Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-08-07
shone, "with peace in every heart and
peace in every home" Cheers and ap-


him great pleasure to welcome all those
people at the campmeeting. The first of
these campmeetings was held four years
ago. It was such success that 1t at once
ceased TO be an institute OF only local inn
portance. Its fame had spread all over
the state, and now the Tirzah campmeet-
ing is looked upon as a fixed annual occa-
sion for general renewal of allegiance
to Alliance principles. Mr.. Wilborn
next reviewed the history of the Alliance
from its origin up to the present time.
He pictured the conditions which made
the organization necessary, showed how,
by united effort, it was easy to accom-
plish things which would otherwise be
impossible, and told Of the different tri-
umphant fights in which the Alliance had
been engaged. He also knew OF many
individuals, who, by the help OF the AL
lance, had been lifted up from the condi-
ton of laborers to the position OF inde-
pendent farmers, surrounded by all the
comforts of life. Many people had joined
the organization originally in the nope
that it would make them independent
up when they found that they could not
get everything wanted free Of cost. be
said that the Alliance organization was
absolutely necessary for the protection OF
the interests and the preservation OF the
independence Of the agricultural classes.
There are now many farmers who do not
belong to the Alliance, but who, all the
same, reap the adv vantages that are occa-
stoned by the existence of the organiza-
ton. This, he thought, was not credlta-
BILE to the outsiders. 1t was their duty 10
Join the or ganization and help to fight its
battles. Among the benefits that had'ac-
crued as the result of Alliance influence,
Mr.. Wilborn pointed to Clemson college
and Winthrop Training school. Mr.. Will
born told several jokes to illustrate MS
points, and his speech generally was we'll
received; but without demonstration.
When Mr.. Wilborn concluded, Chair
man Elder announced that the expected
speaker of the day was Hon. Joseph Y.
Sibley, of Pennsylvania. Mr.. Sibley had
told DIR. Strait, sometime before, that ne
would be present. The train, however,
had left Rock Hill before the arrival OF
the Southern, and Mr.. Sibley would have
to come to Tirzah by private conveyance.
In the meantime, he would Introduce
DR.. T. J. Strait.
DIR. Strait commenced by saying that he
did not expect to speak that day; that ne
was sorry his friend, Mr.. Sibley, was not
present. He was always glad and willing,
however, to talk to his constituents, and
it gave him especial pleasure to meet the
good people of Tirzah. He then began TO
talk of the Alliance organization and its
benefits. He said the Alliance had
been abused and slandered, and, on ac-
count of it, he himself had to bear
MANY hard things. He had often been
characterized as "a half kind OF
fool.n This was because he did not
make big speeches in congress. But
there are few big speeches made on the
floor of congress. Boss Reid would not
allow the time for them. Five minutes
was long time for almost anyone to get
the floor of the house. 1t was the Gus
tom of many members TO get the floor
when the could, for a few minutes, and
then have printed in the Congressional
Record, long speech that they did not
deliver. This was to satisfy their con-
stituents. He thought this kind Of thing
WAS humbug and he did not practice it.
Instead of having his speeches printed III
this way, he preferred to come and talk to
his constituents face to face. 1.-The man
who stands back from the Alliance" SAID
DIR. Strait, sis not true to his country, and
and is less true to his family
Continuing, DR.. Strait said that he had
witnessed things on the floor of the house
that made his blood boil. One thing ne
mentioned, was the action of the house IN
voting Sl9OOOO for the fast mail on the
Southern railroad. This appropriation
was only a bonus, over and above what
the road got for carrying the regular
mails. The benefit was only to the tour
lists. The agricultural population only
got few papers-no letters-and did not
need a fast mail; yet he had seen repre-
sentatiyes who had come from agricultu-
raj districts vote for this appropriation.
He had asked some of these representa-
tiyes how they could vote that way.
They said their constituents would never
know it. He told them that if he should
do anything like that, his constituents
would know it and they would make
known their disapproval in their votes.
Out of the 800 members of the house,
said the doctor, there are only IL farmers,
and there is a corporation lawyer for
every single corporation in the United
States. These corporation lawyers work
for each other. These corporations never
lose an opportunity to send representa-
tive to congress. They spend an i'm
mense amount of money for that purpose,
and if they thought they could do any
good they. would try to elect the represen-
tati We from this district.
Rambling back to the Alliance, DR..
Strait said it was the greatest school that
had ever been established in this country.
It carried education to classes who could
not be educated in any other way. The
farming classes do not take the daily pa
pers, because they are not able; and the
weekly papers are no good, because more
than half of them are made up of ad-
vertisements and stuff that is copied
from somewhere else. The Alliance de-
as a whole, constitute the best
doctrine that has ever been
in this country. He told how
=, .---..~.:o,,, foo rod tho lliance and