The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-11-02
Help Ne Save
South Carolina
So Says Mr.. C. P. Hodges in
Another Appeal to Farmers

farmers Of South Carolina: Doyou
possibly realize the burdens Of re-
sponsibility that we are face to
face with for the next year and
years to. come? Shall we meet
them as brave men under the lead
ership Of the great God Of nations
or shall we become disgruntied,
discouraged, demoralized and give
up and surrender to evil forces and
influences? I don't believe a Wcrd
of it. Such is not the history Of
our people.
It seems that in every grave and
disastrous crisis that the farmer IS
the under-dog and is the great bur-
den bearer. He has toiled like
slave, has had to stint his wen2en
and children almost to the starva-
ton point and in a great many ;n-s
stances his children have been rear
ed in gross ignorance. No greater
sacrifices were ever made by the
Serfs of Russia than by our farm
women and children, and yet as
individuals without organization
we have achieved wonders. After
every disaster we have come back
and gone to heights never dreamed
of; but to say that the agricultural
people Of this State are satisfied
with their condition would be stat
| ing an untruth; so my fellow farm
er herein lies our great responsible
ity. We are face to face with an
economic breakdown, and the eyes
Of the State are turned towards the
tiller of the soil. The farne9- tc-ss
day is regarded as the bu!w:.rk Of
! the State as has always been the
case; but he is without the synpa
thy and appreciation he Should
have and this is because he has
failed to organize and demand ms
rights. The schcming doesn't waat
the farmers organized in the farnt-
ers behalf but if he can get the
| farmer torn to pieces to further his
cause, he is satisfied. No doubt the
! farming class has been frightfully
! Disseminated against in taxation.
/ There comes a time when every
thing the farmer produces, fails to-
make him any profit and there IS
nothing with which to pay taxes.
yet, a great proportion OF the prof
it producing class escapes ta-zes en-
tirely but the farmer. never .ares
his. The question that the farm
ers have got to ask themselves IS,
can and viii the old line politician
whether in the General Assembly or
as Governor make any attempts to-
change these conditions? think
not. Hence, the imperative need
of cleaning out the old liners and
putting in a farmer for Governor
and a General Assembly OF farm
ers and business men who WouId
give ali the people just and 1air
ideal without strife and DISGRACE
full contention as has SO often
characterized political affairs IN
South Carolina before.
Who can measure the respenss-
bility Of the old staid farmer as
from day to day he goes ser tl1ea
hills and through Ssc~1aia
nuning with natures God
Our minds look over into next
years. campaign and we shudd der.
we stand aghast, our blood runs
cold; because we see the vile dem-
agogue politician with the tongue
OF a. serpent and with lying Sian
der upon his lips sowing d;scord.
enrnity and hatred all over South
! Carolina. a devil incarnate. We
see evidences Of a very strong prob
ability of dragging the prohibition
or liquor question in the next cam
paign. My fellow countrynen, did
you know that the bootfeggers and
illicit distillers could and would
raise S100, 000.00 or more If neces-
sary toEelect a liquor governor of
this State? There is no doubt OF
it and do you believe there is man
in South Carolina who would be
governor on such platform If he
could? I do. Not in the campaign
would he avow himself. a hquor
candidate but after his election he
would show you what he would do.
| Who lis to save the State from the
possibilities of such a disaster? Can
we look to the towns, cities and po-
liticians to save Us? I fear not; be-
cause their force of resistance is
too weak to do us, much good. Who
is to suffer most from tax enforce
nent of liquor laws? The farmer
in the handling of his labor ill
! suffer most and the pooI.-~omen
and children living in the country
| whose very lives are constantly in I
fear and dread Of some frsghtful-
calamity overtaking them. Youeis
different and unthinking citizen
! man or woman OF South Carolina =
what an appalling condition could
be brought about by allowing our
selves to be prostrated in the elec-
ton of men who are known de-
structionists and who would open
further the bleeding wounds OF our
people.
My fellow farmer and fellow citi-
zen of South Carolina, Of every vo-S
cation and profession, do you real
ize that for years to come it is go-
ing to take every ounce OF our en-
crgv, the greatest Of wisdom and
all our constructive conservatism
to save this State from an econeni-
cal. moral. social. political and ed
ucational disaster? call upon
the God fearing men and women
to realize that the fight is on and
"a Sa1.o nl1r nennle from the sln,, oh