The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-05-24
MaGE WORKERS TO THE FRONT.


MAGE WORKERS TO THE FRONT.
Address of the Wage Workers League to
the People of south Carolina.
COLUMBIA, S. c., May l9.-The Indus
trial and Wage Workers League has
made preparations to begin its campaign
of political education. y bureau of fintor-
nation is to be established in Columbia,
and under tho direction of the officers
circulate good, sound Democratic doc
trine. The purposes Of the League have,
in many instances, been msconstrued,
whether Intentionally or not is unknown.
So. to settle the matter, and give the
position and intentions of the organiZa-
ton, the following statement was this
morning prepared aud given out by the
advisory committee:
ADDRESS OF THE LEAGUE.
Fully to appreciate the plan Of the I'm
dustrial and Wage Workers Democratic
League" it is essential that its purpose
be clearly explained.
Those who take physic are ordinarily
actuated by conviction Of the existence
of some lnalady, for which the medicine
is taken as remedy or cure. In nature
there are certain ineXorable laws which
may not be transgressed without conse-
quences so evil as TO defy the skill OF
science to counteract, leaving the trans
gressor without hope of pardon or mercy.
Few would complain if the ills of such
transgression fell solsly upon the trans
gressor, but such is not the case; through
generations the innocent must suffer The
consequences Of his guilt and folly.
AS the maintenances Of healthy natu-
raj existence is conditioned upon an OBJ
servance of the vital laws of nature, 80
also does sound political existence
depend upon an adherence to those fun
damental principles upon which the poll
cal institutions of free people must be
based; principles which recognize the
existence of inherent rights, which may
not be set aside by maiorities; principles
within the operation Of which "equal and
exact justice" shall be meted out to the
weak as we'll as the strong, to the poor as
we'll as the rich, to the few as we'll as the
many, by ajudiciary composed Of men
of the most profound wisdom, exalted
integrity and unquestioned honor, who
shall be com pleteiy disassociated and re-
moved from these influences which bear
upon our human frailties; principles the
very essence of the wisdom, righteous
ness and equity of which is EN- mbodied in
the restraining power Of the Executive
veto and the judicial verdict, through
which alone the great pendulum Of popu-
lar passion and partisan zeal can be made
to vibrate within its proper limits; prin-
ciples which constitute the pillars Of that
Democracy which has been and which
must be the refuge OF the "plain people"
Of our country.
DEMOCRACY SHOULD BE RESTORED.
Feeling that these underlying princi-
pies had been violated through the enact
1ment of laws undertaking to tax inequi-
tabiy, and therefore unjustly, and with
out representation, corporate capital,
upon which depends the very bread of
large number Of the citizens of this State
and, further through the incorporation
| into such unjust and inequitable laws Of
clause specifically denying the inherent
and constitutionally guaranteed right Of
appeal to the Courts, number Of citizens
| assembled to protest against the passage
of such laws as we'll as to call in question
certain other proceedings, hereinafter
referred to, which were held to be unjust,
and therefore unlawful, and being unlaw
| full, necessarily undemocratic. Believ-
| ing that the principles of Democracy are
sound and sufficiently broad to cover q
policy wisely and fexibly adaptable to
| the conditions which may arise, and be-
lieving that these principles had been
violated through the passage of laws in
consistent Herewith; and regarding the
policv of the present Administration as
unwise, Incorporate and partisan, and
therefore inconsistent with the principles
of Democracy, and unjust as we'll as in
| furious to many of the citizens of this
State engaged in various industrial occu-
pations, especially to such as were wage
workers, the industrial and wage
Workers Democratic League was or
ganized to remedy, il possible, these
abuses by appealing to the reason Of the
people.
WHITE PEOPLE MUST RULE.
"It is condition, not theory, which
| confronts us'' when we assert the neces-
white people in the political control Of
the affairs of this State; and tits obvious
| to all that this can only be done by main-
tanning the integrity of the Democratic
| party. Is the present political situation
hopefully indicative of such a result
! Is it not evident to all that the present
| intensity of feeling which divides the
! white people of the State will culminate
sooner or later in an appeal to the negro,
unless more rational condition can be
brought about9 Is it not equally clear
! to intelligent citizens that the schism
amongst our people is due loss to issues
f than to individualities and more to
"isms" than to ideas? Is 1t not also true
i that the integrity of the Democratic par
( ty, and the supremacy of the white peo-
pie, is menaced through the incorpora-
I ton Of ideas Of questionable merit savor-
( -, oc ho Ton rpQ
sistently serve two mastersP Is not our
present unfortunate status due in part,
at least, to q straying away from the true
principles of Democracy, and leaning
| toward the chimerical and deceptive ten
denotes of Socialism in disguise? Is 1t
not q fact that the real cause of antago
nism exists in the unpatriotic hearts and
ppscrupulpus tongues and pens Of those
| whose bread and butter COMES to them as
he fruit of passions aud prejudices
which they haye excited among us
Shall we continue to elect. Legislatures
which, SO far from representing the in
dustries of the State, are, in large meas
ure at least, monuments OF incompetent
cy and vicious ignorance? Shall we con-
tinue to elevate to the highest positions
in our gift men whose minds are poison
ed with partisan zeal to degree which
lOuuOlo 1hSoPAoaO Va oPPhSSsNsAh5
their constitutional functions in the in
terest of the guaranteed rights of citizens?
A zeal equalled only by the arrogance
with which are set forth the grounds Of
the political ineligibility of individuals
who assert their rights as Democrats and
exercise their privileges as Americans.
Will the thoughtful citizen hold himself
blameless, if rather than concede an iota
to those who may differ, he shall con-
tinue, at best, to hold the raimeat of
those who, from whatsoever point they
may be viewed, or to whatsoever faction
they may profess allegiance, infamed
with passion and concsit, are melting
their fellow citizens to war which can
only result in financial depression and
industrial disaster?
THE PEOPLE MUST ANSWER.
These questions can only be answered
by the people, and the responsibility of
the reply rests primarily upon those who
regard themselves as men of intelligence
and integrity, capable of discerning what
is Just and unwilling to do an injustice.
The farmers are in the majority, there
fore greater responsibility rests upon
the farmer than upon any other citizen.
Tho UTndnstrial and WAGE Workers