The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-30
Liberty Halls Liberty.
1.-THE State, 19th.l

| III lue uSuI " uiCu 4uC SI"'te . Nv"
berry letter sheds upon the shadow.
proceedings of the Alliance Of tha
county on Friday, does not the mem
ory that the people from whom w
sprung fought battles for liberty o
thought and of speech, and that ou
own people followed Washington ane
Lee in contests for political freedom
impress Us as dream would do!
Have we won by devotion of blood
and BRAN, by emigration to a new
country, by the right of making oul
own constitution and laws, by the priv
ilege of forming our own society, nc
greater liberty to think and act accord
ing to our consciences than the mem
bers of Liberty Hall Alliance Of New
berry County are allowed?
Have we thrown off the tyr; my Of
kings ald inquisitors, of Federal bayo,
nets anG. Union Leagues, only to yield
ourselves to the tyranny of the oath
bound c.usus of class?
Have even the members of that class
so far Givested themselves ofthe attri-
butes Of freemen as to mould their con-
sciences and attune their voices to the
fat OF a majority of themselves?
Liber3y Hall Alliance, of Newberry
County. we judge to be an aggregation
Of farm ers who last year followed to
|syictory one who was then theidol Of the
Alliance in this State, and who are fol-
lowing him still. In that they show
consistency. But they also show con-
sistency in adhering to the pledge OF
the Farmers Alliance that it was TO be
non-political in character. They know
that the pressure for the treasury
scheme is dividing the Democratic
party. With these convictions they
held a meeting and 'pledged thelE un-
divided support. to the Democratic
party" promised to "oppose any meas
ure tending to its destruction" and
"heartily endored Governor Tillman's
views On the sub-treasury bill, so far as
its merits have yet been discussed"
These were expressions innocent
enough. in land accustomed to free
thought and free speech, but fraught
with danger to the men who were
cracking the overseer's lash of 'au-
thority" and force over the backs of
their serfs. Their authority was men
aced, their dictum repudiated, and
the rebellion must be suppressed.
So we find State Lecturer Talbert in
the Newberry County Alliance meet
ing lecturing the insubordinate Alli-
ance. He is backed by the. re-
||rtiring county president, and the body
adopts resolution "requesting"-with
distinct flavor of menace-the Liber-
ty Hall Alliance to rescind its resolu-
tions "as opposed to the demands of
the Supreme Council at Ocala and in
controvention of the right of the ND
jority to rule.'
This is Democracy with vengeance!
Imagine D. ?ocratic State conven-
ton directing county convention to
rescind its resolutions because the State
convention did notapprove them I'm
agine church convention, even, COM
pelling a congregation to eat its own
words! Imagine such a system Of
discipline applied to any organization
of men who own themselves and who
value their liberty.
In nearly every order or party or
government the broadest powers are
vested in the body nearest to the indi-
vidual-the basis Of all power-and the
primary organization acts upon the Sec
ondary and influences it. But in the
Alliance the plan is reversed. The
ramid is inverted, and the width and
weight of Macune, sitting on the broad
top, oveshadows and crushes the puny
indi yidual at the inverted apex who
has made him what he is-a master.
From the punishment of individuals
the managers of the Alliance political
mac hine have progressed to the dis
ciplining of Alliances. We shall watch
the experiment with interest. Its no
fight of ours, except to the extent that
The State stands for the rights of all
free men. But we nave admired the
pluck of Liberty Hall Alliance, and
hore that in dealing with the question
of eating its own words it will prove
worthy OF its name.
LIBERTY HALL SHOULD HOLD ITS
GROUND.
News sad Courier.
G'he action of the Newberry Colnty
Alliance, on Friday, in formally Gsking
he Liberty Hall Sub-Alliancfeto re-
scind the resolutions it adoL.e re-
Gently opposing the introduction OF
discordant political measures i to the
Order, p!edging its support to th.' DEM
oc:atic party, and disapprowng the
sub-treasury scheme, was certsinly not
we'll considered. 4
The members Of the Liz rty Hall
sub-Alliance expressed the3t opinions
and sentiments in the resoa tions they
adopted; and this they hzes a right to
d., unless they are forbi{rr. en- to exer-
else the privilege of free fought and
free speech in the Ordre This, we
think: the officers of thsr rider will be
slow to claim, for it is e, possible for
any organization that is;Gssbject to such