The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-12-27
HAMPTON'S REPLY
TO THE OPEN LETTER OF MESSRS'
STOKES AND EVANS.

He Gives His Idea Of the Difference Be-
| tween The Dem mocratic Platform and tho
| Ocnla Platform.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. Is, 1893.
Messrs. W. D. Evans and J. VIM.
Stokes. Gentleman: I was out OF the
State when your open letter to me was
published, and I did not see 1t until a
friend sent to me copy Ct paper con-
1aiuing 1t, ie " days before 1 lett Colum.
bia. This has been the cause OF my de-
lay in replying to it, and L DO 40 no"
with entire trankuess.
Let me say, before discussing the
questions YOU PROFOUND, that have
never charged that Alliance men wore
not Democrats, nor have ever de.
noupced the Formers Alliance, thou b l
do not agree with some OF the demands
announced IN their platform. I am in
iull sympathy with every legitimate Ell
tort to relieve the burthen of the great
class-our fsrmers-a class to which l
have always belonged, and shall al.
ways cooperate heartily in any move.
ment for their relief.
1t would make this communication
too long should I enter into discussion
of all the questions you have anked me,
80 l shall endeavor to give my reason
for saving that mo man who upholds
the Ocala platform can properly claim
10 be Democrat"
In your letter you ''summari7e the
several planks in the Ocala platform, /"
but it strikes me that you have omitted
in your sun mary some of the most I'm.
porlant planks in that platform, and IN
order that 1 may supply this omission
on your partI subjoin the Ocala plat
form In full. AS have seen no modlhca'
ton of this declaration OF the principles
upheld by the party you represent, nor
any Reputation of the doctrines enun'
ciated, I take it for granted that this
platform embodles the demands and de.
clares the creed of the Ocalaites.
THE ORIGINAL OCALA PLATFoRM.
| l (a) We demand the abolition OF the
National banks.
(b) We demand that the Government
shall establish sub treasures 10 the sew.
eral States, which shall issue money di'
rect to the people al low rate Of tax.
not to exceed 2 per cent. per annunl.
on -perlshable farm products, and
also upon real estate, with proper llmlta.
tlons upon the quantity of land and
amount of money.
(c) We demand that the amount OF the
circulating medium be speedily increased
to not less than $50 per capita.
2. We demand that Congress shall
pass such laws as will effectually pre-
vent the dealing in futures of all agricul-
ural and mechanical productions;
providing stringent system OF proce.
dure in trials that will secure prompt
conviction, aud imposing such penalties
as shall secure the most perfect COM
pliance with the law.
8. We condemn che silver bill recent.
lly passed by Congress, and demand IN
lieu thereof the free and unlimited coin
age of silver.
4. We demand the passage of laws
prohibiting the alien ownership OF land,
aud 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 corporations in excess of such
as is actually used and needed by them
he reclaimed by the Government and
held by actual settlers only.
S. Believing in the doctrine OF equal
rights to all and special privileges to
none we demand
(a) That our national legislation shall
be 80 framed in the future as not to
build up one industry at the expense OF
another.
CD 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 a just and
equitable system of graduated tax on in.
comes.
| (d) We believe that the money Of the
country should be kept as much as possl
BILE in the hands of the people, and
hence we demand that 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.
al control and supervision of the means
of public communication aud transporta'
tion. and, if this control and supervision
does not remove the abuse now existing,
we demand the Government ownership
of such means of communication and
transportation.
7, We demand that the Congress OF
the United States submit an amendment
TO the Constitution providing for the
election of Tnlted State Senators by
direct vote of the people Of each State.
Now, I shall compare this platform
with that of the National Democratic
party, and think that all intelligent aud
impartial men will admit that the two
platforms do not conform, and are III
many most important principles anita.
gonistic.
Your plantform demands ''the aboli.
ton of national banks;" such demand is
made by the Democratic party. 1t may
have escaped your memory, If you ever
knew the fact, that these banks hold
charters which will not expire until
1907, so that there would be some diff
fculty In the immediate abolition OF
the national banks"
You demand 1.-THE establishment Of
sueatreasuries in the several States"
Every lawyer of prominence whom I
have heard express an opinion on this
proposition declares it to be unconstitu.
tional. The Democratic party can