The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-26
THAT THIRD PARTY.

We had no idea that Col. heltt
would take such umbrage at that little
innocent squib of ours in last weeks
issue in which it was stated that the
Alliance in this section was not ready
for a. third party. But Col. keitt does
object to it; and even taunts US for
venturing an opinion of the sentiment
of the Alliance when we are no mem
ber.
Well, now that is cruel. True, we do
not belong to the Alliance and did not
venture to speak &C cathedTa for that
noble order, but then we are sur
rounded by Alliance members and
come in contact with them every day
and think we know somewhat Of their
feelings in this matter, and if Col. keitt
will a little more closely sound the SEN
timent of the Alliance in this county
and in this State he will find that we
are not far from correct.
President Stokes, Senator Donaldson
nd Senior -IE77by, and Others, ali prom
We 1fs Alliance men, yet as we under
stand it all of them claim to be Demo-
Gratis and hold Office as such. J. L.
Keitt and W. D. Hardy, both proml-
nent Alliance men in this county, were
elected to the Legislature as Democrats
and so far as weare informed still hold
allegiance to that party. ana we
thought Col. Keitt himself claims to
be a Democrat.
The third party may come. we
know that some persons are advocat-
ing it. But we do not believe the peo-
lie Of this section are ready for 1t yet'
and that is what we said. Circum-
stanced as we are we cannot afford 1t.
While on this subject we desire to
direct Col. Keitt's attention to very
sensible article in the last Economist
on the third party question and the
aims and objects Of the Alliance by
R. V. Gaines, of Virginia, and as bear
inc on this subject quote the following:
tsIn conclusion permit me to ask If at
this early day we are TO tasty our
record and trample upon our 'dec!ara-
ton of PURPOSES We have pledged
ourselves to accomplish the high and
noble task which We have undertaken
in a strictly non-partlsan spirit; 10
~ tn
nonv and good will among ali man
Kind and brotherly love among our
selves; to suppress personal, local, ana
sectional and national preudlces, al
unhealthy rivalry and selfish amoltlon.
:tShall those pledges and this great
reform movement, upon which sucn
large expectations have been based, so
soon come to grief? Surely this is a
sight at which angels might weep.
":And this above all, to thine own self be
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou can'st not then be false to any man.
ssThere is one other fact which de-
mands our serious and thonghtful at
tention. The Farmers Alliance IS a
secret fraternal organization. is It not
in conflict with our bill Of rights, and
the whole tendency and spirit OF free
institutions to undertake to form a
political party out of such materials?
We have been taught that the free
dom of the press and liberty of speech
are the bulwarks of our liberties one
of the greatest philosophers and states
men of France has declared that what
ever is secret is doubtful The history
of Jacobinism, the part played 0y tha5
secret fraternity during the. trench
revolution, the reign Of terror ana the
frightful scenes enacted can never De
forgotten. In more recent tunes we
have had the Free Mason and the
Know-nothing campaigns in this coun-
trv which greatly alarmed our law
abiding and liberty-loving people, ana
from which we narrowly escaped a
political convulsion.
I'm the best days Of the Roman re-
public, when ruled by the DecemVlrs,
and with the Twelve Tables for Ter
code of laws, there were nine capltal
ofenses: l. Treason. ,. Secret or
nocturnal meetings in the city 8.
Murder, etc. So jealous was TINS .peo-
ple of the purity of the elective iran
chise that they required each citizen IN
coming to the polls to pass IN single
file over a long narrow bridge and to
proclaim their votes aloud in open as
sembly. Gibson tell US that the bronze
statues erected by her Emperors have
been moulded into cannon by the
Turks. The monuments erected to
ca;rDraSe her victories have crumb!ed
: TO dust, but that her code Of laws Is in
scribed upon fair and everlasting
monument