Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-07-06
GREAT Alliance BARBECUE.
THE GLORIOUS FOURTH FiTLY CELE.
BRATED-ABOUT $500 PRESENT.
BIG SPEECHES BY DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS
Vast Throngs Flock to Seneca-TiIIman was
There--Tom Watson Not Present.

largo. In tho ehriy morning the people
began to arrive in train, buggios,
wagons, On horseback and afoot. This
continued unit the crowd assembled
amounted to somo twenty-ave hundred
persons. ". d. ..., -s ..,-.n..
Promptly at ton O'Clock the crowd as
sembled at the stand, erooted O hundred
yards South of tho Southern depot. Hon.
J. l.. Smith announced that the proceed
ings would be opened with prayer by
Rov. ]. M. MCGUIRE, of Oakway.
The first speaker was Hon. j. r. Blake,
vino spoke on the subject assigned to
him: "Lend n Holping Hand" Mr..
Blako declared that, as an Alliancoman,
ho wished to address his remarks, not
| only to members of tho Alliance, but TO
all professions; tho word Alliance moan.
ing alliance in thought and doed. The
! organization had suffered much criticism
from without: nevertheless, 1t had boon
tho agont for accomplishing much good
to all classes of pooplo by olcvating tho
families of farmers generally. From It's
beginning it had antagonizcd mono, but
had attempted the advancement of all
for tho common wolfaro. He would,
therefore, discuss tho Alliance from the
standpoint of patriotism and citizenship,
together with all those things which
make tho homo, the community and tho
State higher and bottor. Tho railroads,
interpretations and capital generally had
allicd themselves against tho industrial
advance of agriculture, and not without
a dogrco Of success. 1t was not because
they fclt any antagonism to agriculture,
but that they desired to speculate upon
tho products of tho farm, and by spccu-
lation tho prico which farmers realized
from their labor had boon reduced to n
minimum. Agricultural pursuits hex!
thereby been paralyzod and rendered
Improbable. The theory OF ovcr-pro-
duction had been given as tho cuuso of
depression until it had become thread
bare. The speaker appealed to cvory
farmer to mako tho farm self-sustaining,
and to remove their corn-crib and moat-
house from the West to their homes. He
who gives a lien remains LEAN all hie
life. The fact that wc had two millions
of bales Of cotton more than was noccs-
sary for use this year is no argument
that tho country does not need it. Tho
trouble is that tho exceedingly rich and
the exceedingly poor arc both on tho
increase; that wealth is boing amasscd
in tho hands of the fow, and is being
used by thcm for elf-aggrandizemont.
There is no objection to woalth-thcre
could and should be none; but tho dan
ger lies in tho fact that wealth amassed
in the hands Of tho fow, the poor arc
being compelled to pay tribute to tho
few. Everything, from tho soap that
clcanscs the face to tho tobacco which is
used as luxury, and money, the medium
of commerce, is controlled by trusts.
To correct these abuses tho Alliance
cnmc, and wo now call upon all, Of evory
profcssion-lawycr doctor, merchant and
farmer-to lend n helping hand and to
strive to obtain from the government tho
issue Of sufficient volume of money to
meet tho demands of commerce. Let it
be good money, but let it be plentiful.
The next speaker was Hon. j. G. Will.
burn, president of tho National Farmers
Alliance, president of the State Alliance,
of South Carolina. His subject was,
''Vhat the Alliance has Accomplished"
II said: "a year ago this nation called
for men to fight her battles against
Spain, the orpressor. And the call was
answered by-whomP BY sons of devoted
mothers from all professions all over
this great country. Young mon full of
vigor and life loft their homes to fight
and conquer. They did fight, and tight
manfully, bringing honor and glory to
their country, and then returned homo.
We arc called upon to fight another bat
tle-not with bullets, bnt with ballots
battle for tho home, battle for tho
oppressed. The civilization of this ago
demands that this battle be fought man
fully, and fought to tho finish. l assure
you that while the Alliance of Oconoe
county seems to be sleeping, this great
order is not dead, and it is not sleeping.
1t is widc-awake, and tho battle is just
beginning to rago for tho accomplish
mcnt of it's principles, which should be
dear to cvcry heart SO long as wo fail
to be tho victor, SO long will tho battle
rage. The sword of truth and right is in
our hands, and wo propose to wield it
for the uplifting Of down-troddon human
ity. Tho Alliance is organized for the
good of tho homo and family, and we
cannot and will not surrender. Wo can
send our mon to the hclls of Congress
and place our mon in tho White House,
and wo can demand, And have our
demands according to our nish. But wo
arc too inpatient. Our people wish
everything at once. We are not willing
to fight and await results. 1t is proba-
bic that next year the trusts will demand
from tho farmers twonty dollars ton
for fertilizers, instead of sixtcon dollars,
as now. What arc you going TO do about
it? ! sometimes lose patience with you
and almost fccl that don't caro- what
becomes of you. But thon whom think
of your daughters and wives, your
mothers and your sisters, turn again to
YOU"
Tho speaker repeatedly urged all tho
women of this country to lend thoir holp,
not for universal suffrage, but because
their influence for good is unlimited.
Tho people arc as truo to tho Alliance as
thoy over were, but they have become
nogligont and inactive.
Tho speaker read and approved tho