The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1893-12-27
Hampton's Reply to Evans
and Stokes.
WASHINGTON, D. G Dec. l6, '93.

WASHINGTON, D. c Dec. l6, '93.
Messrs w. d. Evans and J. VIM
Stokes, Gentlemen ! was ont of the
State when your open letter to me
wac published, and | did not see it
until friend sent to me copy Of
paper containing it, it, few days
before l left Columbia This has
been the cause Of my delay in reply
ing to it, and dc so now with entire
frankness
Let me say, before discussing the
questions you PROFOUND, that |
have never charged that Alliance men
were not Democrats, nor have ! ever
denounced the Farmers Alliance,
though do no, agree with some of
the demands announced in their plat
form / am in foil sympathy with
every legitimate effort to relieve the
burthen of that great class-our
farmcrs-a ass to which | have
always belonged, and shall always
cooperate heartily in any movement
for their relief.
1t would make this communication
too long should | enter into discus
sion of all the questions you have
asked me, SO shall endeavor to give
my reason for saying that .'No man
who upholds tine Ocala platform can
properly claim to be Democrat
In your letter you summarize the
several planks in the Oca'a platform, .
but it strikes me that you have
omitted in yodr summary some of
the most important planks in that
platform. and in order that | may
supply this omission on your part |
subjoin the Ocala platform in full
AS have seen no modification Of this
declaration of the principles upheld
by the party you represent, nor any
reputation of the doctrines enuclated,
l take it for granted that this plat
form embodies the demands and
declares the creed of the Ocalaites.
THE ORIGINAL ocALA PLATFORM.
l.(a) We demand the abolition of
the National banks
~ We demand that the Govern
ment shall establish sub4reasuries iii
the several States. which shall issue
money direct to the people at low
rate Of tax, not to exceed 2 per cent
per annum, on nonperishabIe farm
products, and also upon real estate,
with proper limitations upon the
quantity of land and amount Of
money
(c) We demand that the amount Of
the circulating medium be speedily
increased to not lees tkan $50 per
capita.
2. We demand that Congress shall
pass such laws as will effectually
prevent the dealing in futures of all
agricultural aud mechanical produc-
tions: providing a stringent system
Of procedure in trials that will secure
prompt conviction, and imposing
such penalties as shall secure the
most perfect compliance with the law.
8. We condemn the silver bill!
recently passed by Congress, and
demand in lieu thereof the free and
unlimited coinage Of silver
4. We demand the passage of laws
prohibiting the alien ownership of
land, and that Congress take prompt
action to devise some plan to obtain
all lands now owned by aliens and
foreign syndicates and that all lands
now held by railroads and other
corpo' ,tions in excess of such as is
actually used and needed by them be
reclaimed by the Government and
held by actual settlers only
5. Believing in the doctrine Of
equal rights to all and special
privileges to none we demand
(a) That our national Legislation
shall be so framed in the future as not
to build up one industry at the
expense of another.
(J) We further demand removal
of the existing heavy tariff tax from
the necessities of life that the poor of
our land must have.
(c) We further demand AUST and
equitable system of graduated tax on
incomes
(d) We believe that the money of
the country should be kept as much
as possible in the hands of the peo-
pie, and hence We demand tha' all
national and State revenues should
be limited to the necessary expenses
Of the Government economically and
honestly administered.
6. We demand the most rigid,
honest and just State and national
government control and supervision
of the means of public communlca-
ton and transportation, and, if this