The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-30
Liberty Halls Liberty.
TThe State, 10Th. |

county on frlday, QoeS noI Iue nlein
ory that the people from whom W.
sprung fought battles for liberty o
thought and of speech, and that oul
own people followed Washington anc
Lee in contests for political freedom
impress US as dream would do?
Have We won by devotion Of blood
and brain, by emigration to a new
country, by the right Of making oul
own constitution and laws, by the priv
ilege of forming our own society, nc
greater liberty to think and act accord
ing to our consciences than the mem
bers of Liberty Hall Alliance Of New
berry County are allowed?
Have we thrown off the tyranny Of
kings and inquisitors, of Federal bayo,
nets and Union Leagues, only to yield
ourselves to the tyranny of the OATH
bound causus of class?
Have even the members of that class
so far divested themselves ofthe attri-
butes of freemen as to mould their con-
sciences and attune their voices to the
fiat OF a majority of themselves?
Liberty Hall Alliance, Of Newberry
County, we judge to be an aggregation
of farmers who last year followed to
victory one who was then ;heidol of the
Alliance in this State, and who are fol-
lowing him still. In that they show
consistency. But they also show con-
sistency in adhering to the pledge OF
the Farmers Alliance that it was to be
non-political in character. They know
that the pressure for the sub-treasury
scheme is dividing the Democratic
party. With these convictions they
held meeting and ''pledged their un-
divided support to the Democratic
party" promised to "oppose any meas
ure tending to its destruction" and
Heartily endored Governor Tiliman's
views on the sub-treasury bill, so far as
its merits have yet been discussed"
These were expressions innocent
enough in land accustomed to free
thought and free speech, but fraught
with danger to the men who were
cracking the overseer's lash of "au-
thority" and force over the backs Of
their serfs. Their authority was men
aced, their dictun repudiated, and
the rebellion must be suppressed.
So we find State Lecturer Talbert in
the Newberry County Alliance meet
ing lecturing the insubordinate ALI.
ance. He is backed by the re,
tiring county president, and the body
adopts a resolution ''requesting"-with
a distinct flavor Of menace-the Liber'
ty Hall Alliance to rescind its resolu'
tions "as opposed to the demands OF
the Supreme Council at Ocala and in
controvention of the right Of the ma
jority to rule.''
This is Democracy with vengeance
Imagine a Democratic State conven-
tion directing a county convention to
rescind its resolutions because the State
convention did not approve them! ! I'm
agine a church convention, even, COM
pelling congregation to eat its own
words Imagine such system OF
discipline applied to any organization
of men who own themselves and who
value their liberty!
In nearly every order or party or
government the broadest powers are
vested in the body nearest to the indi.
vidual-the basis Of all power-and the
primary organization acts upon the sec
ondary and influences it. But in the
Alliance the plan is reversed. The
pyramid is inverted, and the width and
weight of Macune, sitting on the broad
top, oveshadows and crushes the puny
individual at the inverted apex who
has made him what he is-a master.
From the punishment of individuals
the managers of the Alliance political
machine have progressed to the dis
ciplining of Alliances. We shall watch
the experiment with interest. Its nc
fight Of ours, except to the extent thai
The State stands for the rights of all
freemen. But we have admired the
pluck of Liberty Hall Alliance, and
hope that in dealing with the question
of eating its own words it will prove
worthy Of its name.
LIBERTY HALL SHOULD HOLD ITS
GROUND.
News and Courier.
The action of the Newberry County
Alliance, on Friday, in formally asking
The Liberty Hall Sub-Alliance to re-
scind the resolutions it adopted re
Gently opposing the introduction o
discordant political measures into tn
Order, pledging its supportto the Dem
ocratic party, and disapproving tn
sub-treasury scheme, was certainly no
we'll considered.
The member Of the Liberty Ha!
Sub-Alliance expressed their opinion
and sentiments in the resolutions the
| adopted and this they had right
do, unless they are forbidden to exc
else the privilege Of free thought an
free speech in the Order. This, W
think, the officers of the Order will I
slow to claim, for it is not possible fe
any organization that is subject to sue
rule to command the support Of tt
farmers of South Carolina.
| If the members Of the Liberty Hall
Sub-Alliance, however, are entitled
|