The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-05-23
GOV. TIlLMAN'S LETTER.
Wba, ,na Ds,ty ?spers Think 81 HE
E'.g.t:Ou,

! T
! WILL AROUSE DEEP THOUGHT.
The Co!umol= Register, which, as ali
kro~, is Rfprm paper, says:
Governor IItlmaI's letter to Chair
man Mitchell contains matter of inter
est, csIcul4' ed &c arouse deep thought.
| Tia: litter IS one Vi the most striking
| fTea ists on na'i0nai politics which has
ap2~aref in q long time; Gy il the DOW
er o. rfl.. A!iiInc" ana Jhe Part II ought
! 20 .! a., N ClIarlv set forth. An
| u.rniuk!uz r. der f that letter mig hit
Cpn4 ~ The conclusion t1at Governor
Fi!ima1 auI the Alliance we're travel
iH2 OF I'ffeT~n5 paths, but such con
clu9j0l WGuid 10 violence to the "hOle
eu3r 0. Sh~ letter Toe difference be-
! wen the Governor and the Alliance
are more a0DdTent than real; IN aim,
IL hope, il purpose, tdey are one, and
hey only diffrr as 10 how theY shall
accomplish the same thu g5-and even
il; tbs their Variauca IS but slight
G werner Tillaan tells Il plain truth
wGrn be S4ys that AlllaDceman are
largely to blame for the fac5 tnat ALI
ance IDEAS are not completely IN the
ascendant throughout the South. The
j. ct tta5 the Alliance IN this State is
IN much healthier condition than 10
a@y otber STATE is due 10 Tillmaa more
than anY other ma AZ, and this tacs Is re-
.llZ1d by the AlIancemen Of other
states rs we'll as Of fhiS State. While
sorle Allidncemen may be inclined to
AXIS exceptions 10 some parts OF his
letter, they will acknowledge its wis
dom and It's boldne3S. "a elrd IN the
hand Is worth dCz Il IL the bush" and
man is more 3p5 70 get a bird in the
haad if he concentrates bis efforts upon
tae capture Of one bird than if he tries
to catch a dCZ=n at once. This is home
ly philosophy, ,but it is the philosophy of
GJvernOr r,llmau's letter and Will
bear testing. While the masses have
been trying 20 secure dozen reforms
they have secured none, and have
never lost ground. Governor Tillmaa's
advice is that Effort be concentrated
upoa the task of securing the most i'm
p0rtant and the mcsJ needed reforms
nov; then when they have been
brought about, it will be time to fight
for other aud less needed reforms.
This is practical, hard, common sense.
IL tried its worth Till be proven be-
yond the shadow of doubt. Governor
Cillman has raised standard under
which Ref0rmers throughout the
UGion may array themselves and can
secure victory. The standard bears
this inscription: Free silver, more
greenbacks a0d gcld-all legal tender
and all receivable for auy and all dues,
public and private"
That is platform broad enough for
q party to stand upon. Success under
that standard will not be secured with
out struggle, but success can be Sc
cured under II. The above sentence
expresses the most crying need Of the
country today. When that need is
done away with, the national reform.
ers can dec de what neXt to fight for.
DON'T cUIT THE DEMOCRACY.
The Columbia State, Conservative,
says:
The Governor readily and will
!ngly promises" to vote on the lines be
has indicated "Without regard to any
caucus" He juStlfies this by saying
that the Northeastern Democrats have
set US an example Oh that line which
will ba a sufficient excuse for all time
"rhe Cold Bug Deu ocrats," he adds,
"refus-d to caucus on the repeal of the
Sherman law last summer" Yes, and
they were bitterly denounced by the
Go.ernor's orgaOs for doing so, and
called by them "R publicans" aud
"traliors." Nowth G vernon proposes
TO follow their example and do what
be- heartily GisappTuved O. their doing
! We take The liberry of reminding him
tha; Just before this declaration he
wrote of a similar imitation, at can
not be defended, because two wrongs
never made one right" We find no.
| where il the letter any reference TO
Democratic principles or the rational
Democratic platform. The objections
| be has to Governmental loaos TO the
; p-opie and government ownership OF
railroads and t-legraphs are apparently
cODcelved without refereDce to the
principles or policies of Democracy
| One important question IN the Alliance
catscnlsm tnr G OveIn0r passes over IN
| silence. He dees rot say whether he
wlll or will not bind himself to vote
against any aud all persons who refuse
20 pledge support 70 the Alliance de,
mands. The PERSISTENT Mr.. Mitchell
might find it advantageous to make a
supplementary iDqnlry on this point.
Incidentally the Governor says that
be cid not II 1892 oppose the adoption
| OF the Ocala pla' form oy the May con
veuJion-though "unalteraOly opposed
10 at least Que Of its teature1-in order
10 keep "hoL. headed AIliancemen from
splitting off into third party" That
is to say, be subordinated principle to
policy, and consented to the adoption
OF the populist platform in ORDER to
keep P0pnliSts in the control OF the
Democratic party machinery. Ocalites
and Popul;sts in other States made q
"fatal blurder" in being homes. and
gong out Of a party whose principles
they opposed; the! should have re-
NAMED ia the party and betrayed it.
south Carolina sets her sisters wise
example in 1892" and cit is incumbent
| on her to repeatit in 1894 ct is time
10 be formulating the platform and
marshalls1g the people for 1896. That
IS to say, this year the hypocrisy OF 1884
must be repeated, and the people drill
| I'd Sc as to 90 in 1896 into the Cover
nor'5 proposed new silver party when
he gives the word. This is the result
OF our analysis. We are not able to
say Wae her the letter will suit the
Alliance, for it is not a complete sur
render. But it certainly will not suit
the Dem 1cracy.
AN ABJECT SURRENDER.
The News and Courier, Conservative,
SAYS:
In his letter TO the chairman CT, the
executive committee Of the Farmers
Alliance, Governor Tlllman explains
his position upon the demands" OF the
Alliance. 1t will De observed that he
does net stand fairly and squarely"
upon the demands" Some OF them he
will advocate, others he does not favor,
but all Of them. be makes it very clear:
he will swallow if such an act OF deglu-
tition be found necessary to the cap
tuTe Of the entire Alliance vote OF the
State III Governor Tillnan's race for
the Senate. "if they choose to retire
noe to private life" says the Governor,
g! will cheerfully abide their WILL" but
he does noy leave anV room to doubt