The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-07-29
OPINION OF A DELEGATE.
lie Thinks THE ALLIANCE IS A UNIT
TO-DAY.


l;oucemen are True DcnlGcrats...
Boilers Asked TO Sweep Before
their own Doors Before Charging <
Others with DescrtiOn.
Considerable public interest being manifest
In The act in.s and do!ngS of the recent iaeet-
ing OF the State Alliance, which took place
In st wee in ~ artunburg, we sought Colonel
J. r. Robinson, the delegate from NoOsNlilc
county, and asked In formation "nd an cX'
preston of opinion from him In reference
thereto. The Colonel Is q strong Alliance
man. thoroughly loyal 10 the order, but Is
conservative and coHSderate with those VINO
differ from him in reference to the Alliance
,leInun.s. The tact is, IL seems To the PreSS
and Banncr>thnt The differences between the
Alliance and the outsiders are more linasl-
nary Than real and that the differences re-
suit more nom a lack OF Il thorough under
standing OF the objects and aims OF the order
which the Alliance contends. AS we gather
from Colonel Robertson, National Lecturer
Wilets and others. the demands OF the ALI
ance In reference to the suh-treasury Is SIM
ply to effect relief from the present scarcity
oI the currency. The Alliance suggests u
warehouse. but the order is perfectly willing
accept any better or more leaSlhle pan lhhl
may be offered. While we believe large per
cent OF the iiliancemen are opposed to The
warehouse, yet we are perfectly certain mat
ali A lliancenen and everybody else will join
heartily in any effort which may bring good
10 the public.
Nol,udy cares anything about the PROPOSE
ton to prevent the speculation in futures.
There will be no disagreement on that score,
though the Press and Banner cannot see how
that spec eeulatiOn can inJuriouSly rlirct tGc
price Of cotton. The very reason urged for
such 4 law would seem TO be the very reason
why the farmers should oppose such Il law.
If i've times AS much cotton Is sold. as l.
made, 1t seems to us that the law nl supply
and demand would Increase the price under
such condt But Ms IL Is q matter which
affects the farmers only the outsiders will moi
object.
The National Banks may from the nature
of things he abolished in the course Oi lew
wears, but no chartered institution can be
closed up before the expiration OF the charter.
Whether this demand is good or bad matters
little as far as the present is COP cerned.
These three propositions, we hcliev are the
main d.mIanis OF the Alliance and AZ the
Alliance cares less for the details than iur Inc
grent principles. IT. is quite likely when IN;
Alliance Is better understood that tbs; rc"pir
inside and outside the Alliance will g"tl"'
geiher.
But. we started out to interview Colonel
Robertson. Meeting the Colonel we asked
him if there was anything OF public Interest
which he could give Us for publcs,'i"n IN re-
ference to the Spartanbnrt! meeting.
YES sir: can. The Alliance Is not con-
spiracy, aS some seem I" think. ana It VIII
give me great pleasure To give you notes oi
anything discussed by us, In which tie puoiic
are Interested
"You heard the debate between Governor
Tillman ind Mr.. Terrell"'
II did and wish that every man in th'
Slate had heard It. The National Alliance
which met in Ocala, Florida, submitted to
the order platform, Including thc lnannial
policy, iu which are four demands, namely :
The abolition OF the National Banks: The
free and unlimited coinage OF silver; The in
crease of the circulating medium And what
is known as the Sub.treaSury, or some other
plan by which we can have flexible curren.
cy tOmoye the immense crops OF the country.
which are marketed in a few months, and
which currency must be SO controlled by the
Government rs not TO disturb or interfere
with the laws of trade. The Alliance makes
the reduction of the tariff cardinal doctrine
Of the order, and it is hoped by large num-
hers of the Alliance, tina. In regulating the
currency, . plan may be developed which
will reduce tho prs mt tariff on the necesSa.
ries OF life-lhc articles mostly used by the
poor people.
