Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1892-10-06
MEANING OF FIhLMANISM
1T WAS NEVER A SOCIAL
QUESTION, SAYS I.4BY.
The People, Disguised with the
Rule of the Bourbons, Organ
ized and Finally Defeated their
Oppressors-Some Interesting
Phases of the Struggle.
-,
New York Times.]

New York Times.]
LAURENs, S. Co. September 3d.
The article which appeared il. the
Times some three weeks ago,
entitled "It was a Social Revolt" /"
and dated from Charleston, this
State, has been widely read
throughout South Carolina, and
has been the subject of much
comment, particularly. among in
talligent farmers. The article
purports to give what is charac-
terized as the "true inwardness
and spirit of Tillmanism." 1t is
said in criticisms of the letter that
"Observer," by whom it is signed,
reasons from false premises,
through it is confessed that the
subject is so ingeniously handled
that the indictment is of more
|ithan ordinary interest. The Times
correspondent recently had talk
with Senator Irby, who is made
prominent by "Observer" among
the social revolutionists. He was
very willing to give his versio4of
the question.
The Senator's statement is of
special interest, as he :s a descend
ant of the bedrock families of
South Carolina, being closely
related to the Earles and Thomp-
sons, who, with his own people, are
of revolutionary stock and have
illustrated the history of this
State on the Bench, at the Bar
and in the field. Senator Irby,
however, does not bank much on
his ancestry or on anybody else's
ancestry as sole consideration
for preferment .or elevation, a
favorite social maxim with him
being that "a race horse that can't
run is a very poor piece of pro-
pertY." - 80"
"I Ipropose to show, said the
Senator, "that there is no founda-
tion whatever for the reasoning OF
argument that the. social question
entered at all into the the political
revolution which eliminated in
the election of Tillman as Governor
of South Carolina in 1890. First
as to the causes of the Tillman
Movement, so called. The political
history of the State up TO- 1896
shows that it was ruled by an
oligarchy of which perhaps nc
Northern State can furnish an
example. This oligarchy has been
variously called the Ring, the
Bourbons, and more recently, and
quite appropriately, the 'Conserva
tives, in the original meaning o1
the term. Under whatever name
this regime was known, the voting
people-tbe great majority o:
them-saw some years ago that, 81
far as the holding of Offices wa
concerned, the Bourbons were {
privileged class, which claimed
high station and everv station by
an inalienable divine right to rule
This kind of government was
colonial relic, : a SYSTEM onc'
necessary, perhaps, but which ha'
outlived by a half century it
usefulness or nescessity. 1t nigh
have been tolerated for many year
after 1890 but for certain issu
which arose and which carried t
their logical and inevitable conclu
sion, brought about fnancia
reforms, economic reforms, an
: swept away, with many govern
ment abuses, the Boubons as a.
ofice-holding class.
"Before the year 1890 th
farmers had asked their rulers fo
! an agricultural college. The reques
3 was denied, but even this was no
the primary cause of the revolt
In my opinion, the true cause of th
unrest which pervaded the Stat
for some years before 1890 was
: system of commercial extortion c
3 legalized robbery of the farming
8 and, in general, 1.-The poorer class b
I the money owners and none
lenders, in whatever form it wa
loaned to the people, whether b
: bankers, private usurers, or cotto
I. factors, This system began as earl
as the close Of the war. when th
Confederate soldier came home
find that all was lost, both on II
y battlefield and his farm. In orde
to assist him in the struggle
restore his fallen fortunes, to giN
him credit and standing in IL
commercial world, the lien law ws
enacted. Itwas intended as bles
: ing, but became a curse SO pate.
il thatin time the farming class erie
y out against it as an infamou
= though silent oppressor.
y aMerchants and bankers charge
% outrageous rates of interest. Wit
K rates of cooper cent under the lie
d system and 50per cent charged (
q bankers and merchants, the farme
n was taxed to deash, certainly to Il
point where forbearance ceased
: be a virtue, and where revolt WI
l. the remedy, both in law and equit
it The farmers were growing poor
s every day, and it was while Il
oz-J;t;on woo /, ,honf ~ 80 ,ro,,