The sun., 1893-07-09

that she was ruled by caste secure OF Its
position and little subject to the fluctuations
OF politics.
The war destroyed tho property OF
the class which had been most enger for
war. and left the farmer with little more
and sometimes with less than the means
OF subsistence. The period Of bayonets
and carpet-baRs increased the economic
distress OF tho State. but tho feeling OF a
common oppression kept all the respectable
whites together. and gave cohesion to tho
old political forces. When once the State
was left to itself, the breakup was sure to
come. Tho farmers, growing poorer In
their badly cultivated holdings, having little
OF the knowledge or appliances OF progress
sivo agriculture. suffering from the chief
curse Of the South. the want OF diversified
farming, found the times hard. and set about
to discover the cause or at least to find
somebody on whom to lay the blame. The
Farmers Alliance microbe was In the air.
although 1t had not yet begun its ravages.
Who can be sure that he has traced yellow
fever or cholera OF given year to its exact
sourcep An epidemic OF hayseed political
economy and revived JACK CADE comes
over us often, like commercial panics, or tho
sprees OF the periodic drunkard. In South
Carolina tho new movement was ut first
rather cognate or parallel with tho Farm
ers' Alliance movement than directly result
ing from that. Ithad to be carried on within
the Democratic party. Later, the farmer
element OF the Democratic party stuck the
Farmers Alliance platform into tho 80
called Democratic platform. That was in
1892, after Capt. BEN TILL,LAN hnd been tho
leader of the farmers movement for five
years or more.
In estimating TILLMAN's policy we must
remember tho clements with which he had
to deal. There was the old ruling class.
ruling only nominally. comparatively few
In numbers. but still enjoying undisputcd
social prestige. There were their adherents,
deriving no small strength from tho fear
orperception that q fatal division Of tho
Democratic party would be tho re-
suit Of the introduction Of new
issues into State politics. Most numer-
GUS OF all. but not yet conscious Of their
power. were the small farmers in the
small towns, and South Carolina is a State
OF small towns. These have had little or
no chance Of education. They know next
own county. They lived lonely. vegeta-
bic existence. They were poor and discon-
tented. Capt. BEN TILLMAN came and add
ed flame and fuel to their discomfort He
persuaded them that the State was ruled
by corrupt ring; that railroads. lawyers.
merchants were prsying on the farmer. He
set the country against the city. class
against class. None OF his charges was
ever proven, so far as we know. 1t was
enough for his audiences that he mado the
charges. Fortunate in deformity that
made him uglicr than even nature intend
ed, n one.gallus man." In homely clothes,
coarse in his speech partly by habit and
breeding. more. perhaps. by design, he
spoke rs a farmer-and not much Of farm
er. either. 1t seems-to audiences Of farmers.
He had that gift which Rufus CAoATE
ascribed to JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. an uner-
ring instinct for the jugular vein. He was
full Of gall and bitterness. He had credu-
lous people to talk to. and he made them
believe In the most extraordinary asser.
tions. In short time he converted most
of the farmers to the belief that they
were the oppressed victims Of robbers and
plutocrats, and that BEN T1L1MAN was the
greatest man living. This plain speech
making was not his only gift, He was a
natural political machinlst, On intriguer
with the faculty OF organization. The Al
lance lodges offered singularly effective
means for powerful organization on the
part Of the farmers. In spite OF such a Bit
ternsss Of opposition as can hardly be i'm
agined in the North. and after campaigns in
which knives and revolvers and guns were
often displayed. and his own life sometimes
seemed a particularly bad risk. he WAS
elected Governor; and he has been reflect
ed. and he is still the idol OF the farmers.
To his enemies his is the most sinister Of
demaGogic figures. a ono-eyed WILKES,
{" one-gallus" GRACIOUS In jeans. They
regard him as the foe Of everything that
makes the State worth living In. an al
rant impostor. and an unconscionable
liar. 1t must be admitted that he has
certain talent for positive assertions not
we'll founded. but this may be the result of
the oratorical temperament. although his
fire seems little artificial. and coolness OF
plan accompanies his hottest expression.
To the farmers he is the quintessence of
the friend Of the people, and
the source OF prosperity. Around him
RACES the fight. and persons who have won
dered how such apparently gentle subjects
as agricultural colleges and State phos-
phate beds should arouse whirlwinds OF
passion In South Carolina. will wonder no
onger when they know that BEN TILLMAN
makes an offensive and unconditional fight
On every subject against everybody who
DOESN'T agree with him.
Even tho liquor monopoly is. as our corre-
,pondent shows. not a sincere II mistaken
attempt at State socialism, but the sudden
strategy Of the shrewd politician, who
hopes to make votes out OF it. who has the
oower over It, and will use 1t to strengthen
himself and to punish his enemies. Such q |
nan has an original force not to be denied.
whether you hate him. or admire him, or
simply study him. The power Is likely TO |
lecline In time. OF course. for he cannot fulfil
he expectations Of his supporters. and his |
,ery success will raise up new enemies and |
ivals; and intelligence and progress must !
,eat him In the end. 1t will be found then,