The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-01-03

question "lS this demand IN ac-
cordance with the Democratic plat
form ?'' And is this the best that
can be done You set out to show
that it did not conform to the
Democratic platform. You only ask
us if it does. Assuming that you
ask in good faith, we, at least, will
not evade a direct question, 80 we
answer unhesitatingly, yes, it does !;
and was SO held by the brainiest and
best Democrats in the United States
Senate-such men as Morgan and
Daniel, and Irby and Butler, and a
host of others.
To borrow another choice phrase
directed to us (and which we are
assured is studiously courteous "you
have, we suppose. read the Demo-
cratic platform, and if you compared
it'' with the Ocala you will see that
both condemn the Sherman act.
Thus far they are identical. The
Ocala then demands Gin lieu thereof
the free and unlimited coinage Of
silver" The Democratic goes on to
say: eve. hold to the use of both
gold and silver as tine standard money
Of the country and to the coinage OF
both gold and silver without dlscri.
minating against either metal or
oh.o f,r ro;ntaoe'' The meaning
is precisely the same. The reading
public will note how signally you
have failed not only to justify your
charge that emo man who upholds
the Ocala platform can properly
claim to be Democrat, {" bu, even to
show that the platforms are wholly
antagonistic.
4 You think it sufficient answer
to our demand for the ownership OF
railroad and telegraph lines, in
certain contingencies. that it would
cost several times as much as the
civil war. Supposing this were
true, that does not prove it is
undemocratic-and that is what you
set out TO show, mark you. You
were to prove that tno man who
upholds" this scan properly claim to
besa Democrat, and you simply
argne that it. is costlyt Again we
ask-what have honorable and spirit
ed men to do wifi, cash where prln-
ciple is involved? Away with such
sorsdid standards Of expediency! Let
us probe these questions to the core,
and if the principle be correct and
best for the masses of the people, let
us maintain them though they cost
myriads of money and men. That
was the spirit that animated the
Democratic party in 1860. They did
not stop to count mp costs when the
rights of the people were threatened.
The rights of the people are threat
ened today. 1t is a question
whether. the people shall own the
railroads or be- owned by them
Already in this State insolyent rail.
roads refuse to pay taxes and boldly
bid defiance 20 the people. But are
we shut in to buying these roads
already built at the fraudulently in.
fated valuation Of watered stock If
the fraudulent water were squeezed
out Of them, tue actual cost wonld
probably not exceed fourth of the
amount claimed WHAT'S hinder
the government from building its
YownIines Cerfainl J such an enter
be- a#G I'd sendsto the
three million men who are to-day
moneyless and homeless, with starv-
ing wives and children around them,
simply because the National bankers
panic has stopped the wheels OF in,
dustry and damned up misery upon
the people. A Democratic admins
tration is spending millions year in
permanent structures Cor the safety
and distribution Of the mails. What
would be the difference in principle
between doing this and constructing
lines for the transmission of those
mails (? A measure that at the same
time protects the invaded rights of
the people and furnishes general
relief from an oversbadowing men.
ace, looks very distinctly Democratic
to us, and it will take something
more, General, than an exaggerated
estimate of cost. to trigbten the peo-
pie from it.
5. You say in regard to our
demand for the election of United
States Senators by the people. that
it will require change Of the Consti-
ton to effect this. There is no news
in that. "You have, we suppose,
read the demand" as printed in the
body of your article, and you must
have seen that it is distinctly a
demand to change the Constitution.
You fail utterly in this, as in pre-.