The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1893-11-29
She g0erala and Uews.
IN TIE DARKNESS OF EGYPT.
Alliance Men Who Need Light on . man
cial Matters-They Put Questions to
Gen. Hampton Based On False
Premises.
IN TIE DARKNESS OF EGYPT.
columbia Register.

PREMISES.
Columbia Register.1
The following is an open letter ad-
dressed to the Hon. Wade Hampton,
Washington, D. c.:
In recent Communication over your
signature in The State we note especial
ly the following passage among others
of equally surprising tenor:
1.-THE time has come when the line
should be drawn between those who
stand upon the Ocala platform and
those who stand upon that.of the Ma
tional Democracy. No man who up
holds the former can properly claim to
be Democrat"
A little further on you refer to the
''fallaeies of the Ocala adherents."
AS the platform referred to by you is
the platform of the Farmers Alliance in
this State, we as representatives of that
bndy of sturdy citizens who have never
voted any but the regular Democratic
ticket, State and national, respectfully
ask that you point out the fallacles 10
that platform, and show wherein any
plank of that platform is inconsistent
with the principles of broad Democra-
cy enunciated by Jefferson and pre-
served uuimpaired through q century
of struggle in the platforms of the
Democratic party.
If we are wrong, as individuals or as
an Alliance, we desire to be set right.
Truth, right and justice to all are our
objective points, and light leading in
those directions is gladly received.
Whatever the source, whether highest
or lowest, whether from a friendly or
an anfriendly quarter, light and logic
will always be accorded a rational an
alysis at least. This is the teaching of
our Order and in this spirit1we address
you, sincerely desiring and expecting
an answer. And we may add that the
great Organization we represent, COM
prising not only the backbor ; Of the
States industrial progress, but the ma
jority of the people; comprising the
great majority of those who barred
their breasts to the bullets of South
Cardinals foes, and who have fur
nished the great majority Of the votes
by which Democracy won the fight
that placed yourself in the Governors
chair and subsequently in the United
States Senate-that great organization
will expect an answer beftting the
memories of the past as we'll as the
exigencies of the present.
For your convenience in answering
we will summarize the several planks
in the Ocala platform which you have
denounced as fallacies, and will indi-
cate the questions we wished answered.
J. The first Ocala demand is for the
abolition of national banksand the issue
of the peoples credit direct to the peo-
pie apon such security as the people can
give and at such interest as the national
bankers have enjoyed for nearly thirty
years past. Where is the fallacy in
this? Is this undemocratie? What is
faliaey or undemocratic in the demand
for an increase of the circulating me
dunn to the same per capita ratio that
existed when the public debt was made?
2. We demand that legislation be en-
acted that will prevent a relative few
from gambling in the peoples bread
and meat and clothing, whereby mil
lions Of dollars are forcibly wrested
from the necessities of the people. Is
there anything undemocratic in that?
Where is the fallacy?
8. We demsnd the free acd unlim-
tied coinage of silver at the ratio OIL
to l, in order that the debt may be
payable in the same sort of dollars that
were current when the debts were
made. We maintain that It is iafam-
Gus to require US by legislation to pay
the mortgages on our farms in dollars
that cost double as much Of our labor
to get. Is this undemocratic? Where
is the fallacy?
4. We demand that the lands shall
be held for actual settlers, and that
holdings by aliens or syndieates for
speculative purposes shall be prohib-
tied. Is this undemocratic? Where
is this fallacious?
5. We demand tariff for revenue only
and that the Government be economi-
cally and honestly administered; that
the tariff be taken off the necessaries
of life and levied upon the luxuries;
that the bulk of the taxes be raised
upon the incomes of the people rather
than upon their necessities. Is this
the plank you had in mind when you
said, "No man who upholds Gt) can
claim to be a democrat?" is this
"fallacy?"
6. We demand the "nost rigid, hon.
est and just State and National govern
mental control of the means of pub
TIE ONWARD MARCH