The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-05-22
STICKS TO THE ALLIANCE.
ITILbMAN's FINANCIAL CREED

~ huuOrseS the hillance DemanUs
Except the Sub-Treasury-WillN No,
Bind Himself TO the Democratic
Caucus-His Formal Entrance Into
National Politics.
On April 18, Governor Tillmau re-
ceived a letter from Hon. Thomas p
Mitchell, chairman of the executive
committee OF the Farmers Alliance
enclosing the following questions
which he had been ordered by the AL.
lance to PROFOUND to all candidates for
Office in the gift of the people of South
Carolina
"First. Willyou discuss the Alliance
demands in the coming campaign, par
ticularly those relating to the finances
OF the country, and defend them against
the enemies OF our order.
Second. Will you pledge loyalty to
the demands of the National Farmers
Alliance and Industrial Union above
loyalty to party caucus and vote against
any and all candidates who decline to
commit themselves to this oxtent ?"
To this letter Governor Tillman re-
piled as follows:
COLUMBIA, S. c., April %, 1894.
Hon. Thomas p. Mitchell, Wood
ward, S. @.
Dear Sir: In reply to your letter OF
April 18, desire to say:
"hhh utoOuoo utlC pI1uClplCS anu
policy of the Alliance in the coming
campaign and make myself clearly un-
derstood.
l am q candidate for United States
Senator, and If elected will vote on all
questions as my conscience and judg-
ment dictate. But as [ shall not, If
elected Senator, represent myself but
the people, I would at all times obey
the instructions of the party in the
State to which belong us set forth in
its platform. Yours respectfully,
Is. Il. TILLMAN.
Yesterday Governor Tillman receiv-
ed the following letter from Mr.. Mitch
ell:
WOODWARD, S. c., May ii, 1894.
Hon. B. r. Tillman, Columbia, S. G..
My Dear Sir: Your letter in reply
to the questions on the demands of the
Alliance was duly received, and as L
do not think you made your position as
sibly not as clear as you intended to do.
l respectfully submit them~again for
your consideration. | am sure you are
with us in this matter and hope you
will come right out and say SO. | can
assure you, with my knowledge uf the
sentiments of the Alliance and those in
sympathy with the Alliance, this
course on your part will cement them
together in one solid phalanx for your
election to the United States Senate
and we will roll up such majority for
you that General Butler will not know
he was in the race. Hoping to hear
from you by return mail favorably in
regard to this matter, am, sir, yours
fraternally,
THos. p. MITCHELL,
Chairman Executive Committee.
To the above he replied as follows:
COLUMBIA, S. c., May Is, 1894.
Hon. Thos. Z. Mitchell, Woodward,
S. G.
My Dear Sir: Your letter of yester-
day received. AS you ask for prompt
reply, | answer at once. Having been
the recognized leader of the Reform
party or faction in the State since it's
organization in April, 1886, and having
been very pronounced and OutSpoken
in my speech at st. Louis last October,
and more recently in my interview Of
April 9th, ult., L did not go into do
tails in answering your letter of April
18th because thought it entirely un-
necessary. 1 had no thought of keep
ing any opinions or policy hold on
straddler or dOdger in politics or any
thing else.
| will, therefore, answer as clearly as
/ know how, in order to satisfy all who
may care to know how | stand
The financial policy advocated by
the Alliance embraces three things:
/. The abolition of national banks,
and the issue of paper money direct by
tho United States government.
q The free coinage of silver at the
ratio of 16 to l.
3. The increase of the circulating
mediums, gold, silver and legal tender
greenbacks, to at least $50 per capita
of population.
These fundamental ideas or demands
are accompanied by the scheme for q
government system of banking, incor-
porating the sub-treasury idea and the
lending of money to the people at q
low rate of interest.
To the three propositions set forth
above L can and do give my earnest
support and will strive, if elected Sena-
tor, to SEQ them Incorporated into law
and become the fixed policy of our
government.
also ,an advocate and fight for all
the other demands" except that 1
doubt the wisdom or practicability of
the government owning and running
all railroads, telegraph and telephone
campaign to discuss all these matters
fully. The one essential point on which
differ with the Alliance is the lend
ing of money to the people. could
easily dodge behind the "or something
BETTER" II so minded, but my self-re-
spect and my duty to the people who
have shown such love and trust in my
leadership will not allow me to bubble
or shirk, whatever consequences may
follow this avOwal. | would be un-
worthy OF the honors they have con-
ferred on me in the past and of all
trust whatever il did not como out
boldly and tell them the truth. This
is the more obligatory on mo now be-
cause / am seeking to enter national
politics.
In 1892 / did not discuss national
questions or oppose the incorporation
of the Ocala platform in the State
Democratic platform in May because
l saw there was danger of our hot
headed Alliancemen splitting off into
third party-the fatal blunder which
caused Mr.. Cleveland's 8 nomination and
we'll nigh destroyed the Alliance in all
the other Southern States. Had our
example in South Carolina been fol-
lowed In the other Southern States
Alliance ideas would be the predomin-
ant ones In all the South to-day and
our national administration would not
be controlled by allied mugwumps and
Republicans and traitors. | am diff
ferently situated now, being candi-
date for the United States Senate, and
Il. .A.. H.