Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-18
SOUTH CAROLINA.
The Third Party Again Comes to the
Front.

The Third Party Again Comes to the
Front.
Correspondents Of The Evening Star
CHARLESTON, s. O., Oct 16, 1892.
Just alta time when the third party schism
in South Carolina appeared to have disap-
peared forever under the tidal ware which
swept over Georgia and Florida recently the
oyer hobs up serenely again and once more
confronts the supposedly united democracy Of
the palmetto state. Its naturalization at this
time may or may not have serious influence on
the vote for President In November next, bu.
there is little doubt that it has assumed seri-
Gus aspect, involving, ss It does, the entire
Farmers Alliance. The new break was devel-
oped within the past few days and in the fol-
lowing way,
newspaper known as the Cotton Plant Is
by the alliance and managed by board Of alli-
ance directors. Up to this time its editor was
j. William Stokes, who ran rs democratic candi-
date for Congress from the first district and was
beaten In the democratic primaries by Con-
gresham W. b. Brawley, owing entirely to the
During thescampsign the Cotton Plant openly
advocated the third party principles, while its
editor was running for Congress a. Q democrat
Charged with treachery, Editor and Candidate
Stokes announced that the editorials in question
were written In his absence by the assistant
editor, ]. ". Bowden. It Is now announced
that the Cotton Plant has been leased, with
entire control, to J. W. Bowden and IL there
fore become the organ Of the third party In
South Carolina.
The average South Carolina politician who
has been heretofore educated up to the point Of
standing by his party through thick and thin is
somewhat puzzled BY this new deal of the fin
de steele alliance politician. They cannot I'M
derstand the situation. In the recent primaries
they fought out what they thought was strict
party fight; the alliance won and the alliance is
now in absolute possession and control Of the
machinery OF the democracy. In point Of fact
the alliance leaders openly and persistently
avow that the alliance Is the democracy and
that oil who are opposed to the alliance are re-
publicans in the disguise Of democrats. Such
being the case, and there is very little doubt
that it is so, the voters Of the state now told
that the alliance, which Is the democratic party,
has sold out the official organ Of the alliance Cor
the democracy to the third party.
The popularity of the situation Is enhanced
in view Of the way in which the state was
represented at the national convention in
Chicago When the Farmers Alliance first be-
gan to develop strength in this state three
years ago assurances came from all sides that
1t was not political organization and would
take no part in politics, notwithstanding which
the Farmers Alliance captured the democratic
machinery and elected B. Il. Tillman in 1890
In the early part Of this year there WAS good
deal Of wire pulling and cross firing between
Gov. Tillman and the Farmers Alliance. The
governor had come out boldly against the alli-
ance demands, and there was much talk of
dropping him. tom" Watson Of Georgia
was brought over to convert the governor to
the subtreasury scheme, but 1t seems did not
succeed. There were occasional flashes of
third party oratory and literature from within
the order, and the relations between the gov
ernor and the alliance leaders were evil
IDENTIFY strained. 1t is more than prob
able that the strong fight waged by
the conservative democrats against Tillman
drove the governor and the alliance together,
forcing them to make mutual concessions for
their common protection. As proof of this it
is pointed out that all the federal places were
given to alliance men, while Nllman was given
the alliance support for governor. 1t was only
the fight made by the conservative democracy
that saved the state to Cleveland and
Stevenson-that and the dread Of the
"force bill" It looks now, however, as il
the truce between Iillman and the alliance
patched up on the eve Of the democratic pri-
mary was only q temporary makeshift. Each
party was afraid of the other. Tillman surren-
dered or abandoned his fight against the alli-
ance demands and its leaders, and they waived
their opposition to the democratic party of the