The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-07-24

hope for and desire to transmit to our
children, depends upon the continuance
of white supremacy in this State; and
this supremacy upon our united devo-
ton and loyalty to Democratic princi-
Piles, unity, harmony and organization
within party lines, obedience to the
rules and faith in the justice and sue.
cess of Democratic aims, purposes and
methods.
To each succeeding generation of our
race is entrusted the ark of civilization,
and upon each devolves the sacred duty
of defending, preserving and transmit
ting our racial heritage of civil and re-
ligious liberty, the fruits of labor and Of
thought, tne garnered stores of material
and intellectual wealth-all that is good
of what our race has won and held by
hand or brain, by valor, industry or wis.
dom, throughout the ages.
Is this generation of Carolina Demo
Gratis equal to the trust7 Judging the
future by the past, we unhesltatingly
answer, yes. It is, however, true that
.seternal vigilance is the price of liberty"
and the least vigilant must now perceive
that grave danger is impending over US.
At q time when our State is prosperous
beyond precedent, waxing each day
stronger in material wealth, leading in
the race for mechanical and industrial
supremacy, our people living and thriv-
ing under laws made by Legislators, inter-
preted by Judges and executed by officials
of onr own race and choice, with peace
and security at home, respect and credit
abroad, we are suddenly confronted with
such danger as has never before threat.
eued the Democracy of this State: the
danger Of division in Qur own ranks.
Infallibility and perfection are divine
attributes and have never yet been gran
ted to human wisdom or human institu
tionH. Ifinjustice has been done, errors
have been committed, or mistakes have
been made, remember that to err is hu.
man T; and remember also that the great
party to which we belong is broad enough,
strong enough, wise enough and just
enough to right all wrongs, correct all
errors, rectify all mistakes and mete
out equal and impartial Justice to all
men.
Remember that all true Carolinians
are Democrats, and as such entitled to
full, free and equal share in the man
agement, control and policy of the party,
and that it requires the combined and
earnest efforts of all Democrats in the
State to keep the Republican wolf from
our door. As Democrats, We know no
class. Brothers in blood and race, des-
tined to stand or fall together, ne depre
cate all efforts, from whatever source, to
destroy the unity and integrity upon
which the strength and life of our party
depend.
In order to better understand the posi-
tion we now occupy, Let us recall the
history of the movement which has re-
suited in the condition now confronting
US, and take counsel together on this
extraordinary emergency in our party
affairs.
A convention composed of farmers
representing not less than twenty Blk
Counties in the State, held in the city OF
Columbia on December 1st, 1887, unani-
mously adopted the following resolu-
lions:
'sResoMed, That it is not the purpose
of the farmers of the State to make their
organization political body. hostile to
other classes, nor is it their intention to
attack the integrity of the State officers,
nor their policy to arraign or dictate to
the Legislature.
'That we believe in the thorough or
garization of the farmers of the State
with the object and firm purpose Of de.
Yeloping its agricultural resources"
These resolutions, reported BY b. Il.
Tillman as chairman Of the committee
on. resolutions, were adopted without
debate at his request, and expressed the
purpose and scope of the movement in
augurated by him, land the will of the
people represented in that movement.
In November, 1888, another conven'
tion of the association was held at Go.
lumbia with small attendance, which
elected new Executive Committee, hay.
ing G. W. She'll as president and chair
man sr.o6icio. No meeting of the asso.
citation was called or held in 1889 and
the Shell committee held over, their sue.
cessors not having been appointed. In
November, 1889, this committee met in
secret without instructions from or notice
to the association, and authorized G. w.
She'll as chairman &c o6fcio, to issue a
call for convention to meet in Colum-
bia on the 9th day of March, 1880.
Peryertipg the authority thus given and
in willful disobedience of the expressed
will and purpose of the association as set
forth in the resolutions of 1887, 6. w:
Shell, over his signature in his Official
capacity as president aud ca o6Fcio chair
man, and With the connivance of B. +.
Tillman, as Tillman himself declares,
issued the cell now known as the Shell
Manifesto, in which he says; I'VE will
draw up the indictment against those who
have been and are still governing this
State" thus seeking to array the farmers
in position of hostility to other classes
of Democratic citizens and to poison their
minds against the officials to whom that
party had entrusted ths administration
of the State government since 1876. For
his own selfish purposes, the farmers
have been taught that to criticise Till.
man is to abuse the Farmers Movement,
that to oppose his methods or nomination
is to oppose the farmers themselves, and
that to declare him unworthy of support
is to say that the farmers have no right
to meddle in politics or to suggest either
men or measures to the party. We beg
our brother Democrats to disabuse their
minds of all such idess and to listen to
us as friends who are equally interested
with them in the true welfare OF the
State. Not one farmer in ten believes
the charges made in this campaign
against the Democratic party or its Off.
cials. Every fair-minded advocate OF
the Farmers Movement sincerely regrets
that such charges have been made and
reioices that they have not been sustain.
ed. A majority of the Democrats who
are embraced in this moYe6aept have just
begun to realize the strength of orgapi-
zation and to recognize the fact that in
their hands sests the political power OF
the State under pemooratic control. We
believe that they endorse neither Tillman
nor his statements or methods as such,
but that their sole desire is to promote
the success of their own movement. :.
This brings us to common ground. a
maiority of the farmers in the movement
care not so much for Tillman as for the
SUCCESS of the movement; the great
majority of other Democrats do not
- thn r,nvar,ont hr1t do nhiect to