The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-14
ALLIANCE CATECIIISM.
Mr.. BenctS Answer-HiS Letter to Mr..
keitt, Chairman of the Third Com
gressional District Alliance.

AUGUST llth, 1881.
Col. JOS. l.. Ecit, Chairman ThjLd Con-
grcssiOnUL District alliance.
DEAR SIR:-As candidate fol the
Democratic nomination for Congress in
the Third Congressional District, l
take pleasure in expressing my views
in brief on the eight propositions sub
mitted by the Congressional District
for the consideration of candidates for
Congress.
The first six commend themselves
to my judgement as excellent meas
ures, and | pledge myself to support
them
If the seventh means that the GOV
ernment shall purchase, own, and OPP
crate the railroad, steamboat, and
stage lines and telegraph lines, I CAN
not support it. For this position l
have given my reasons ut len 9Th on the
hustiugs. ! believe that railroads and
other means OF communication and
transportation, including telegraph
lines, should be subjected to the watch
ful supervision of Il government COM
mission, both State and Federal, with
large powers.
The eighth proposition refers to the
Sub-Treasury plan. This is Il measure
OF tanscendent Importance, AS un-
derstand it tAcpurpcse Of the Pickler
(HouSe) Bill and the Vance (Senate)
Bill is ~ save. II e farmer from tn
necessity of selling MS crop when the
money market is most stringent, aud to
free him from the control OF tile money
lender, and to take from spectators
the power they now enjoy and use to
produce fluctuations in the price Of
farm products to the injury OF the
farmer and the gain of the speculator.
The principle involved in this meas-
ure,-namely Y: that the volume Of
money should be as flexible as the de-
mand for its 4 new and | think a
sound maxim of political economy.
fluctuations in the value of crops result
from 4 fixed amount Of money with 4
varying demand. TO render the price
of farm products reasonably stable,
there must be q flexible volume of
money to meet the flexible demand
for it.
With this purpose and this principle
I am in hearty sympathy. The Sub
Treasury Bill is the first effort TO EN-
body this principle in statute form. I
regard it as a step il the right direction,
and while it is far from perfect, and
will, believe, have to give place TO L
substitute, it still furnishes us in my
opinion the basis Of wholesome legisla-
ton. see many objections to the Bill
in its present shape. in common with
the leaders Of the Farmers Alliance |
can say that it is not the bill, but the
principle, which is to be contcnded for.
pledge myself, if elected to Congress,
to do my utmost enGcavor to enact laws
which shall accomplish the purpose
and put into action operation the
sound principle of tie Bill.
While these are my views on the
eight propositions ! clunot commit
myself to support all, or any OF them.
"UNINFLuENCED BY PAnTH CAIrrS.'
This phrase is italic5cd in your pre-
liminary qucstion-an in.imation on
your part OF its Importance. believing
rs | do that the salvation of the South
and Of the whole country lies in the
Democratic party, were | elected to
Congress rs 4 Democrat by the Demo
Gratis of the Third District, | could not
and would not refuse to enter the party
caucus and be bound by its action.
The Congressman who declines to be
bound by the action OF his party caucus
is by his own act banished from his
party and perforce becomes an indie
pendent. | do not think the Demo-
Gratis of the Third District will know
ingly support any candidate for Con-
gress who pledges himself to be inde-
pendent Of his party on any measure
which may become a caucus question.
1t is contended that the eight propo-
Sitions are not and cannot become
political or partisan measures. If this
We're true-and | doubt it-why was
this preliminary question asked?
Should the time ever come when the
Democrats in Congress should become
corrupt, and prove themselves untrue to
the principles of their party, then, and
not till then, could a loyal Democratic
Congressman refuse to enter the Demo-
cratic caucus; and he will make known
to the Democratic party his reasons for
so doing.
| would have answered your CUES
tiOns some time ago, but you Informed
NE that there was no necessity for
doing so until the llth Or llth OF this
month.
1 have tie hon or to e your obedient
scrva, t. w. {. BENET.