In one sense, W Nllinnccmcn are gratified
mt the way In wh ch omr PLATFORM has been
accepted by tie public ut lnrg". No special
object ion has i,cen urged To any plank oi our
platform. except that of the suh.rreasury.
Alianccnen themselves are not a unit on the
details Of that proposition. TIE fact is. that
The old bill which was Introduced INTO Con Con
treasury b'll before the public. None has yet
been formulated, and we care very little
about the details. What we are conlending
for is the great underlying principle. The
mode or manner Of ettect!ng The result is OF
very little concern 10 anybody. Any plan
which will better effect the result than our
own proposition will be adopted. If shown to
us. AS said before, IL seems that the public
have accepted onr demands. without protest.
except that of the sub-treasnry. Even In that
believe tue great M mass & OF ihe people rndnrsr ,
details. You may rest assured of that. The
country now seems practically solid with us.
and the Alliance Is ~ unit.
The discussion between Governor Tillman
and Mr.. Terrell was conducted In the mos,
pleasant and agreeable manner. and tn" re.
suit has been TO bring entire harmony TO the
order. as you know. many Alliancemrn.
4 p1
Spurtanburg meeting and the eTillmanTerrel
discussion 10 develop division in the ranks
OF the order. Both speakers were respectful
aud deierential, and between them the kind.
est feeling was apparent. The discussion has
resulted most happily, and the members OF
the Alliance are to-day In more thorough
sympathy with each other than at any pre-
vions time In the history of the order. Every
delegate received new inspiration, ana all
Went home more in love with the order than
ever before"
"What of the political outlook, Colonel? DO
you thinc there is any danger OF the Alliance
Inen withdrawing from The Democratic party
In South CarolIna?'
al am glad that you have asked me that
question. IL gives ne an npporl To SAY
Ia our friends WHO may bn anxious lest We
uiSrupt The Democratic party, that we are all
Democrats in South Carolina, and while we
uru true Ia the Aiii1uc,, We ar. none the less
loyal To all the best interests %! tic state.
Wc"Xpect us ius!iv:dualS to 60 Into The Dem
ocraiic primaries and work for the Alliance
delI,:, ads, ani our Democratic brethren may
give themselves no unctSnesS abnnt oar leav.
IL. The party or our lack of loyalty to all the
best interests of the people of South Carolina
The members of the Alliance are just ms pat
riotic and have nS much interest in the wrl.
fare and prosperity of our common country
as those who are now threatening 10 east us
out OF The party. Son,h Carolina is the birti
place of many of us. Some of us proved ouI
love for old South Carolina in the times thai
tried mems souls, and the rank and file of the
Alliance to-day are inspired with as patriotic
f1ih har al hpr t
iZrns. And, would say that our friends who
are 80 SuiicitouS about our future action
might look well to their own record. No par
ticular coterie or class have proprietary right:
To the Democratic party. AS understand
the democratic party u iS Il party composed
owe their allegiance, and that the cuhtcst be
tween Democrats is decided In the Democrat
ic primaries, TO which decision all member
are equally hound.
."Wlll you say anything of the future OF tn'
Aliiuncc:'
II am hopeful of good results from our or
ganiZation. We haye much to do. In orde
to SO!idiy our order, we will strive tor bet
ter education In National politics. Hereto
fore our people have paid little attention Il
National politics, and our State politics have
been too much neglected. To OrinS about I
better condition of affairs we will exert great
cr efforts TO obtaln,-and TO imrart The same
To orhrrS,-inornution on all the ISSUES q
the day. There is no harm. but much good II
educating the people. The great mass Of ou
people should be educated in the principles o
our government. and to get the best cdnc;'
tion we must not only hear one side of ever.
subject, but, as our cause Is just. we should al
SO hear the arguments OF those who opp,s
our demands, even rs we expect lho>e wh'
oppose our demands to listen To US. II Is we!
therefore for our people to listen 10 The oppC
S:tion and to see the demands in every slnpt
Education being one of the chief aims OF th
Alliance, the order will encourage the read