The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-05-23

Alliance and Industrial Union ABOVE
LOYALTY TO party caucus and vote against
sny and all candidates who decline to
commit themselves to this extent?"
To this letter Governor Tillman re-
Columbia, S. G., April %, 1894.
Hon Thomas z. Mitchell, WoodWards,
sc.
Dear Sir: In reply to your letter of
April Is, desire to say:
will discuss the principles and policy
of the Alliance in the comisg campaign
and make myself clearly understood.
am a candidate for United States
Senator. and if elected will vote on all
questions as my conscience and Judg-
menG dictate. But as l shall not, II
elected Senator, represent myself but the
people, l would at all times OBEY the IN
structions of the party in the State to
which belong as set forth in It's plat
form. Yours resgselfn4sEy1---~ =
B.R. TILLMAN.
II esteroay Governor Tiilmsn received
the following letter from Mr. M1tcneA:
Woodward, s. g., May "A, 1894.
Hon. B. r. Tilman, Columbia, >. =.
Nv Dear Sir: Your letter IN reply TO
the questions on the demands OF the Al
lance was duly received, and as 90
not think you made your position as
clear as you might have done and pos
sibly not as clear as you intended to DC
I 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 Of the
sentiments Of the Alliance and those ID
sympathy with the Alliance, this course
on YOUR part will cement them togeth-
er IN one solid phalanx for your election
TO the United States Senate and we Will
roll I'D such a majority for you that
General Butler Will not know be was IN
the race. Hoping to hear from you by
return mail favorably in regard to this
matter. | am. sir, yours frateTDaliy,
THOs. P. MITCHELL.
Chairman Executive Committee.
To the ABOVE be replied as follows:
Hon. Thos. P. Mitchell, Woodward, 5.
G.
Nv Dear Sir: Your letter of yester.
day received. AS you ask for a prompt
reply, answer at once. Having bern
the recognized leader Of the Reform
party OF faction IN tbe State slUce lis
ORGANIZATION in April, 1886, and having
been very proDoup Geo and ouGspoSen
in nv speech at St. Louis last October,
and more recently IL my interview OF
April 9tn ult.. did not 60 into details
in answering your letter OF April 10 o
because l thought 1t entirely uDDeces-
sary. had no thought Of keeping any
opinions or policy held on pubic
questions bidden-aSi am not strad-
dler or Godger in politics or anything
else.
l will, therefore, answer as clearly as
know how, in order TO satisfy all VINO
may care to know how l stand.
The financial policy advocated by the
Alliance embraces three things:
l. The abolition of national tanks.
and the issue of paper money direct by
the United States government
2. The tree coinage Of silver at the "a
ito of 16 to l.
8. The increase of the circulating
mediums, gold, silver aD6 legal ttLder
ereeDbacks, to at least $50 per capita OF
population.
These fundamental ideas or demands
are accompanied by the scheme for
government system OF banking, lDcor-
poTatipR the sub-treasuIv idea and the
lending of money to the people at
low rate of interest.
To the three propositions set forth
above I can and Go give my earnest
support and Will strive, if elected Sena-
tor, to see them incorporated into law
and become the Fixed policy Of our gov
eminent.
| also can advocate and fight for all
the other demands" except that l
doubt the wisdom or practicability of
the government owning and running
all railroads, telegraph and telephone
lines. l will take occasion during the
campaign to discuss all these matters
fully. The one essential point on
which I differ with the Alliance is the
lending of money to the people. l
could easily dodge behind the 'or some
thing better" If so minded, but my
self-respect and my duty to the people
who have shown such love and trust n
my leadership will rot allow me to
bubble or shiIB, " hateYer consequences
NAV follow this aYoWal. I would be
unworthy of the honoIs they have con-
ferred on me in the past and OF all
trust whatever if l did not come out
boldly and tell them the truth. This IS
The more obligatory on me now because
| am seeking to enter national politics.
Ia 1892 I did not discuss national queS-
tions or oppose the Incorporation Of the
Ocals platform in the State Democratic
platform in May because I saw there
was danger of our hotbeaded Alliance
men splitting off into third party
the fatal blunder which caused Mr..
CIeyelard's nomination and we'll nigh
DESTROYED the Alliance in all the other
Southern States. Had our example in
South Carolina been followed in the
OTHER Southern States Alliance ideas
would be the LreGomiL ant ones in al
the South TODAY and our national ad
mInistration would not be controlled
by allied mugWumps and Republicans
and traitors. | am differently situated
now, being a candidate for the United
States Senate. and honesty compel5 that
eyer7 one who votes for me shall know
how I stand. | am unalteTably opposed
to the national government lending
ANYBODY money. The Alliance is not
consistent when it demands the ab0li
tion of national banks on the ground
that the system is unjust and robs the
people Gn all of which l concur for the
benefit of privileged few and then
turns around and asks that the govern
nent lend money to the farmer under
similar system on the sams terms. 1t
is a transfer Of a special privilege
which should never have been granted
to anybody, from the banks to the
holders of cotton, wheat. ETC., and can
not be defended. because two wrongs
never make one right, But without
gong further iptothe argument, which
can be amply discussed thio summer,
must remind you that IN spite OF all
our effUrts TO restore silver TO its place,
the money power has succeeded il its
long cherished purpose of demonetlz
ing it. This was accomplished through
the anWise leadership OF those South
ern Alliancemen who left the silver