The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-08-13
January. The spectators say that we arc

j
The eight million bales raised have giut,ed
the market, on the other hand they say we
are lazy, That is why we are in straighiencd
circumstances: The two assertions willnot
'gree-on the one hand raising too much |
OH the other we are laZy-then the talk of
|hs eight million of. bales of cotton
produced by the Southern cotton States and |
(nc little produced by India and Egypt, |
gut inc markets OF the world. Thus YOU
see thosc TWO propositions cannot be recon-
cll"d. We have raised twenty-six crops
since the war, mostly good crops too, and
yet we arc poorer. The farmer is bccom-
ing desperate under this dcplorablc state of
affairs. History shows that all great rcvo.
lutions that have shaken Governments to
their foundations have been caused by the
oppression Of the Agricultural classes
Rome fell when $500 men owned her prop.
crty. Greece did likewise when 500 men
controlled her wealth.
We arc fast drifting to that point in
America today. We have the best Govern
mcnt ever the sun shone on, if it can bd
maintained as 1t was founded, but the op
preston OF the money power and the e.
iccts OF evil legislation will dcslroyit. We
have started revolution for relief and will
make the fight at the ballot box. The
French peasanlry arose against class and
upon the downfall Of others. The people
that represent do not propose to get relief
IN that way, what we demand will he to no
mans injury. The French people have 800
per capita and they are prosperous and
happy.
My friends, VIC have started a financial
revolution that has startled the whole wcrld.
We arc not seeking blood, we tlo not want
10 tear down any one else we onlv want
The farmer to have a fair chance. We are
/ nf nc .Ir,r <.l,., Al,
only want equitable Treatment. We want
laws enacted that we may bc able to protect
| ourselves from the insaliate greed of the
Spectator and money lender. Ifthc million
nlrc wishes certain laws made, all they have
| to do IL to ask for ii and the work is done,
| hut when the farmer wishes 4 little hill
passed for his benefit, Il great hulabaloO is
raised and he is told that it cannot be done.
Since the surrender Of Lee the glip of the
monOpoliSt has been tightening on the Ia
boring classes and they have uhcltd
against il. When we hav. been compcIrd
T." ask men whom we all revere and vet
love, men who have always been i'm the
front rank in time of need and whose conn
sci has always proven wise. say when
South Carolina has To say to her sons that
have always stood by her to retire, it is
evident that times demand change and the
people are determined to send men To Ihc
Legislative halls that will he their servants
and not their masters. The thunder that
fore tells the coming political storm is all
ready heard III the distance, the tightening
OF political doom has already stric!ie,Slown
SnMc OF the most prominent men and mary
more are trembling with fear. We have
not retired tn, st men from amy il! feeling
toward them hut from dire necessary
the storm will continue and the Tightening.
WI siil' strike until the end we seek has
been brought about. 1t is now moving on
ana VIII sweep the country from the noun
lmnS to the Gu,f. Last November we, the
turner's, pni forty-tight men in the halls of
Congress besides clrrrinw ii number of Gov
rrn"rS. We have spoken with nounccrtain
So'll'd and lots NOR" of our "ppon, hts are
scared and scared badly aL that. We arc
! compel ll,'t to 90 on with the good work if
We hrHiiat" we are doomed. In the TALBOT
- We EIu~t send enough men to. Washing
ton To give ll> the relief asked. 1t is a sell
Gus thIng to charge men with continual
short Comin:sS and mtathtulursS and | am
ashamed that it has To be done and vet
thank Cod for the courage To do what is
light. That our public men have been un-
faithful none can deny.
Under the existing laws the banker is
furnished money hy the Government at Il
low rate OF interest and they in turn lend
II To the farmer ut an eNtOrlionatc rarc and
take Il mortgage over his home and he strur-
girS from year TO year to pay the interest,
bal 1T last Succumbs, and in his old age lac
is thrown out on the world poor and help
less. l have known men in my life who
are in pcrdltion today, that lent money To
the poor farmer. at fifty per cent,
on Il cut throat mortgage These things
are all wrong. The men that produce no
wealth pocket all the money ami leave the
lah"rcr and The producer of wealth scant
liNing and no profits. don't believe |
would be painting the picture any darker
than il Is when say that there is boys and
girls before me today who will
sec the day when they will be but
the servants OF the rich, if the money pow
cr goes on tor the next quarter Of a cen !
tury as 1t has since the war. In 1865 the !
farmers owned nifty per cent. of the proper
~ in the United States, today they own
less than % per cent. and vet thew pny
over so per cent. of the taxes. ANY child |
ten years of age can work ont the problem
ana see that 1t is only q matter of few !
more years when 20 per cent. of the citi !
Zens of these States will control nil the |
property and the tOilcrs will be their ser. |
wants. We mus. stand together as one man !
to avert this great wrong, if we faltcr now
We Will lose what We have gained and he
made to suffer for having tried to asscr,
wa 'i0i'''' liz 'illiNtlS VIII say ION
you little froSt.bit farmer. you must nuv
for the trouble you have given us the nnS,
three years. We sent the sub treasury h;II
to Washington two years ago, Where is if
now? Laid away in some pigeon hole,
No one will take it out, afrai,i'of it. We crv
on to the men we have sen, there to watch
our interest, "Watchman what of the
night" They shout back 'plow on farm. f.
or, plow on, all is wclI.' We have been
i"II"Wlng the same old leaders that we fnl. |
lowed daring the war. They led us into
some hot places too. We have pinned our
faith to them ard they come home and fin !
us with Tot Of chatl. rwulowitIown |
"h""p and h"lcr around, have a grand
rail Y and send them back, and inst pIoy ON |
ana grow poorer each year. We have done
'ha' ever SINCE 90, but we have got tired,
we want change and the Alliance isroinI
20 bring 1t about. 1t will put it bcvoni
the power Of money kings to opDrcss the
people. Let the movement stop and then
VIII come n daIk day for the farmer We
nave started grand revolution, n reyoh-
non ti!nl does not require bloodShcd and
liiS VIII go on until Congress recognizes
tTlN l,., ~