The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-05-30
GEN. BUTLER S ANSWER
TO THE QUESTIONS PROPOUNOEO
BY THE FARMERS ALLIANCE.

grsph and Telsphone L,res-WDi Not
be Boupd by Caucus Rules.
COLUMBIA, S. c., May 2l.-SeDan'
tor Bu'lel has written the following re
ply to the questions propounded to him
by the Farmers Alliance:
WASHINGTON, D. c.. May y, 1894
MT. P. Mucbell, Chairman Executive
COMMITTEE, F. ). A WoodwarGs, S
G..
NV dear sir: Some days ago, l re-
ceived the following letter from You:
Hon. M. G.. Butler, Washington, D
C..
Dear Sir: As chairman Cf the exc
cutive committee of the State Farmers
Alliance it was made my duty b.
resolution to propouud the follow
ing questions TO all candidates,
aud request written ans~er
10 same, aud as ycu are a candl
date for the United States Senate, | 81 b.
nit them to you and would be pleased
to hear from you in regard to same a.
your earliest convenience.
First. VIII you discuss the Ali
ance demands in the coming campaign.
particularly those relating to the fDao'
ces of The country, and defend them
against the enemies Of our order?
Second. Will you pledge loyalty tc
the demands of the National Farmer
Alliance and Industrial Uolon, above
loyalty to party caucus, and vote
against any and all candidates who de
cline to commit themselves to this ex
len'? Yours respe :tfutly,
(''Sjened) THos. L. MITCHELL.
Chairman Executive Conn.,, f. S. A"
In reply to arequest from me, you
transmitted the following as the plat
from or demands of the Farmers ALI
ance Of South Carolina:
Frst-We demand patlonal cur
rency, safe. sound and flexible, issued
by the general government only, full
legal tender for all debts, public and
private, aud that without the use OF
banking corporations, just, equitable
and efficient means of distribution direc'
to the people at tax not to exceed
per cent. per annum, to be provided as
set forth in the sub.Tfeasury plan q
the Farmers Alliance, or better sys'
tenn; also by payments in discharge ot
its obligatlops for public imp1 p1ovements,
We demand the free and unlimited
coinage of silver and gold at present
legal ratio of l6 to /.
We demand that the amount OF Cir
culating medium be speedily Increase
to not less than $50 per capita, exclusive
of legal reserve.
We demand a graduatedincome tax.
We demand that our national leglsla'
ton shall be 80 framed in the futuse as
not to build up one industry at the ex'
pense of another.
We believe that the money Of the
couutry should be kept as much as posi-
BILE IN the hands Of the people, and hence
we demand all national and State reven
ues shall be limited to the necessary ex
penses of the government economically
and honestly administered.
We demand that postal savings banks
be established by the government fol
the safe deposits of the earnings of the
people, and to facilitate exchange.
Second-The land, Including all the
natural sources Of wealth, is the herit ge
of the people and should not be monopo
llzed for speculative purposes, and aller
ownership of land should be prohibited
All land now held by railroads anc
other corporations, excess of their actua
needs, and all lands now owned BY aliens
should be reclaimed by the government
and held for actual settlers only.
Thlrd-Transportation being means
Of exchange and public necessity, the
government should OWL and operate the
railroads IN the interest OF the people.
The telegraph and telephone, like ths
postofice system, being necessity tol
the transmission of news, should be
owned and operated by the government
in the interest of the people.
Taking up the questions of your letter
in their order, beg to cav in response
to the first, I will discuss any public
question the people may desire to have
discussed, and as the finances Of the
country" are legitimate and proper sub
iects for discussion, will discuss then
with pleasure and without reserve.
will refer more fully to the last point O.
your inquiry, whether will ''defenc
,h, m against the enemies OF our (vour,
order" when l con,e to discuss the Ell
lance platform. I don't quite under
stand, however, whether you mean tc
ask me whether I will defend the '6a
aDces of the country against the enemies
of your order, or the "fDances OF The
county" as proposed BY the Alliance
I assume you mean the latter.
Replying to your second question,
beg to say that in my political lite I have
never allowed any caucus, Or society, OF
organization, to bind my conscience
and shall no. do so in the future. Ceu
cuses, or societies, or organizations O.
any kind, winch seek to blnL the polti'
cal conscience OF any free American citi
zen, are in my judgment, lnimIcal to thai
freedom of con >cience and political action
so essential to the preservation OF the
republican institutions. l have attended
many caucuses Of the Democratic party
to which belong. I have never hearc
the suggestion that any maD's conscl-
euce, or political action should be bound
by them. I never will so far surrender
nv individual judgment as to be bound
| by any caucus. I am loyal to the prlu
ciples of the Democratic party, and shall
maintain that loyalty 30 long as it ad
heres to principles l think conductive tc
the best interests of the people, not s
da7 longer. I have been under the im'
preston that the Farmers Alliance was
not political organization, but an "In
dustrial Union'' for the protection of the
farmers against impositions from other
sources. do not believe in secret politi
cal organizations, We had sad expert
ence some years age with them. What
ever concerns the political welfare o.
our people should be open to the fullest
freest, most public discussion. 10 order
to prevent impositions on the people, the
light must be turned on from all points
Of view. recognize no master in this
country, except the people. Caucus rule
should not be allowed to usurp the rule