Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-09-01

| Deen CllmDlng INTO the Farmers Un.
1 ion band wagon in such numbers that
! the issue, shall we admit politi-
| Clans" has become live one and is
causing division. The discovery that
| the State Treasurer and the State
| superintendent OF Education, nei-
ther of whom Is a farmer, had joined
the union, has led to a demand that
none but actual farmers shall be ad-
mitted, and a farmer Is described as
"One who lives on the farm and
makes his living out of it," The
gentleman" farmer is to be shut
| out; and no lawyer can qualify him
self for the farmers political sup
port by buying plantation and
placing an overseer in charge.
But while apparently shutting out
politicians the union Is becoming
more and more concerned with poll
tics, and it Is even charged that 1t
has arranged State slate. G.. II.
lIightower was until recently mem
Der Of the Mississippi State Senate,
but resigned to become head Of the
union. for which he receives a salary
and expenses. 1t is understood that
Mr.. Hightower will be the Farmers
Union candidate for Governor and
that G.. A. Edwards, present State
Treasurer; |. A. Powers, State Su
perintendent of Education, and II. T..
Blakeslec, State Commissioner Of Ag-
riculture, will be on the slate; they
are members Of the Farmers Union,
although not technically farmers.
The candidate selected for the Uni
ted States Senate likewise is not
farmer, but an editor politician, be-
ing none other than the former Gov
ernor Nardaman.
In the other Southwestern States,
the elections being further off. no at
tempt has yet been made to prepare
political states, but the officials and
political leaders have had notice Of
what the farmers demand-and the
notice has been delivered in a very
Of the Louisiana Farmers Union
few days ago there was plain talk on
the subject.
The principal speaker, 7. II. Lewis,
assailed the present State administra-
ton from the Governor down, the
Legislature included. The repeal of
many of the laws passed at the last
meeting Of the General Assembly was
insisted on; there was a demand for
the abolition Of new offices created
and greater economy.
The union was specially emphatic
in denunciation of the new game
law, which gives the State absolute
control over all game, creates an
army Of game wardens and compels
the farmers to take out a State game
license before he can go hunting The
union is for central cotton ware
house at New Orleans, which it is
likely to get, and it will probably
demand State warehouses at various
points in the interior.
1t Is a significant fact, indicative
of the situation, that Governor Sand
ers himself went before the meeting
after the attack on his administra-
ton, but had little to say in reply to
1t beyond the declaration that every
one makes mistakes. 1t is true that
the case of the game commission was
taken up by the attorney OF that
commission, but the union none the
less denounced It, The farmers have
gone cunning for the game commits
SiOners and the game wardens and
will secure the repeal of the law,
which Is in the interest Of the preser-
vation of game, but very distasteful
to men who like hunting and
exc out their winter supplies with
the ducks, rabbits, deer and other
game plentiful in Louisiana.
The Louisiana State administra-
ton is supposed to be more than
friendly with the farmers and the
Quasi-hostile attitude of the Farm
ers' Union Is, therefore. surprising.
Ii is known, for instance, that Gov
ernor Sanders and the Legislature
are strongly in favor of the New Or
leans central warehouse plan, and
that any legislation needed to put it
in operation is assured.
Again, the Governor has been ac-
tive in working for better roads in
the interest OF the farmers and has
accomplished wonders already in that
direction. He offers the use Of the
SlalG nAnN ict. frnn Enl. rood canct -,