The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-04-08
down this extortionate condition of

down this extortionate condition of
things. That simple act of self-de-
fence and common sense, created some
CONSERVATION and great disgust among
those who had profted by the farm
ers' ruin. AS to taxation the farmers
fully realize that they must bear di-
rectly or indirectly the greatest por-
ton of the burden. Hence they con-
tend for rigid economy, to which cap
ital will not object, as 1t also disllkes
to pay high taxes. The Farmers
Movement as it is called, was organ
lied to get al agricultural and me-
chanical college established. Those
who opposed the college were defeat
ed and those who advocated it were
elected, and that is the whole of it.
The charge Of communism is simply
an unfounded SANDER upon the State" "
"But we have been told that all
your best people, or those who claim
ed to be the best people, opposed the
movement, and that is the talk in
Washington in connection with COM
munism. How is that ?"
"Well, who the best people are is a
question. Those whom we consider
to be the best people were to be found
on both sides. As for those who claim
to be "the best people" some may
have been vain enough really to es-
TEEN themselves so; but "the best
people" never trumpet their superior
ity. Did you ever know a really SEN
sible and virtuous man to proclaim his
superiority to his neighbors? That
was simple nonsense, a political ma
neuvre to beat their opponents. The
people at large very readily distln-
guish between those who sympathize
with them and those who do not, and
they have elected officers who own
quite as much or more property, and
who have really more interest in the
protection Of property than those who
were turned out"
"Do you know of any capital drawn
from business since the election, for
fear of its not being safe under the
present government ?"
"On the contrary, more new enter
prises have been started than ever
before in the history of the State. I
have issued nearly one hundred COM
missions for new enterprises since the
9Th of December, and have letters al
most every day from capitalists Of
other States inquiring what conditions
to lend money or do business here
are required by our laws. Here is a
book in which the commissions are
registered, and here is a letter-a
sample of a great number, from the
shrewdest and most prudent business
men"
care your own business men SELL
ing as readily as usual on credit to
the farmers 81"
eyes. Our fertilizer companies have
sold over $4,000 tons of commercial
fertilizers, more up to this time than
they sold during the whole of last
year
"How did you ascertain that %
"Well, a tax of 25 cents per ton is
exacted upon every ton sold, and the
receipts from that show the fact"
sWhy do YOU exact that tax"
"These fertilizers are analyzed by
the State to prevent fraud; that is, to
ascertain if the fertilizer is what it
purports to be. 1t is for the protec-
ton of farmers AMI also of honest
dealers and manufacturers against
swindlers. The 25 cents per ton de-
trays the expense ,of afording this
protection. Our farmers spend sew
eral millions of dollars for fertilizers,
and the temptation to fraud in such
an immense business with uneducated
people would be very great if there
was no way to detect and punish it.
"Well, Mr.. Secretary, would You
object to our repeating what you have
said to us ?"
ssNo. There are no secrets in what
I have said. I only ask that you re-
peat it correctly. I am glad to talk
freely with you or any other strangers
who come here"