The Brookhaven leader., 1891-05-28
Going to Apply the Gag and the
Lash.

lftIh'ClW'A w AiC ''''' w " i'''''
antagonistic to the Alliance demands,
and that following this the party laSh
would be vigorously applied by the
political ring masters and every sup
porter of the Sub-TrCasury in the
State he either incoutincntly silcnced
or read out of the party for failing to
bow to the party dictum thus cN'
pressed. Evidence of such Il
purpose is no longer CON
ccalcd 10y the party bosses. Last
week a Democratic county COnvcn-
ton was held in Lee county, i'll which
Congressman John VI. Allen was the
controlling spirit and the chairman of
the committee ON resolutions. This
little county convention adopted Il
platform long and broad enough for II
national convention, and among other
things denounced the Sub-Treasury
scheme as unconstitutional, imprac-
teal. undcmocratic and tending to
Capitalization and declared itself
opposed to secret political organiza-
tions" (having no reference of course
to secret party caucuses, where much
of political deviltry is hatched).
The Farmers Alliance being essen
TALLY political organization Though
not a partisan one) and secret i'll char
acter. of course this was intended by
the Lee county convention as direct
blow at the Alliance.
Commenting on this Lee county
platform, now comes the Greenville
Times, edited by Mr.. J. 5. McNeily,
Chairman of the State Democratic Ex
ccutivc Committee, and says:
The Lee county resolutions are
good enough for the farmers and all
others of Mississippi. The Times
hopes that John Allen will bring a
copy to Jackson July 18th and pre-
sent them to the convention of Dem
ocrats which will assemble on that
day-with an additional plank such
as the Delta section is entitled to on
river improvements.
In other words, here is an openly
expressed desire on the part of the
highest official Democratic authority
in the State that the Alliance demands
shall be denounced as undcmocratic
and unconstitutional by the July Con
and the order itself condemn
ed as secret political organization.
The scheme for the furthcrance of
this program has been worked most
ldroitly by the party bosses. Called
simply to nominate candi
lates for three Railroad Commission
ers, the thoughts of the people have
not been directed to any other ques-
ton in connection with this cOnven-
ton. In a very large number of cases
the delegates it body have been
appointed by the county executive
without consideration of
any other question or giving the peO-
pie an opportunity to be heard, and
so it will be just such convention as
the enemies of the Alliance could
wish for the carrying out of their
scheme.
OF course there is no good reason
why the Convention should give any
at all at this time as to
party policy. Another State Con-
vention will meet before the National
Democratic Convention assemblies to
nominate a candidate for the Presi-
dency and promulgatc a platform, and
neither of the L. S. Senators elected
by the coming Legislature will take
his seat until new National platform
is adopted and the next Presidential
election is Il thing of the past 50 that
the only real reason Messrs. Allen,
and their supporters can
have in adopting the policy outlined
is to stitle the voice of the masses,
put a gag on Democratic Alliance
men, elect their favOrites to the Unit
ed States Senate by the prestige such
action would give them, and then pass
the word to the Democratic managers
of New York that the old party ma
chine is still in the saddle in Missis-
sippi and that the Alliance has been
It's a bold scheme, but will it work
all the way through as its manipula-
tors anticipate We think not. En-
couraged by former successes and
political methods that have too long
prevailed in this State, they are pre-
Stunning upon the intelligence, the pa
thence and the forbearance of the
farmers of Mississippi and passing
beyond the danger line. =
Constituted as we have shown the
coming State Convention will be, they
may get their resolutions denouncing
the Alliance demands and cOndemning
the order through that body, though
we doubt even that, but if they I'M
dertake to enforce them by the appli-
cation of the party lash, they will see
the party in this State torn literally
The oppressed, patient,
long-suffering white farmers of Mis-