The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1892-10-27

Mr.. EDITOR AT the request of
MIR. S. Otho Wilson, | desi. G,
through the medium of the press, |
to lay Oefore the people of North |
Carolina the above letter, which
think contains the strongest posi-, |
ole proof of the charge he herein |
essays to answer. 1t Will be Oh |
served he does not deny the state
ments made by Mcssrs. Reed and
Bell, and makes the single point
that the "band' is not pOltica
society IN other words, summon
ed to the bar OF public opinion, his
plea IS what is known among the
lawyers as a plea by way of "con-
fesslOn and avoidance" He admits
by denying (under circumstances
which I'M perativeiy called tor DENIAL.
If one had Deen intended,) the eXls-
tence in North Carolina OF the
"Gideon's Band" He admits there
by that Messrs. Reed and Bell have
correctly described the machinery
oy which 1t works, tO-wlt: chiefs,
sub-chietS, thirty select men in each
county, and 300 in each congress
sional district, who can be relied on
IN all meetings He admits thereby
that these men are bound by oath,
under severe penalties, TO execute
all orders cnanating from theII
superlors. He. admits that be
inflated Reed ana made him ''chiet"
IN the 9Th district. lie admits
thereby that he made Overtures to
Bell to JOIN and reveal to him the
secrets of the ''band.' He admits
that he declared the purpose of the
banu to be to promote the "retOrm
movement But he says the band
is not d political society.
leave It TO the intelligent people
OF the State it this Is not a fair IN
rpIetation, indeed, the only adj
mlsslb.e Interpretation, of his 1t
ter These facts being admltteA,
or proven, the people Will not ac-
cept MI. W llsOns conclusions as to
wether they constitute political
society, especially when it is well
known he and some OF his followers
have very eccentric notions about
what is political. They Will take
the facts and decide for themselves,
and these facts, admitted as | have
shown by Mr.. Wilson, show we'll
defined secret political organization.
What did Mr.. Wilson mean when
he told Mr. Bell the object of the
band was to promote the "Retorm"
movement? Did he refer to the
platform of principles adopted DIT
cincinnati III 1891. which with
slight amendment, were afterwards
Incorporated In the st Louis pat
form and then adopted at Omaha?
" hat could he have meant if not
this?
Bell so understood him, for he re-
pied the scheme was dangerous
and would destroy the Alliance and
defeat the reforms prODosed. Is
there any doubt about what is
known as the ''TefOrm movement
being a political movement? Does
it not seek to have certain well
defined policies enacted into law,
aud where IN conflict herewith to
have the fundamental law changed?
There seems to be considerable
obtuseness on the part of sOme PEG
pie in this state as to what con-
stltutes political action, but it Is
hard to believe any can he found so
dull as not to see that what was
nj p U tnr
movement was then a political
move, and has continued up to the
present time to be one.
If MessrS. Reed and Bells letters
left any doubt (and | think they did
not in the minds of or people
about the actual existence here Of
a secret political society, Mr.. VIII
sons letter finally removes that
doubt.
The existence of "GldeOn'S BanI"
IN this State, and the statememttS
of Mess. Reed and Bel III reference
thereto not being denied, the peo-
pie will, of course, form their opln-
ION OF its character and objects from
the statements OF these gentlemen
II tie order is political, 1t is I'M
lawful; If the order Is not political
but merely intended to control and
direct the deliberations of the AL
lance, then it is an outrage upon
the members Of the Alliance, who
have not been admitted into its
secrets, that a secret "cabal' should
have Deen formed within their or.
der to clandestlnely control Its
councils. F. Nj. SIMMONS.
Chm'n State Dem. Eek. Com,