The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-08-27
ltsBY To THE FARMERs.

An Outline OF His Views in RE
10 the constitutional conventions.
The Piedmont Headlight gives the
following report of Senator Irby,s
speech at h barbecue at his home ln !
Laurens !:
Alter dinner. the boys began to yell
Tor lrby, and in response " their call
the Senat made u ringing speech.
He said he vas about broken down.
but the boys wanted to near from him
and whatever his friends wanted thew
should nave If in his power W bestow.
senator lrby spoke very faelingly OF
the manifestations of e3teem and con
hdence given him. He said he would
give The people u brief ccoun of his
views in regard to the constitutional
convention. for they had q right TO
know He would have to offend none,
but in dealing with political matters,
IL demanded truth and candor. The
speaker then outlined his policy i'm
regard to the convention.
First, he favored o reduction I'm
salaries, rs promised the people in
1881. He thought the pay OF our pub
lie officers should be reduced in some
proportion to the price that the farmer
must receive for his crops. He be-
iieved in scaling the salaries of
Judges from $3.5OU to 81, 900, and that
they should be elected by the people
instead of .Gy the legislature. the
people a just us much right to elect
judges as they had to elect u governor:
That 1T was not right to hold any public
servant above those whom he must
serve. III people could be trusted
and he believed in giving them the
greatest latitude and power.
Second, he would vote for abolishine
the South Carolina College and Citadel
Academy, and use the money thus
saved toward building up our country
schools that 1t was not right for the
state TO expend $500 i'm educating
the poor mans child. He favored the
liberal support Of Clemson College
and the Girls Industrial School, for
they were designed to prepare our
Boys and girls Tor making an honest
living, and give the State what it 80
badly needs, trained teachers, A bow
could go to Clemson for about 800 a
year, while 1T would cost more thar
three times that much to attend the
colleges in Columbia and Charleston.
Senator lrby said he was glad to see
good schools established in the towns,
but it was his desire to have equally
as good schools in the country as there
are IN our towns. He wanted eycry
man be given an opportunity to say
which school his tax must go to. and
then let the State make a liberal pro,
vision for the schools in our rural dis.
tricts. He had voted for an appropria.
tlon TO n South Carolina College
while u member of the legislature, for
the constitution demanded that it be
kept up and he had sworn to obey the
constitution. But when we frame oul
new organic law, that clause should be
omitted, and if q youth felt himself
above attending Clemson, why h.
could go to some of the other literary
colleges III this and other States.
Senator lrby also favored putting ,
provision in the Constitution reouirino
the State to provide for Confederate
veterans who lost health in defense O
their country, or received wounds tina,
l~ncapacltated them for labor. These
GA heroes were fast passing away, an,
the STATE should see that their declin
ing days were made as comfortable n,
possible. Many Of them are now il
our poor houses, and IL is u disgrace {,
, South Carolina, and a shame upon he,
people. The Confederate private sol
, der in our State has never been hon
ored and cared for as he deserved. ant
therefore he Qrby) should seek to hay,
e~ngratted in our new Constitution
clause making suitable provision fo
N support of INDECENT Confederat,
veterans.
Inc Senator next touched upon ON,
cotton mill operatives, and grew clio
quent In his defense of their rights
, He said he had information that whit,
men employed in our cotton ]factorie,
had been discharged because the,
dared exercise their rights as Ameri
; can freemen, and vote for the candi
yates OF their choice. Other imposi
ions upon these people had been prac
ticed. There was d cotton mill poins
up In Laurens, and he doubted not bu5
that the same spirit of coercion would
be attempted in his own county as wa,
practiced Ia Spartanburg and othe1
counties. ("They ere already at it,
replied a. voice. Our Reform move
ment, continued Senator Irby, guaran
tees to every white man the priviieg,
or going to the ballot box and there de
posting his vote for the candidates O
his choice. l shall favor, in the emu
meration OF State officers the establish
ment OF a labor commissioner, who's,
duty it shall be to see that the 200,
working people of this State have thei,
eve'y right accorded them, an(
That they are not imposed upon by tn,