The Brookhaven leader., 1891-12-03
Senator walthall's Interview.

in recent interview with the Mem
phis Appeal al-Avalauchc published in
another column of the LEADER, are
in such marked contrast with some of
the deliverances of Senator George
aud his partisan satellites toward the
Alliance and advocates of the Sub
Treasury as to challenge special adj
miration. He is not only willing to
concede honesty of purpose and pa
triotic motives to his opponents on
this question. from Major Barksdale
and Mr.. Lewis down, but assumes
that the widest latitude should be al
lowed within party lines for differ
ences of opinion on this and other
purely economic and financial prob
lens, without calling in question the
Democracy or attempting to read out
of the party all who differ with him,
as has been done by so many of the
small-fry politicians and newspapers.
For this we can but honor and admire
him.
There are two other points in Scna-
tor Walthall's interview worthy of
special notice. The first is, the
declaration that the farmers are the
chief burden bearers and have ample
ground for complaint, the Democratic
politicians and newspapers themselves
being authority. Second, that the
agitation of the Sub Treasury ques-
ton by the Alliance has concentrated
public attention on the condition of
the farmers and done good, and he
further expresses the hope that it will
make it's impression on the legislation
of the next Congress.
This last is point we tried espcc-
tally to impress upon Alliance men in
the late canvass as Il reason for their
standing together in support of the
Sub Treasury. We insisted that they
should so far emphasize their de-
mand and necessity for relief as to
replace our present Senators with men
avowedly in accord with their plat
form. AS early as the Goth of last
March, soon after Senators George
and Walthall had made the first pub
lie announcement of their opposition
to the Sub Treasury, the LEADER
contained the following editorial ut
terance which is so pertinent to the
present outlook and what Senator
Walthall now says, it will well bear
repetition:
ain the first place, we want to say
we believe Senators George and Wal
thall are entirely honest in their OPP
position to the ub-Treasury bill and
really desire, as they see it, the best
of the people of Mississippi.
They may also be correct in their OBJ
jections to the Sub-Trcasury plan
but, as we sec it, that is not really the
question as the matter now stands
with true Alliance men. The real
question is, whether Alliance men,
who demand relief from the results of
outrageous class legislation, and who
have by their representatives in Su-
preme Council, twice endorsed this
shall stultify themselves by
their own Judgment and
and support men avOw-
edly opposed to their platform.
"But there is good deal more in
volved in this question than this. AS
already stated, it is not so much
whether the Sub-Treasury plan is just
the thing in itself, as whether the
farmers and laboring classes are going
to emphasize their demand for relief
and reform in a way to be heard and
needed by the old party leaders.
That is the vital point, and it will
never do to retreat or surrender at tho
first fire of the enemy. Rather let
Alliance men resolve to press the bat
tie until they have stormed and taken
the enemy's strongholds.
"When Alliance men surplanted
Hampton of South Carolina and In
gals of Kansas, the politicians of both
old parties fairly stood aghast and
trembled as they contemplated the
power of the aroused farmers in those
States, but nothing short of many sim
liar examples will bring them fully to
their senses and convince them that
the people are terribly in earnest in
their dem ands for relief from the OPP
preston of monopolists.
"Senators George and Walthall ad-
wise the abandonment of the Sub
Treasury scheme and trusting to the
Democratic party for all needed re-
forms. That is simply an hallucina-
ton. If the Democratic party had
full control of the Government and
Senators George and Walthall could
direct the policy of the party, this
would doubtless be safe dependence.
But it is by no means certain that the
Democratic party will obtain full con-
troll of the government again for years,