The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-06-06
DID NOT SATISFY THEM.
TlLlMAN AND BUTLER'S LETTERS
COMMENTED UPON.

COmmEN EU UFCN.
They Do Mt Suit "A'lancemeD," who
PEoces d to Show Wherein They are Mis-
taken In Dissenting From Any of tho
Alliance Demands
COLUMBIA, S. c., May 31.-The Co.
lumbia Register of this morning pub
lisaes the following letter, which Is the
strongest kick yet made against Gov.
Tillman's attitude towards the Alliance
demands:
Edirot Register: The answers of
Senator Butler and Governor TilIman
to the questions propounded to them by
order OF the State Alliance brings the
,, Alliance face to face with crisis.
They are the only aYowed candidates
for Z. S. Senator. Both of them are
practically in the same boat and Meth,
er is in full accord with the demands
of the Alliance. Both of them gag at
the same two OF our demands. Sena-
tor Butler thinks the subtreasury Is un-
constitutional aad Of course 1t never
occurred to the learned Senator that
the Constitution might be amended.
He says the subtreasury has been a5an-
doned, but fails to give the time and
place when 1t was abandoned.
He can see no way ofthe government
owning and operating railroads except
by the government buying thosealready
in existence OF course it has never
occurred to the versatile Senator that
the government has the right to build
and equip such roads as are needed:
Millions of laborers would be glad of
| the job at very reasonable wages to be
paid in legal tender green backs-build-
ing two, three or five thousand miles
year. Oa, no; the Senator is too good a
railroad attorney to see any other way
of having government railroads except
| by purchase of his clients property at
enormously INFLATED valuation Of wa
tered stock. But the people have been
thinking along this line little in the
interest of the people rather than Of
the railroad wreckers and mmanipula-
tors. Governor Ttllman, on the other
hand, objects to the ownership Of rail-
roads on the ground of wisdom and
practicability, but be eau advocate and
fight for this along with the other de-
mands. To the subtreasury demand he
Is "unalterably opposed Els reason
seems to be that it IS Identical with the
national banking priaciple. He says
too that the Alliance is Inconsistent in
this demand. It would seem that the
Governor has shifted his position
somewhat on this point. In 1891 he OBJ
jected to the subtreasury because 1t
was "paternalisln run mad" now he
objects to IL because 1t Is like the ma
tional banking system. 1t seems
strange that a man OF such splendid
abilities should make so egregfous a
mistake. The only points of resem-
blance between the subtreasary and tbs
national banking system are purely su-.
per6ciaI. Under the national banking
system the government farms out to
the banks the function Of issuing mon
ey, thus giving to Thousand or two
individuals the right to issue or with
hold the circulating medium at Will.
Uader the subtreasury idea the gov
trnment itself issues the money-not
to few thouand plutocrats, not mere
| 10 to holders of cotton and wheat nor
vet necessarily to farmers exclusively,
but issues 1t direct to the masses Of the
people upon such security as the people
can give. He says he Is IN favor OF the
government issuing money direct to
the people. When be considers the
proposition in all its bearings, he will
see that there Is no other way OF get
ting it to the people. he says ha did
not oppose the Incorporation Alliance
demands inro our State Democratic
platform in'92.
It was currently reported at the time
| that the Governor did oppose this In
the Reform platform caucus as contra
to is judgment. out coupled his pro-
test with the sound Democratic senti-
ment that if "my people Won't go with
me will 20 with them" He accepted
this platform and represented South
Carolina Democracy on 1t a. Chicago.
So much for the views OF these candi-
dates for y. S. Senator. The all tmpor-
tant practical question is what are We
going to Go? These gentlemen claim
to be honest, and we must coaceed
their claim. It would not be right to
question their honesty or abuse them
because they honestly differ with us.
We must grant them all the right to
free thought and speech that We de-
mand for ourselves; but we have
right to protect our honest conVlc-
tlons from being shut in to choice be.
tween two men almost equally opposeo
to US. How shall We protect ourselves!
l. By protesting against a box for U.
! S. Senator IN the August primary, and
if one is provided over our protest,
then refrain from voting In that box
2. We should see that in catechlsing
candidates tor the Legislature no can
didate is required to commit himself
further than to vote for y. s. Senator
who is in full accord with our demands
3. See to it when the State conVen-
vention meets that the platform OF
1892 IS reafirmed.
What is here presentedls not to be
construed as in opposition to Governor
Tillnan. Every Reforner IN the State
would be proud to honor him, where 1t
did not involve sacrifice OF principle,
We could even wish he might see thing
as We see them; We must even COM
mend his candor in declaring bis oppo-
| sition to our conviction. But being
equally honest'in our convictions. We
are bound to follow them with the
same fielity and candOr that ~e con-
cede TO him ALLIANCEMEN,