The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-29

Let Him Tell What He Intends to DO to
to Make Their Condition Better
What Reforms and How:
LGreenvill News

we observe that our usually leVel
headed friend Col. j. Pope, of New,
berry, in a recently printed interview,
has good deal to say of agricultural
depression" and in that respect follows
the example of many other gentlemen
who have given their opinions to the
public.
This caters to the natural tendency
of human nature to find a melancholy
satisfaction in regarding itself as the
victim of persecution. 1t is likewise
grateful reading to number of peo-
pie who by bad luck or bad manage.
ment have failed to prosper and who
are we'll pleased by any course of rea-
soning that removes the responsibility
for their troubles from their own shoul-
ders and lays it upon somebody else.
AS a matter of cold. hard fact, how
ever, there is in this part of the coun-
try no agricultural depression" The
farmers appear to US to be full of life
and strength and hope. They are we'll
clad and we'll fed and generally pay
their bills promptly. None of them
lack the necessaries Of life and many
Of them have good supplies OF its COM
forts. Very few Of them are as we'll off
as they would like to be, but that re-
mark applies to every other profession
and occupation. There are all over the
! world men and women with incomes
of from ten thousand to one hundred
thousand dollars year who feel poor
! and are frequently unhappy because
they wish for more than they have and
would like to own things they cannot
get.
We do not wish farmers, or anybody
else, to be satisfied. When people be-
come satisfied with what they have
done they quit and become useless to
the world. Reforms are all brought
about by dissatisfied people. We
would like to see farmers continue
working in their fields and in meetings
and voting at the polls to make their
! condition better than it is, but nobody
ought to try to make them believe that
their condition is so desperate that des-
perate and revolutionary measures are
necessary to amend it.
Every intelligent farmer knows that
the condition of his class is better now
than it has been in fifty years. A good
crop has been made and sold at profit
able prices; goods are cheaper than
ever before; money is cheaper; lands
are higher; stock is in good condition;
debts are less.
Tie changes he needs in political
matters in the State are reductions of
taxation, improvement ofpublic school
facilities and changes in the lien and
homestead laws and it is to those things
he should direct his attention.
Men and names are of no particular
value to him. It does not matter a rap
to him whether Ben Tillman or John
son Hagood or anybody else is Cover
nor. What he is interested in is what
the man who asks his vote for Cover
nor can and will do aud that is the
point to which he should keep his at
tention glued during this campaign.
AS sensible man he should not run
blindly off after man he knows no.
thing of and join in a whoop and
huErah. AS citizen and tax payer
it is his duty to know that his vote will
60 for the man who will use his power
intelligently to meet the needs of the
State and the people.
Captain Tillman is running on a re-
form schedule, but so far we do not re-
call but one practical reform he has
proposed. He has told the public much
of what he thinks is done that is
wrong, but be has told very little of
what he thinks ought to be done that
is better.
He has plan for using the tag tax
for the good of the Clemson College.
That is right so far as it goes.
He has not indicated how mill or
half mill can be taken from the State
taxes.
He has given no hint of how county
expenses and taxation are to be re-
duced in case constitutional conven-
ton is called
His platform calls for a constitu-
tional convention but he has not told
what changes he thinks should be
made in the constitution.
He has expressed an idea for the i'm
provement of the public schools which
may or may not work successfully,
which it is the duty of citizens to look
into closely before endorsing.
He has told nothing of bis position
on the lien or homestead laws-which
are of vital and far reaching impor-
tance and in which every farmer is
interested.
He should be required to define his
position on all these matters during the
campaign. He should not be allowed
to go to Columbia entrusted with
power to recommend and vote on q
platform of what somebody else has
done wrong or left undone and of the
prosecutions and poverty of the farmer.
What the people should make him
tell is what he intends to do and thinks
ought to be done in the State to make
their condition better than it is.
Federal politics, tn, tariff and sub
treasury scheme, have nothing to do
with his candidacy.
They All DO It In Edgefield.