The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-11-17
DEFINES HIS POSITION.
WHAT HE SAYS ABOUT THE PEO-
PIES PARTY.

Ho Prayed tor Weaver and Fields but
Voted for Cleveland and Stevenson-
What He Says About tho Allianc De-
cIining.
CoLUMBI S. e., Nov. 4.-The
following was published III the Register
this morning.:
read yesterday afternoon in the
News and Courier the following from
the Sumter correspondence, letter
dated October 81.
"Apropos Of the decline of the ALI.
an ,e in the State, Colonel Darsan was
seen to-day and asked about the order
IN this county. Colonel Dargan saws
the Alliance in Sumter County has
dwindled' very greatly and so great has
been the decline Of the order that he has
resigned HIS position as district lecturer.
Speaking further, Colonel Dargan SAYS
the Alliance has lived its days and its
forces are going into other and broarder
fields. lie says that the Alliance as
organized was only preliminary to what
ls to follow. The inference from Colo.
mel Bargains talk is that from the begin
ming the Alliance was intended as a
great political scheme. That scheme
has developed into the third party of the
present day. On this subject Colonel
Dargan says that his mission is, if he
can, to convince the people of the State
that he Is right, but ii he cam d. 10 this
he ls still With his people. He SAYS
that Bowden and those associated with
him are making great blunder and do
Ing great wrong by trying to divide
the white people Of the State at the
general election"
In thirty minutes after L read it,
man was on the rual 1ish a lC.ts ~ tie
News and Courier for publication tu.tay.
am not satisfied, however, with stating
my position III the above matters in the
News and Courier only. l wish to give
the widest circulation possible, as do
not propose 10 be misunderstood in re.
gard 70 "the noble order" with which /
have lelt proud to have connection since
the 1lrst day OF its appearance in Sumter
county. L was one ut nineteen who
met The organizer in Sumter in 1888 and
have beeu an earnest worker for It's
great objects ever since that time. Had
known that was talking for publica.
ton, would have given care to my ut
terances that l might be fully under
| stood. AS it was l will not blame the
reporter, lest l do him an injustice, but
will simply restate my position in Ian.
gua9e OF my own choosing.
| First. | do say that the Alliance is
declining as secret class organization,
and hail this as au evidence that 1t ls
growing healthilY IN the direction of its
| true mission. It's work as an agency
for enlightening and unifying the farmers
is accomplished. The enlightenment it
gave showed the farmers they must
seek for national legislation as a remedy
tor several causes Of their great depres.
sion, and having found out this fact, they
wisely organized Il great political move
ment Cthe Peoples party) TO enforce
their ''demands." Into this political
organization all sympathlzers with the
oppressed iaborers and producers can
enter and the work will be open not
secret as heretofore. From the Alliance
TO the Peoples party Is natural,
healthlul movement of development.
Not being strong of body about this
time, gave up my district lecturoship,
(my, term being out. 1 simply declined
reelection, because felt that economy
OF effort could better be made in that then
the new field upon which have entered,
TO wit; the organization of the Peoples
party. To this latter end l propose to
give every spare moment for the next
few years.
think the only chance for the third
party success IN South Carolina is a
white primary. To appeal to a general
election before white primary has been
demanded by the Peo ple's party to test
the relative strength Of that pal ty and
the Democracy among th.' white people
OF the State is to bri1g upon the former
certain defeat. Iiencc | ,hored long and
persstently through the Freeman to get
those who favor the principles of the
Peoples p lrty TO organize and demand
a white primary this year. Failing to
accomplish this l am Standing up for
the action Of the white majority to the
extent Of voting for the August and
September nominees of the white (mis.
called "Democratic'O pri nary and con.
ventlon.
l believe Bowdcn's movement q mis-.
take. Yet such is the devotion feel
for the principles of the party he repre-
sents that ii is almost impossible for me
to keep from voting his electoral ticket.
intend, however, to vote the regular
Democratic" ticket next Tuesdty
from top to bottom, and begin then and
there to organize the Poplc's party for
the fight two yeras hence. | hope to
succeed in my effort 10 get white pri-
mary before the next general election.
Praying for Weaver and Field, l am
through respect to the white maiorty in
South Carolina, voting for Cleveland
and Stevens on.
Trusting l have inaGc myself under
stood, l am respectfulully.
JOHN j. DARdAN.
Statesburg, S. g., Nov. 3.