The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-09-26
REFORMERS TALK.
CnpfaIn II. l.. Farley Defines the Reform
Movement.
COLUMBIA, S. c., Sept. 20, 1891.

COLUMBIA, S. c., Sept. 20, 1891.
Capt. Il. q. Williams, Editor GrcenuHit
News: Regardless of some unimportant
errors of your editorial of the 18th which
: closes with very kind invitation to me
to join the Conservatives, feel like say.
Ing, "come, Brother Williams, let us
| shake"
have not quito forgotten the mon whc
were with US in the long fight against
Charleston and Columbia influences from
| 1878 to 1890, and who recoiled in 1890
when so many hesitated about following
| Ben Tillman into the Reform PARTY, al.
though staunch Reformers ut heart.
| have missed them and I miss them now
| for they have been needed to keep the
Reform movement within proper bounds
I remember we'll that the editor of the
Ncws was one Of them and gave me kind
words and great encouragement in 1So2'3
when, as memb ber of the House, 1 was
contending for the educational and other
principles which have since been lncor'
porated into the Reform platform. Pos
slbly if you had all Joined us and stuck
to the movement regardless of personal
|
| been able to restrain it within reasonable
| limits. You are mistaken in saying thai
"being more of soldier than politician he
lacked the foresight to suspect what came
to pass later on" If you will refer to
communication to your paper and per-
sonal letter to you in Which expressed re
gret that you were not with us, dated some
time in January or February, 1890, after
the March convention had been called,
YOU will find that I deplored the fact that
the Bourbonism in the State had made
the movement necessary, and in the ar
ticle you will find these very words
"NoW that the revolution has commenced
it is to be hoped that it will not 60 so far
as to put bad or corrupt men in power.
went into the movement with my
eyes wide open, and determined to sup
port it regardless Of personal misgivings
concerning Ben Tilllnan or any other
man; because I thought 1t was necessary
was right and would do good-although
bad men might ride into power and use
it for their own selfish aims and purposes
or prostitute it to crafty their low ambi-
tions and petty revenges. trusted then
as do now to the good sense of the peo,,
nle who. when properly informed, and
after they had time to allay the passions
and preiudices, engendered by the
struggle, will come back to their right
mornings. When some one said to Mr.
Carlisle, "Just think Of it; there are six.
ty million of souls here in England
ssYes, and just think of it; they are
mostly FOOLS" he replied. Mark Twain,
in life on the Mississippi" tells of
scene where two scoundrels, palming
themselves off as relatives of the deceas-
ed, are about to successfully rob an estate
| in a little town, where they had managed
to make themselves very popular
Finding themselves suspected finally
one SAYS to the other: "Dauphin, think
we had better take care OF what we have
gotten and get away from here
"Wby9' "Because we are suspected"
sob you idiot, don't you see that all the
d-n fools are on our side; and don't you
know they make large majority in any
community ?" was the reply. OF course
| I don't mean for this to be taken literally,
but it conveys the idea. have Learned
from the history Of other forays," or po-
litical movements that they are generally
started by good men and for good purpo'
ses, but soon pass into the hands OF the
knaves, who take possession OF the fools
(tte mob,) or who are in large majority,
and as it takes US, the fools who are hon
est and unsuspecting, good while to
find out the knaves, they "have a picnic ;,
though, like Mark Twain's land al
knaves,) they eventually come to grief.
Ihave tried faithfully to do my duty
| to the State, the Democratic party, and to
the reform movement during the last
four years of partisan strife and bitter
personal contention. 1 went into It with
only good purposes in view; added as
little as possible to its bitterness; and /
hope shall come out of it with clean
hands, claiming as much credit as anyone
for the good that has beer done, and de-
serving hope, no blame for the wrongs
and outraRes that have unfortunately
been perpetrated.
Ihope that you and the public will for
give my writing 80 much lately, but
want to be understood, aud will not be
| misrepresented, as in the article in the
| Reqister. I have little or nothing to re-
gret so far as my part is concerned, and
only want the record clear. Letit be un-
derstood that did everything legitimate
| in my power for the success OF the move
ment. but let it be remembered also that
in the "Colleton plan" fraud, in the "Dis.
pensary Profit Feature" wrong, the un-
scrupulous attacks upon the Judiciary,
and the characters of such men as Wal
lace and McIyer; in the absolute subjec-
ton of the Reform party, itslegislatures,
| its conventions and elections to the bosses;
| in the sending of the negro (Murray) to
Congress and the shame and disgrace OF
| Irby in the Senate; as we'll as all the
bossing, Dragging, bullying, bull doing,
| mock heroic Andrew Jackson efforts and
attitudes; in all of these. and much more
of minor importance, entered my pro-
test hoth positively and publicly,
They were not in the reform platform
or program and could not command my
approval. 81. u,.o-
have used, bruised and abused you, gen.
eral, 80 come into camp and dwell with
us, round out your career and be 1nde-
pendent and happy, reel Reformer, q
true Democrat and free maD."
This is kind invitation, and now since
the Reform movement has accomplished
its mission as expressed in its platform,
since Irby and Tillman (par mobile fra
t,,a.n,) are in the United States Senate and
| their "slated" friends and followers have
gotten all they want, it is about time tor
| ths rest of us to ask where are we at ?"
There used to he an old farmer in this
country who was remarkable for always
making good crops but who was never
satisfied. One year his crops we're won
derfully good all around and some Of the
neighbors went to congratulate him and
see If he was contented. They told him
he ought to be very thankful, when the
old man looked up scornfully and said :
"Yes, boys, I've made a good crop, but
tell you it's strainin' my land nightly"
So it Is with the Reform movement. We
have made good crop, especially of boot
licks and demagogues, but I'll tell you,
Brother Williams, ''we have strained our
land nightly" and I am afraid it will
never make such another.
Thank God that the crop is made and
s'the harvest is over, though I am not
saved" and now, since my first duty is to
the State and the Democratic party, will
make you this proposition:
The Refawm Party, having accom-
plished its principal measure and princi-
ples and mission, has arrived at the point
when it will naturally dissolve, by its
own Limitation if the results, good and
bad, are accepted, and no further opposi-
ton is attempted this year. A re-uniting
and reformation of the Democratic party
will naturally follow, preparatory to the
campaign of 1896, and new lines and new
isms will be made, and new divisions
will take place. These will require no
sacrifice, abandonment Of party or fac
ton on my part, or on the part of any
other. Reformers who look upon the sit
uation as do, are unwilling not only to
go back on the faction just now, when
they would, with somejus!ice, be accused
of doing so for mere personal reasons !;
but also to Join movement, which to all
intents and purposes is independent of