The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-05-12
THURSDAY MORNING, MAY l2, 1892.

party in all these years was the persistent
resolnte aud indomitable organized De
mocrscy of this Union. This is the sim
pie, unvarnished, unanswerable truth
Yet we witness the painful and astound-
ing spectacle of few would-be.leaderl
seeking to mislead our people by the un
worthy and untruthful declaration tha
We have no more to hope for from tht
Democracy than from the hostile Repub
lican party. Such q declaration is go ab'
surdly untrue that our honest people vii.
not long be deceived by 1t.
1 will not now discuss the proposition
to elect United States Senators by popu-
lar vote; because it requires an amend
ment to the Constitution. to accomplish
1t, and Is therefore remote; and, because
there is no Immediate benefit or damage
to the people, in either Its adoption or re-
lection. So far as our present welfare is
concerned, it is immaterisl whether we
be for 1t or against 1t.
Nor do propose to discuss at length the
demand for government ownership oi
railroads; because it is wholly impracti-
cable, and even if it could be accomplish.
ed it would not bring the relief sought
1t would involve the appointment, by
central authority, Of thousands ofagents,
and It would result at last in general dis.
aster. Surely the experience of Georgi-
ans in the management by the State OF
one short line of railroad ought to be
sufficient warning against the policy OF
government ownership Of all the rail.
roads. Even when managed by our best
and ablest executives before the war, the
State Road rarely paid, WAS frequently in
debt, and yet transportation over it was
more expensive to the people than it is
now. And after the war, when that same
road was managed by the Republican
party, it involved the State in debt and
ran down to the very verge of wreck and
ruin. The only sensible solution of the
great problem Of transportation is in the
"most rigid, honest and just State and
National governm entail control and su.
pervision."
AN APPEAL TO SOBER JUDGMENT.
In the light of the serious and undis-
puted facts enumerated in this letter, l
appeal to the dispassionate, sober judg.
ment of our people for one sensible rea'
son or excuse for abandoning the Demo.
cratic party and trusting our hopes and
fortunes and liberties to an untried,
unframed and Heterogeneous Third Par.
ty.
Does any one answer that the Demo.
cratic party does not grant the needed re-
lief to the people2 Upon what facts
does be base such an opinion? The Dem.
ocratic party has not had control of the
government for one session or one day in
the lastthirty years; and in those thirty
years of Republican rule, every evil OF
which you complain has taken root and
become embodied in our laws as the
avowed and permanent policy of Repub'
lican administration.
During all that long period, the united
Democracy has carried the flag of revolt
against the Republican policies, arraign'
ing its leaders, denouncing its extrava-
gance, its corruptions and its usurpationa
confronting and fighting it in States
and Nation, until a majority of the States
and an overwhelming majority of the
people have enlisted under the Demo
cratic bnnner of reform. What possible
excuse, therefore, for deserting our flag
DOW when glorious victory seems within
our grasp and when Democratic
victory means defeat to the authors Of
all the wrongs of which the people COM
plain.
But commanding as are the considera'
tions set forth, there are still more mo-
mentous reasons for standing unitedly
and firmly in the ranks of the De-
mocrscy, which is the true party OF the
people.
First and paramount among these rea.
SONS is the fact that dessrtion by Demo
Gratis now, renders more probable the
continued supremacy of Republicanism
in the government, the psrpetuatior
of their hurtful policies, and the in
definite postponement Of the day of re-
lief.
With the Republican ranks united ana
Democrats divided, We may lose contro
of the next House of Representatives, 81
we'll as of the Presidency, and thus rem
der possible the passage of the hydrs
headed force bill, with its endless trains
of evils, the horrors of which no Ian
guage can exsggerate. In the great ane
memorable battle against the force bill
and for the rights and liberties of oul
people there was no difficulty in locating
our enemies on the one side and oul
friends On the other. There were some
brave and msgnanimous spirits among
the Republicans who appreciated th'
enormity of that iniquitous force bill ant
who reyolted against the party which
sought to inhict the measureless wrong
upon the Southern people. But the vas
majority of the Republican party wrot'
for, spoke for, or labored for the passage
of that bill.
Where did the National Democrac.
stand in that fearful crisis? There wa
not q solitary Democrat in any State
city, town, or country district In thi
whole Union who deserted us in our ex
tremity or who failed to oppose thi
threatened destruction of the prosperity
tranquility, peace and liberty Of th