The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-09-16
Can IL BsTrue

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To US, it seems almost improbable that
any merchant of sane mind or any business
would contemplate such a fool
hardy course, much less mr.ke tho heartless
threat, that '1he farmers wen. against them
in the election, and they, the merchants,
who hold mortgages against tha Tillmanites,
would close them ont, let the consequences
be wha' they may"
Such course is SO utterly at variane-
with common sense, common 10 interest end
The Dictates of humanity, that we don't
believe any man, be he merchant or not,
in Town or country, outside of the Lunatie
Asylum, could have made the threat, much
less intcnd 10 put it iu execution.
Understand US, we do not doubt that such
n rumor is passing among the Farmers, anl
our correspondent has ground for speaking
as he does, and we cordially sympathise
with him in oil he says a5ou, it.
II was heartless, unm,nly rumor,
whether true or false. If false, the person
that started it did malicious, unpriuoipled
wrong to the Farmers, by ere,tiug fear
and unrest in the minds Of those who are so
unfortunate rs TO bs under mortgage; at the
Same time malciously misrepre,outing the
feelings Of the merchants Of the County
towards the Farmers, thereby doing them
also SO ious injury.
If i, i, true that any merchant or mcr-
chants dill make the threat. he or they
| should be known and made to bear the
odium OF such q heart'ess sentin ent, invoIy-
ing the who'e mercantile fraternity in this
and other counties,
In either crse, true or false. il is equally
the duty of the Farmers and the Merchants
to investigate the rumor and, if poss; bio,
find its source.
We suggest that the merchants who are
innocent, in each town or settlement sin
this and other countiCs," make and publish
formal denills of having either entertained
or threatened any such intention or feeling
toward the farmers. Aud will not our
friend Ke'ton Wheel assist IN ferret,iug out
| the merchants who made the t!,reat, or the
fellow that started fhc aumor?
| While we heartily agree with Kelton
Wheel in all he says about the candidate
that hal whiskey at the polls on the Both l.,
we don't think he is one-half az bad as the
man Candidate or not) who malicously puts
aaoat false rumor, seriously affecting the
churactvr aud standing Of an indisiduai or q
respectable class of individuals, to obtain
any personal or pof advantage. Talk
about whskey demoraliziug people
Why, The vemousnous tongue Of the slanderer
creates more generalization, more strife,
more disscnsioas in families and commu-
mites than wh,skey ioes-bad as that is.
| If Kelton Wheel will seriously consider
the effect Of such threat upon the individ-
usl AMI general interests Of tho people in
town and country, we think he will come te
the conclusion that he who made it is either
| q foo! n ho>rtlcss wretch or stirrer up oil
strife, and deserves tie condemnation Of
every good citizen We would like 10 pub
lish such fellow 10 the world.
1t is but in keeping with the many false
and unmarly reports set nfoat during the
campaign to prejudice the minds of voters
| arnins indixiLunl candidates, and shows
| how easily The ordinary citizen can be
deceived by shrewd men who paudcr 10 the
| popular preju iiees. however absurd and
unfounde1, to obtain indi viduai, sectional
or party Advantages. We have heard some
things about the late County campaign that
makes us bo'ievo that personal merit and
ability have but little Influence with the
average voter, when pit'ed agains. the
b'andi,hments Of the traiucer and syco-
plant. And that, too, among men who
claim to be bound together by the mystic tie
of brotherhood.
Yes, We say with you, let the people read
and thank dispas2ionately, sift the good and
true from the base and false, and with
honest hearts unite in fostering and dissent
mating truth and discarding that which is
false and detrimental to the peace haompny
and prosperity Of Hll.