The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-03-15

ml6GOVGrnoQ lSnDrant ana worthless
race. Did you ever hear Of bills neing
introduced in Congress for the relief of
the agricultural classes, bills to prevent
gambling in futures, sub.treasury bill,
income tax bills and tariff reform bills
under the organization Of the National
Alliancep Remember, the next four
years will bring to us these measures in
in tho shape of laws if you will be true
to yourselves. Already the Northern
Democrats, seeing the inevitable union
of tho South and West have deserted
their party and now assisting Ropub-
licau minority to break quoru aud de
feat the will of the people. The Bland
bill, however has passed the House, but
it Is understood that boss Cleveland Is
opposed and it will meet defeat in the
club house. Why Mr.. Cleveland should
object to coming the silver iu the Treas
ury, which has been robbed from West.
ern miners, but who now make no claim
upon it, and paying the debt of the ma.
tlon instead Of issuing bonds is incom-
prehenslble to any honest man. Will
the jackass horses please eXplaln2
We have been branded at Washington
as being third pal ltyites, the scum OF the
earth and unworthy Of recognition by
the Democratic party and these men
who are responsible for 1t are now bow
ing down and asking you to restore them
"the decent clement" to Office and upon
a Cleveland Democratic platform. | am
q Democrat and one standing squarely
upon tho Chicago platform, and pro-
poso to show you that il is almost lden-
tlcal with the Ocala demands. (Mr.
Evans here read the two platforms and
compared them.) Who now are the
true Democrats, the Alliancemen or the
1ackass horses?
rest my Democracy here and will
now proceed to discuss State affairs.
The historian Gibbon characterized the
reign of the Antonies over the Roman
Empire as the only instance where the
happiness of the people was the sole OBJ
ject OF their rulers. Well and truly may
the same be said Of the reign of the Re-
formers in South Carolina. Recognizing
tho principle that the best educated peo.
pie are the happiest and best citizens,
the first object Of the Reform govern
mont was to build up the common
school system. Under the bill intro
duced by myself, separate school dis
tricts have been organized in nearly all
OF our counties and in most Of them by
the addition of a small tax our public
schools are now run from six to nine
months and I am in favor of making
every district in the State separate and
allowing it TO govern itself as to its
schools aud the method of maintaining
them, aided, of course, by the State ap-
proprlation.
a constitutional convention should
be called and our school law expunged
from the Constitution and left entirely
with our Legislature, as at present it il
dangerous IN the extreme and menace
TO our entire system of common
We have built and equipped a col.
lege, modern in all its features, where
our poor boys may obtain an education
at the smallest expense. The best evi.
dence of Its success and its necessity
for It's establishment is the fact that
over six hundred students are now en-.
rolled within its walls and others are
knocking at Its doors for admission.
We have maintained every institution
OF the old regime and not dollar Of
extra taxation has been placed upon the
people In comparison with the rate of
the past opposing administrations.
Recognizing the great injustice done
to our women and the indifference
shown them by "the best element" we
have In process of construction an in
dustrial college for women which will
be the pride OF our State. 1t will be as
grand a success as Clemson College and
fill long felt want. 1t is sad to re.
late. however, that "the toughs" Of the
State we're the first to recognize the
claims Of her lovely women.
We have crushed out the CoosaW
monopoly created by Republican and
sought to be maintained by "the best
element" and today the State is In pos.
session Of all her rights and her prop.
ertv including Agricultural Hall,
which was attempted to be stolen from
US by carpet -baggers and fraudulent
bondholders.
We have endeavored to equalize tax.
alton by assessing the property Of cor.
porat1Ons commensurate with that OF
real estate owners, but by reason OF
being In the hands of United States
Court receivers they have all defied the
States authority, rendered only the
amount Of taxes they thought due and
are now indebted to the State In the
sum of $2Ol, 900. There is not rail
road ins the State, considering the in
debtedness, which Is not assessed lower
than the average farm, considering the
interest received by the farmer upon
his Investment. Little did we think
when Daniel III. Chamberlain was driy-
en- from the State at the point of the
bayonet that he would so soon return
and snap his fingers in the face OF our
government, sustained by men who
had denounced him as q thief and
scoundrel. guardian not only our larg-
est corporations. but also Of our United
States Circuit Judges principle and
tho editors Of some Of our largest news
papers and criterion Of our Democ-
racy, and banquetted by the elite of
Charleston. We are forced to exclaim
10 what base uses have "the better
element" come. Had these railroads
paid their taxes and the revenue from
phosphates not been destroyed, your
taxes would now be only two and a
half mills. In spite Of this, by strict
economy. we have refunded the State
debt Of $5, 100000, exempted the storm
stricken sections from taxes. paid the
old soldiers an extra sum Of $4,000, and
lowered your taxes half mill. Sala-