The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-05-31
GEN. BUTLER S ANSW Err
TO THE QUESTIONS PRoPOuNDsO
BY THE FARMERS ALLIANCE.

Oppusen the sub-trsasury and Govorn-
mental Ownership Of Ksilrade, Telc-
graph and Telephone Lines-wm Not
be Bound by Cauous Rules.
COLUMBIA, S. c., May 2l.-Senan.
tor Butler has written tho following re.
ply to the questions propounded to him
by tho Farmers Alliance:
WASHINGTON, D. c., May IL, 1894.
Mr.. Il. p. Mitchell, Chairman Executive
Committee, +. ). A Woodwards, s.
9.
My doar sir: Some days ago, I re-
ceived the following letter from you:
sHon. M. g. Butler, Washington, D.
s'Dear Sir: Az chairman of the exc.
.cutive committee of the State Farmers
Alliance it was made my duty by
ing questions TO all candidates,
10 same. and as you are a candl.
date for the United States Senate, subs
nit them to you and would be pleased
to hear from you in regard to same at
your earliest convenience.
"Frist. VIII you discuss the ALI.
ance demands in the coming campaign,
particularly those relating to the finan-
ces of the country, and defend them
against the enemies of our order?
''Second. Will you pledge LOYALTY to
the demands of the National Farmers
Alliance and Industrial Unlon, above
loyalty to party caucus, and vote
against any and all candidates who dc
cline to commit themselves to this ex
teplP "Yours respe :tfullv.
c'Seped) THos. L. MITCHELL.
Chairman Execu i've Crm.. e s. A :"
In reply 10 arquest from noe, YOU
Stransm,t,ed the following rs tha plat
from tr demands of the Farmers Alli-
apce Of S'uth Carolina:
FsrsL-We demand rational cur
rency, safe. souod aud flexible, lssued
by the general government ONLY, fui,
legal tender for ali debts, public and
private, and that without the use OF
banking corporations, jhst, equi; able
and efficient meaps of distribution dirtc
10 the people at a tax not to exceed 2
per cent. per aDnum, to be provided O.
set forth in the sub-Treasury plan . f
the Farmers Alliance, or better ays.
tenn; also by payments in discharge of
it's obligation tor public impr rovements.
We demand the free and unlimited
coinage of silver and gold at present
legal ratio Of 16 to /.
We Cemand that the amount Of cir
culating medium be speedily increased
to not less than $50 per capita, exclusive
OF legal reserve.
We demand graduated income tax.
We demand that our national legisla-
ton shall he so framed in the futuse as
not to build up one industry at the ex.
pense Of another.
We believe that the money of the
country should be kept as much as posi-.
BILE IN the bands of the people, and hence
we demand all national and State reven
ues shall be limited TO the necessary ex-
penseB Of the government economically
and honestly administered.
We demand that postal savings banks
be established by the government for
the safe deposits of The earnings of the
people, and to facilitate exchange.
Second--Tho 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 allen
ownership of land should be prohibited
All land now held by railroads and
other corporations, excess of their actual
needs, and all lands now owned by aliens
should be reclaimed by the government
and held for actual settlers only.
Third-Transportat being O means
Of exchange and public necessity, the
government should own and operate the
railroads IN Tie jntc'eat OF the recple.
The telegraph and telephone, like the
postotiice systorn, being a necessity fol
the transmission of news, should. be
owned and operated by the government
in the interest of the people.
Taking up the questions Ct cur letter
in their order, beg 10 sav in response
to the first, will distuss any public
question the people may desire to have
discussed, and as the Finances Of the
country" are legitimate and proper cub.
jects for discussion, will discuss them
with pleasure and without reserve.
will refer more fully to the last point OF
your inquiry, whether l will "defend
them agSinst the enemies of our (your>
order," when l come TO discues the AL
nance platform. I don't quite under
stand, however, whether YOU mean tC
ask me whether 1 will defend tho "1n
ances or the country against the enemies
OF your order, Or the 'nnapces of The
country" as proposed by the Alliance
assume you mean the latter.
Replying to ytur second question
beg TO say that in my political lite I have
never allowed any caucus, or society. or
organization, TO bind my conscience
and shall not do so in the future. Can
cueee, or societies, or organizations O.
any kind, winch seek to blDL the polti
cal conscience OF any free American clti
zen, are in my JUDGMENT, lnlmlcal to tha;
freedom tfcon cleDce and political action
30 essential TO the preservation of the
republican Institutions. | have aLtende {
msDY cuucuses OF the Democratic part,
to which | belong. / have nevel heard
tho spegebllnp that any map's conec
euce, or political acllon should be bound
by them. / pever Will 80 fur su render
my individual JUDGMENT as 10 be bount
by any caucus. l am loyal to the prin
c'ples of theDemocratic party, and shal
maintain thnt loyalty 80 long as it cd
here's to principles 1 think conductive to
the best interests of the people, not q
da7 longer. have been under the i'm.