The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-05-05
PEOPLE
HEAR GOY:MANN|NG
THE STATES CHIEF EXECUTIVE
WARNS FARMERS AGAINST
SECRET ORGANIZATIONS
CITES MISTAKES OF
THE PAST.

Leesville, May Especial: A
warning against the reported secret
organization of farmers and an ad-
monition for the farmers to organ
ize Gin the open like men" was sound
ed by Governor Richard l. Manning
this morning in his speech at the
opening of the three-day Chautauqua
in this thriving little city of the, pros
porous "Ridge" country of South
Carolina. The Governor heartily be-
;ieves in organization and co-opera-
ton among the farmers, but wants
such organizations in the open and
above-board. He cited the experience
of the farmers of this State in the
past with secret organizations and
the danger of such organizations be-
ing used for the political preferment
and advancement of certain men
which meant the death of the organ
ization.
81 know nothing Of such secret or
ganization and nothing Of it's pur-
pose, but I want to warn you against
it," said the Governor, recalling the
times in the past when the farmers
organizations have been "killed" by
certain men "riding into Office" on
the backs of the farmers and the
farmers gaining nothing for them
selves. Governor Manning urged the
farmers to organize and cooperate
along lines which would benefit them
in the purchase of supplies, in the
marketing of their products and in
the advancement and improvement
along agricultural and other lines,
but to fight shy of Secret" organiza-
tions, which, he indicated usually
meant that somebody was building a
machine with the hope of getting an
Office and who really cared nothing
for the welfare of the farmers.
Man Who Does Things.
introduced by former Senator D.
M. Crosson as the ''nlan who does
things" Governor Manning was re-
ceived with cheers. His entrance in
to the school house, where the speak
ing took place, was greeted with vol
luminous applause, and he frequently
had to suspend his speech for the
cheering to subside. The people of
Lreesville gave their Governor a
whole-hearted reception and showed
plainly their appreciation of his visit
and their thorough enjoyment of his
speech.
The Governor talked on education
agriculture and law enforcement,
prefacing his remarks with the state
ment that enforcement of law had
to be restored in South Carolina, and
it had to be regarded before we
could make any substantial progress
along any line" This remark drew
cheers. The Governor referred to the
pitiful stand of the State in the edu-
cation column of the States to-day,
but spoke with appreciation of the
awakening of the people to the great
subject of education and their deter
to have universal education.
The speaker said this was an age of
transition and that South Carolina
was on the eve of great progress
along educational lines, and predict
ed that the "shame of illiteracy"
would soon be wiped out. The Gov
ernor referred to the necessity of an
educated and intelligent citizenship
with the spread of democracy. He de-
plored the apparent tendency of too
much dependence on the Government
to take care of all troubles and urged
the education of the CITIZEN to rely
on his own endeavors. The Govern
ment, said the speaker, should be the
leaders of the people, but the people
should not depend on the Govern
ment for everything, referring to
the clamoring of the people last fall
when the European war first came on
He congratulated the people on the
way they had borne their trials and
haG come out with confidence firmly
and said it was vindi-
cation of the American system of
n