estimation ot many o.
our own members but il will deter others
from joining an organization which nsurpN
the citizens rightsund rules him with an iron
10. The effect is plainly visible in Ahhcvillc
county. The organization itself is divided on
the question. Some of the best men OF inc Or
der nave either quit or been expelled, whlir|
the zeal and ardOr of others have bccn great
ly chilled.
II. The Alliance cannot kill the Press and
Banner. For fifty years the present eultoT.
and his predecessors have labOrcd to establish
the paper. 1t cannot now he destroyed mere
ly TO crafty the spite of any set of men.
u. AS a matter OF fact. and as matter OF
policy, the Press dn2 Bdnncr is worth more as
Il friend, than as anything else. Inc editor OF
fore cannot properly appreciate the ordcr. II
YoElG be Better for MS To show him any error
into which he had fallen. than to undertake
to do an unlawful act in destroyln. ms onsi,
ness. IL is every mans perfect rShl 10 quiz
taking his paper, but when an orSanlIa.loE
passes resolutions forcing subscriber to quit
Subscribing, then the organization to some en-
teut partakes OF the nature Of q conspiracy,
which is unlawful, and for any Injury which
such organization may do to any citizen the
organization may be held accountable III Inc
Courts.
Is. 1t may be well for the members of the
Alliance to be OH their guard lest, they follow
the dictates or cXhortations of members VINO
may be working lor self interest, or for me IN.
tercSt of other papers to which the leaders O!
this movement may be more friendly than
they are to the Press and banner.
II. The Alliance of AbDcVlllc Is STRIVING 10
establish bank for the benefit of the Far
mcrs. Is it not, therefore, q pity that any
man has been expelled from the order where,
by It's strength and usefulness is impaired?
The Alliance needs unity In eSsentials--Ilo-
crallty in non-cSSrntialS.'
-. AS q matter prOmOtive OF the best inter
esIS OF the Alliance, 1t would be well 10 re-
Scind the boycott OF the Press and Banner. AS
long rs il exists il will he Il source of irrita-
ton, and will divert the energies OF It's mem.
bciS from the main objects and aims Of the
order. The boycoiting of Il newspaper Is too
small Il business for an order which has for il>
end great and beneficial objects. Conscious OF
the strength of our position, and aware of the
justice Of our cause, we cannotatfOrd TO offend
the greatest OF the distinctive American lrin
cipleS-irecdom OF speech and the !hrriy ul
the press. AS long rs the Alliance is right, II
will appeal to public favor, but when tlai or
der does wrong, the injared or oppressed clt''
zen receives the public sympathy.
Is. Speaking from the standpoint OF true
Alliance man, who has read all that has nccn
said in the paper, we would give it az our ca
did Judgment that the iircSS ard Bdn1lcr does
not merit the severe condemnation which the
Al liance has given. 1t is indeed Il -hanu-
cd measure which attempts 10 deny ans man
the right TO earn an honest living al his
chosen trade orprotesslon.
If the Cation Pit;at had spoken ont at tho
time, substantially as above, does anybody
doubt that the Alliance would to-day have
been in a more united. ard III Il more prosper
Gus condition il Ahbcsiiic county?
Just now, when The Alliance Is undertaking
an enterprise which is truly worthy Of the
kindly offices of every w"il wishcr OF the rco-
PIE, the Alliance TO some extent, is Daralyzsa
10y disscnsions within their own ranks about
Il matter which should hot receive the attcn
tion OF anybody.
Various members who are able to help in
money matters have been expelled because
they thought their rights were intrudcd upon.
Others are erdiSplcascd, alienatcd or luke
al
of which each individual should be the judge.
The expulsion OF members for doing q COM
mendablc act-Subscribing for their county
parcr-doeS nothing 10 place the order III
high respect before the public. The crprcs
son of any ncighb0r, or the unwarranicd el-
fort 10 ruin the business which he has labored
for a life time TO build up, cannot meet the al-
proval of the di>inirrcSted, intelligent, honor
abl", fair minded MASSES Of the people any
where.
The people Of Abheviile county are Jealous
OF their rights, and they will not, ;lS Il rule
quietly submit To the indgnity which an in.
tcrlcrcncc i'll their private rights involves.
For this reason, we think the advisers and
leaders of the Alliance, have been greatly der
eiict III The discharge Of their daty to tie Or
der. The fate of the Press ctnd Banner is as
nothing at nj! 10 the public, compared with
the act which requires the individual surrcn-
der Of manhood and the right 10 true citizen
ship.
The fate Of The Press and Bnnncr is a matter
Of small consequence TO the Alliance, but
when that order goes out of its way to do Il
citizen Il wrong, which is SO plain that every
man may see il, the Alliance will suilrr in the
estimation of the public.
Ii the Alliance would give more support To
the true friends of the people, and to those
who have laborcd fora life time to promote
the agricultural interests of Nhbcvillc county,
more good wonld come to them than can be
realized from listening to "hand hl hlgans"-if
there are any such-piping "sct music for the
remainder of their lives.
,rryu