The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-05-23
Butler, Like Tillman, it "Unalter-
ably Opposed to Some Features
OF the ocala Platform-A New
Man Needed.

NIT them TO you auQ WOUl0 % Pteaoeu
to hear from you at your earliest con-
venience.
..1ss. Will you discuss the Alliance
demands in the coming campaign, pa:.-
siculasly those relating to the finances
Of the solatryand defend aem against
the enemies Of our order
Dad. Will you pledgeloyalty to the
demands of the National Farmers ALI
ance aud Industrial Union, above 10y
alty.eo party caucus and vote against
any and all candidates who decline to
commit themselves to this extent?
Yours respectfully.
(Siened) s.THos. P. MITCHELL,
Chair. Ex. Com. F. S. A."
In reply to a request from me, you
transmitted the following as the plat
form or demands Of the Farmers Ali
snce Of South Carolina:
Finance-We demand a national eur
rency safe, sound aud flexible. issued
by the government only. a full legal
tender for all debts, pnblic and private.
aud that without the 8 of banking
corporations ; q Just, equitable and eff
Gent means Of distributing direct to the
people at a tax not to exceed - per
cent. be provided as set forth by the
sub-treasury plank of the Farmers Al
lance, or some better system; also by
payments IN disehargee of it's obligation
for public Improvements.
q. We demand the free and unlimited
coinage of silver and gold at the legal
ratio Of 16 to l.
b. We demand that the amount of
the circulatisg medium be increased to
at least $50 per capita exclusive of
legal reserves.
G. We demand a graduated income
tax.
d. That our national legislation shall
be so framed 10 the future as not to
build up one industry at the expense Of
another.
e. We believe that the money of the
country should be kept as much as
possible in the hands of the people.
aud hence We demand that all national
and State revenue shall be limited to
the necessary expenses of the govern
ment, economically and honestly add
ministered
I. We demand that postal savings
banks be established by the govern
mens for the safe deposit Of the earn
iDgs Of the people aud to facilitate
changes.
Lsnd-The land. including all the
patural resources Of wealth, is the her
itsge Of all the people and should not
be noDopolized for speculative purpo-
ses, and alien ownership of land should
be prohibited. All lands now held by
railroads and other corporations in ex-
cess of their actual needs. and lands
now owned by aliens should now be re-
claimed by the government and sold for
actual settlers only.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES being
, means Of exchange and q public ne
eessity. the government should own and
operate the railroads in the interest Of
the people.
.. The telegraph and telephone. like
the postofiee system, being q necessity
for the transmission of intelligence,
should be owned and operated by the
government in the interest Of the peo-
pie.
Taking up the questions Of your let
ter in their order, beg TO say in re-
spouse to the first:
/ will discuss any public question the
people may desire to have discussed
and as the Finances Of the country"
are legitimate and proper subjects for
consideration. | will discuss them With
pleasure and without reserve. I will
refer more fully to the last point of
your iequiry. whether I will defend
them against the enemies Of our your
order, when / come to discuss the ALI
ance platform. I don't quite UNDER
stand, however. whether you mean to
ask me whether I will defend the
Enhances of the country" against che
enemies of your order. or the Finances
of the coaotry' as proposed by the
Alliance. assume you mean the
latter.
Replying to your second question,
beg to say, that in my POLITICAL life. |
have never allowed any caucus, or So
ciety, or organization. to bind my con.
science. and shall not do SO in the fu-
ture. Caucuses, societies, or organize
tons Of any kind which seek to bind
the POLITICAL consciences of any free
American citizen are, in my judgment,
inimical to that freedom of conscience
and political action 80 essential to the
preservation of free, republican iusti-
tu.ions. I have attended many eau
cuses of the Democratic party, to which
/ belong, l have never heard the sug-
gestion that any mans conscience or