The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-06-10
TILLMAN INTERVIEWED.
HIS IDEAS ABOUT THE DEMANDS OF
THE FARMERS ALLIANCE.

HIS IDEAS ABOUT THE DEMANDS OF
THE FARMERS ALLIANCE.
A Crying Need for Money-opposing
Cleveland for His Free Silver Views
He is Opposed to the Sub-Treasury, But
Will Follow His Party.
ORANGEBURG, S. c., May 30.-The
Cotton Plant of last Thursday con-
tanned the following account of an in
rerview With Governor Tillman:
81 found him quietly sitting in his Of
fee looking over his mail. He greeted
me quite cordially, and, farmer like, in
ouired about the crops, rains, etc.
"He was neatly attired, in the conven-
tional alpaca coat. He appeared some
what stouter than last summer.
'He remarked that he had gained
four pounds since he / ad oeen here, but
that his clean shaven face gave him a
stouter appearance.
Farmer Ben then proceeded to give
his ideas about the purposes, demands
and ideas of the Farmers Alliance, OF
which he is leading member.
'sIt was founded upon the broad prln-
ciples that were expressed and contain
ed in the motto of the ordor: Equal
rights to all. and special privileges to
none"
"He believed the Alliance was great
and good organization and that 1t Will
benefit the agricultural classes very
much. He had long thought of the
farmers disorganiZed condition and
wondered that they got along as well
as they did under the circumstances. for
the manufacturers and the capitalists
presented an organized front to them.
1.-THE great and crying need OF the
day was more money, for there was an
absolute dearth of money IN the agrl-
cultural sections, and the circulation
should be increased as speedily as pos
sible until it reached $40 or 500 per
capita.
Zone of the means of increasing it
was the free coinage of silver; this he
believed would be passed by the next
Congress and If Harrison voiced IL tnat
would make it so much the stronger TOT
a campaign issue in 1892.
"He strongly opposed Mr.. Cleveland
because of that gentleman's opposition
to the free coinage Of silver and also
because his sympathy was with wall
street and its money.
"a great danger to the Democracy
was that the nominating convention IN
1892 might name Mr.. Cleveland as its
standard bearer for the next campaign.
HHe thought that our farmers. not
only in this State, but all over the coun-
try should 90 to work and see that
delegation was sent from each state op.
posed to Mr.. Cleveland or any man OF
his ideas about money.
aHe believed the farmers could con-
troll the Democratic party or influence
its actions and thus press forward their
demands for reform.
LAS to the sub Treasury bill, he says
be is opposed to it personally in its de-
tails and will fight it on the stump #
Deed be. He does not think that after
il is properly presented to the people
they will support it, but if a majority
of the party in South Carolina still con-
tlnue to support 1t, be is Democrat
enough to fall in line with the majority.
He does rot set himself up against the
majority, nor essay to dictate to them.
He believes that the government should
issue Treasury notes until the volume
is sufficient to do the business of the
country on q cash basis.
"IIe also favors the abolition of ma
tional banks and the adoption OF a
sound land loan system. In other
words he said that we wanted more
money, and we didn't care so much how
we got it, just so We did get it.
.He objected to currency being based
upon coin altogether.
"His idea of a flexible currency was
that it must be one so large that the
monopolists and spectators cannot
control it; shutting it down when they
wished and expanding when profitable
to do so.
He thought that white supremacy in
the South should keep the white people
together and within the ranks OF the
Democratic party.
He thought the farmers of this State
should go to work, Dot pressing thesu
Treasury plan now or quarrelling over
it but depending upon free silver and a
sound land loan system for increasing
the currency. presenting a united front
so that delegates in sympathy with
them, as to the reforms demanded,
could be sent to the nominating con-
vention in 1892.
.He did not see the need for third
party-the Democratic party properly
controlled is the party OF the people.
"He favored the other Alliance de-
mands and wanted it distinctly under
stood that he stood squarely with the
majority after they had become
thoroughly informed.
Some reporters that interviewed him
recently had garbled his language
somewhat and he asked the writer to
state particularly that what he said
about the leaders using the order for
selfish ends was intended to have
general meaning.
THAT he did wish to call attention to
the extremists of the West, who wanted
a third party, so that they could get on
the ticket and he warned the order to
watch them. His statements had no
reference whatever to the leaders OF
the order in this State, for in the hrst
place be had the utmost confidence IN
them and did not think for moment
they would do such thing. And ID
the second, his relations with them are
of the pleasantest nature. He wanted
the people to keep their eyes open and
to think-that was the object OF the
Alliance-to educate.
WM. G. WOLFE"
Challenge Accepted.