The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-12-12
Wednesday, December II, 1884.
The Dawn of Peace!

SAS & 14SHt LII IAo N'A'e'NN 40
with Joy BY mariner on a storm
tossed ship, so do we hail with Joy
tie light we see in the address of the
forty Reformers which appears
on our first page. That instrument is
the precursor of better times in South
Carolina. It is forerunner of an
era Of peace which every man who has
his country's welfare at heart will re-
spond to with delight. For the past
four years the people of this State
have been in state Of fever-heat,
and now the opportunity is offered
whereby al can come together to
work for a co nmon ciase. This ad-
dress was issued las5 week in Columbia
and is on the line 81 what We have been
advocating for some time past, and we
are glad to see that our labors have
not Leen wasted. We realize the i'm
portance OF the constitutional con-
vention that will be called this COM
ing summer, and regard it the most
serious step the people have ever
been called upon to take; at the same
time we have unbounded confidence
in the people, and we feel that they
fully realize the gravity Of the step
about to be taken.
The political revolution Of 1890
brought about bitterness of feeling
that follows every political revolution,
but the passions of men have had time
to cool, and it is time our affairs
should become settled and turbulence
and strife sank into oblivion. There
is no sense in one faction accusing
the other Of being to blame for the
present conditions; for both are to
blame. In the excitement brought
about by the past csmpigns, the de-
feated faction, in malice, soreness and
disappointment, used every conceiv-
able method to obstruct the measures
of the successful faction; and the sue
cessful faction, smarting under the
abuse and yituperation, in some in
stances, used their power to excess,
but the time has come when both
factions should see thai this constant
warfare is doing the State no good,
and that the people want the wrang-
ling stopped, and something done to
tighten the many burdens that are
depressing them. If the suggestions
in that patriotic address are adopted,
both factions can gracefully lay down
their arms and come together and all
go to work for the upbuilding of the
State. The Reform movement is
based upon honest and. correct prin-
ciples, every fair-minded man will ad-
NIT, and there is no reason why they
should not go on, but to carry on
those principles we must not allow
the Reform ship to become manned
with crew Of pirates who will scut-
tie and sink her in their greed for
gain.
There is no doubt that when the
political wateis were shaken up in
1890, nss ne to the top and took
high places; to hold on to what ad-
vantage they gained, they continued
the agitation; the result has been that
the true Reformers have been retarded
in their work Of reform by the pie
hunters ard place-grabbers, and now
to scrape off the barnacles that have
fastened themselves to the Reform
ship the people must come
together. If the people become
Indifferent and do not arouse
themselves, they will find that they
are tied hand and foot by pirates
who boarded the ship when the gen
eral invitation was extended to "get
on board" There are some now who,
assuming to be in charge of the
Reform movement are so intoxicated
with their success that they imagine
they are the entire movement, and if
anything is wanted it must come
through them. These men, instead
OF working for the objects set out to
be accomplished by the Reform move
ment have laid aside those objects
and are converting by "hurrah-for-
hell-who-cares-for-fre" methods, al
machine to grind out places for fa-
Vorite ones, and if a halt is not called
such an upheaval will take place that
the revolution of 1890 will be like al
gentle zephyr on summers evening
in COMPARISON. The rate that some
of the would-be leaders of the Reform
movement want to keep mp must be
checked, and the sooner the people
make them understand it the better
it viii be for the State. The people
are tired of this constant strife. They
want taxes reduced, they want their
children educated, they want the
ruling powers to take the iron heel
of oppression from off their necks,
and these things do not come, nor can
they come when one set is tearing
down while the other is trying to
build up. If the present leaders can
not or will not give the people the
desired relief, q change will be de-
manded and it will come. South
Carolina is in critical state, and it
will take brain and patriotism to
place her in the position she should
occupy. The opportunity is at hand
for the people to come together to
council in wisdom. Fire brands OF
both factions should and must be
frowned upon, and from the wisdom
OF those who have the welfare Of the
State at heart the people can have
peace and prosperity. The noble
sentiments expressed in The address
referred to we heartily endorse, and
we regard that paper as an olive