The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-11-28
DEFENDING THE ALLIANCE

|
| An Important Letter to Gen. Wade
Hampton-Hc is Asked to Show he
Failacy ofthc Alliance Demands.
The following is an open letter to
Gen. Hampton from the official repre-
sentatives of the Farmers Alliance:
Hon. Wade Hampton, Washington
d. c.:
In recent communication over your
signature in The State we note especi-
ally the following passage among
others OF equally surprising tenor:
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
tlonal Democracy. No man who up
holds the former can properly claim to
be a Democrat"
a little further on you refer to the
fallacies of the Ocala adhcrcnts."
AS the platform referred to by YOU is
the platform of the Farmers Alliance
in this State, we as representatives of
that body of the sturdy citizens who
have never voted any but the regular
Democratic ticket. State and national,
respectfully ask that you point out the
fallacies in that platform, and show
wherein any plank of that platform is
Inconsistent with the principles of
broad Democracy cnunciated by Jetrer-
son and preserved unimpaircd through
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 di 'cctions is gladly "cceived.
| Whateve the source, whether highest
or lowests whether from Il friendly or
an unfriendly quarter, light and logic
will always he accorded rational
of our order and in this spirit we adj
dress you, sincerely desiring and ex-
pecting an answer. And we may add
that the great organization we repre-
sent comprising not only the back bone
of the States industrial pr ogress, but
the majority of the people comprising
the great majority Of those who barred
/ Jnelr breasts to the bullets of South
! Carolina's foes, and who have furnish
ed the great majority of tho 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 cX
pcct an answer bctitting the memories
of the past as we'll as the cXigencies of
the present.
For your convenience in answering
we will summarize the several planks
in the Ocala platform which YOU have
denounced as fallacics, and will indi-
cate the questions we wished answered.
l. The first Ocala demand is for the
abolition of national banks and the
issue of the peoples credit direct to
the people upon such security as the
people can give and at such interest as
the national bankers have enjoyed for
near thirty years past. Where is tho
fallacy in this? Is this undemocratic ?
| What is fallaciDus or undemocratic in
the demand for an increase of the cir
culating medium to the same per
capita ratio that existed whom the pub
lie debt was made?
2. We demand that legislation be en-
acted that will prevent u relative few
from gambling in the peoples bread
and meat and clothing, whereby mil
lions of dollars arc forcibly wrested
from the necessities of the people. Is
thcrc anything unlcmocratic in that
Where Is the fdllacy?
3. We demand the free and unlimit-
ed coinage of silver at the ratio of &c
to |, in order that our debts may be
payable in the same sort Of dollars tha az
were current when the debts were
made, We maintain chat it is in
famous to require us by legislation tC
pay the mortgage on our farms in
dollars that cost double as much of oui
labor to get. Is this nndemocratic
Where is the fallacy?
4. We demand that the public lands
shall be held for actual settlers, anC
that holdings by aliens or syndicate.
for speculative purposes shall be pro
hibitcd. Is this undcmoc.ratic? Where
is this fallacious?
.. We demand tariff. for revenue
only and that govcrnm ent be economi
cally and honestly administered ; tha
the tariff be taken OF the Decessarie
OF life and levied I,pon the luxuries
} that the bulk of the taxes be rajscd upoI
the incomes of the people rather thar
upon their necessities. Is this tn,
plank you had in mind when YOU sait
NO man who upholds (it) can CLAIM
to be Democrat ~ Is this s. fal
lacy 2"
, q. We demand the most rigid
honest and just State and nationa
governmental control of the means O
public communication and transports
tlon," and If the peoples suffrage b
still abused then that the people cor
struct and operate their own railroad
, cratic? Is it fallacious?
Z. We demand the election of Crnite
3 States Senators by direct vote OF tn
l people OF each State. Is this und,emC
: cratic Is it fallacious
{ Your early attention will graatl
Q oblige the organization we reprea or
and at the same time the majority
3 those who voted for Mr.. Cleveland las
: year on the same principle chat thu,
1 voted for you in 1876.
Very respectfully you're.
y (Signed) w. D. EVANS,
i President South Carolina Stat
5 Farmers Alliance.
II j. WIN. STOKES,
n Lecturer South Carroll na State Farm
a ara, hllianna