The west Tennessee star. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1888, 1888-07-13
HON. JAS PHELAN .
Answers the Charge That he Is a
PrOtectiOnist and Rep ubli-
eah-Eis Position Plainly
Stated.

BIT y. a. COLoht 4aoSEhdCASi 4NHu'
My DEAR Mr.. CorrON: / have
/ Just received your letter of June 10Th
! in which you say:
In letter to you some time ago | sta
4 ted I was ready to do anything in the
coming campaign to assist in securingiysu
an honest election. 1 did this first, because
1 thought from your position in the be
! ginning that YOU ere the man the people
needed; secondly, because I endorsed and
1 appreciated the energetic and determined
course you have taken while in Congress.
/ Since writing that letter, however, hear
/ you charged with being a prOteGtionlst
and afiliating with the republican party.
If this charge be true true. l am free 10
cay l will be against you as earnestly as
| ! was for you two years ago. Won said
| in your debate with Col. Patterson and
| Mr.. Taylor ''that you favored a gradual
reduction OF the tariff and would have vot-
ed for the Morrison bill if you had has an
opportunity" Please lei me knew W beth
or or not you have changed your mind
on this question, since then. The time
has arrived when every true citizen and
Democrat ought to stand solid on this
question, aud speak out and end this un-
Just and unnecessary oppression, and l
believe they will"
| Allow me to thank you for ySu r
letter. 1t enables me to meet di-
rectly unjust charges which might
have been circulated to my detri-
| ment for an indefinite length OF
time without once coming to my
knowledge
Some days ago was informed
that Mr.. Norment, a candidate or
Congress. was charging me with
being a protectlOnist. l wrote him
asking if this was true. He replied
that it was, / then sent him the
. enclosed letter, written as you vii
= see, before the St. Louis conven =
= ton met. In tins | show what my
position on the tariff is. also quote
> from his own utterances of two
. years age, to show what he thought
@ was nay position then. l also ask
him TO state what reasons no has
for believing / have changed.
again wish to repeat that | have
. always considered that, on the sub
8 | iect of the tariff, we are, IN the
s words of Mr., Cleveland in his me
3 morable message, confronted witt
} a condition and net a theory.
feel assured my answer will be sat
istaCtory to you and to all genuin
tariff retOImers;
You say am also eh arged witt
o afhliating with the Republican party
/ can not believe this charge wa
made by any fair~mlnded man un>
/ less some one who has taken tn,
r wild and irrespo nsIble statements .
Prejudiced enemies for truth with
out investigation 1 find IT Difficult
? to frame an answer that will salts
factonly cover this charge, I ca
, only say that it is untrue III all 1T
C length, breadth and thickness.
.e have attended every Democratic
,. caucus IhAve advocated the policy
l. of making the act of every caucu
Il binding Whilst never dSing any
thing to detract from the dignit
Of the people represent, hav
I'd been ranked among the extreme
at and irrecOncilable Democrats
OF holding what some people call radl
SO cal views on party organization.
n have always voted with my party
IN On every partisan question. be
IL lieve IN the strictest organizatio
aud a vigorous use of discipline
[ reserve to myself the right
re make a most determined stand an
e. to do all l can to influence the re
on suits to be arrived at by part
eY councils. But upon question one
.ol settled, / have ever held that
les consistent party man must abid
10 the result. I have alse repudIateG
/ still repudiate, the doctrine tina
any man or men or set OF men {
ma OffcehOlders, past, present or pros
tes pective, have the right to cOnstisut
be themselves the democratic part
he and to take the position that an
ny warfare upon them within the ranl
a. of the party is an attack upon tn
We party itself. Ny struggles, how
ever, are always in the party fror
caucus to convention. Would
-, not be proper for those who charg
:; that affiliate with the Republ
10 can party to specify Wherin? l a
= always ready to answer question
80 or meet charges.
- I hope you will have this and tn
-. enclosed letter published as a ma
- ter of justice to me,
y Allow me in closing to than
you for the stauneh support yo
have always given me. / shall ne
" er intentionally do any thing
'se forfeit your good will or respec
. ue cry truly yours
JAMEs PHRLAN
,et