The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-10-29
READ OUT.
THAT is WHAT CHAIRMAN FINLEY HAS
DONE TO THE sUB-TREAsUR1rEs.
The Letter Telling Democrats That the Sub
Treasury Men Have no Right in
Democratic Councils or
Party Action.
To the Democracy of the State of Texas:

nave Decn requested by the chair
men OF several county Democratic ex-
ecutive committees, for the guidance
of such committees, to give my views
upon the action of the Dallas county
Democratic executive committee in re-
questing and obtaining the resigna-
tion of one of that body (Mr. Cole)
upon the grounds that he is an adhe-
rent and advocate of the "subtreas-
uryo theory; and in order that one
letter may serve as an answer to all,
/ write this open letter to the Democ-
racy of the state at large.
At the time of the meeting of the
last Democratic state convention the
bill, now known as the "subtreasury
bill,N had been introduced in the con-
gress Of the United States, but no po-
litical party or organization in Texas
had espoused the support of the
measure or become open advocates of
of the principles involved AT
that time the effects of such
a measure upon the business
interests of the country and the polit-
ical principles underlying such legis-
latiOn had attracted much attention
and discussion on the part of public
men, and our Texas senators and rep
resentatives in congress, without an
exception, [ believe, had, through
public prints, strongly condemned the
measure as unwise, visionary and dis
astrous in it's effects, and the princi-
pies upon which it was based grossly
undemocratic.
In the light of the tendency of this
measure, the general public discussion
of it's principles and effects, the almost
unanimous condemnation of it by the
leading Democrats of this country, as
rank in it's paternal and centraliZing
effects and bitterly obnoxious to the
oldest and most fundamental tenets
Of Democratic faith, the state Demo-
cratic convention spoke the voice of
the Democrats of Texas upon such
Legislation in the third plank of its
platform as follows:
That on this principle we oppose
any tariff or duty for other purposes
than revenue only. We oppose the
collection and distribution by the Fed
eral government Of any money in aid
Of the educational systems of the diff
erent states, or any of them; or in any
way of advancement or loan to any
citizens or class, upon any sort of Sc
curity, whether government bonds,
commercial, farm or other product.
We oppose the election law recently
passed by the Republican house Of
representatives, and condemn all the
recent encroachments by the Federal
judiciary upon the power Of the states
No one then doubted the fact that
the Democracy Of Texas had declared
it's opposition to he principles OF the
"subtreasury bill'' and all legislat ON
of like nature; all understood what
was meant by "anv advancement or
loan to any citizen or class, upon
any sort of security, whether govern
ment bonds, commercial, farm or
other products The subtreasurN
bill was not nrmed, but it's vital ele-
ment was, and this plank Of the plat.
form was made broad enough to cover
it and any measure of a kindred
nature to it.
The principles of the measure are
so flagrantly undemocratic that the
Democracy Of the whole country
through her individual adherents
condemns it as with one voice; her
trusted leaders and exponents
throughout the country denounce it,:
the organized Democracy of this state
in its platform of principles, with EN-
phasis, declares against it; and it is
not an open question, subject to de-
bate, as to the duty of Democrats in
relation to it-they are placed against
it by the oldest and plainest princi.
pies of the party, by the united voice
Of Democrats throughout the govern.
ment. and by the solemn declarations
of the party of the state i'm platform
elunciatiOm.
Subsequent to the time of The Demo-
cratic state convention the national
organization Of the Farmers Alliance
met at Ocala, Fla, and adopted q
platform of political principle or "de-
mauds,n chief among which was the
sub-treasury BILL" and according t.
the utterances of it's leaders and Off
GERS, pledged the members of that or,
ganizaliOn qualiiiedly to it's sup
port. Following the action of the ma
5ional ganization, the Alliance OF
Texas Endorsed the measure, and
pledged its membership in Texas to
its advocacy and support. And at u
meeting of the members of that order
at Waco, in April last, they solmenly
pledged their support to the "sub-
treasury bill" AMI with equal solemn
ity, bound themselvesto oppose by the
ballot all persons who did not favor it,
Since that time the state A lliance has
expelled from its convention halls it,
prominent members who have dared
to openly fight the measure, on ac-
count Of that action on their part; and
sub-Alliances are instructed by it t.
eXpel them from the order, which has
been done in number of instances
and the forfeiture of their charters
provided for in case they did not eXpeI
them.
The "subtreasury" adherents have
captured the Alliance organization in
Texas, and have made it. as now con
Quoted, a political party one of who's
articles of faith is the "subtreasury"
theory and thnco nf ,te man bsrs who