The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-05-24
GOV: TlLlMAN'S LETTER,
What the Daily Papo,s Think OF u,s
Position,

we append below the comments of
tue daily papers In South Carolina on
the Governors letter to the Alliance:
WILL AROUSE DEEP THOUGHT,
Ihe columbia Register, which. as ali
know, Is Reform paper, SAYS:
Governor Tillman's letter to Chair.
man Mitchell contains matter of inter
9SC, calculated to arouse deep Thought.
inat letter Is one of the most striking
Creatlses on national politics which has
appeared IN a long time; by 1T the pow
ea VI Tue Alllance and the Eart 1t ought
10 play are most clearly set forth. An
unthlnking reader of that letter might
come TO the conclusion that Governor
Llllman and the Alliance were travel.
Ing on different paths, but such a con
cluslon would 40 violence to the whole
tenor OF the letter. The difference be.
tween the Governor and the Alliance
are more apparent than real; in aim,
IN nope, IN purpose, they are one, and
they only differ as to how they shall
accomplish the same things--and even
IN this their variance Is but slight
lGoVernor Tillman tells a plain truth
when he says that Alliancemen are
largely to blame for the fact that ALI
ance ideas are not completely in the
ascendant throughout the South. The
fact that the Alliance in this State Ia
In much healthier condition than in
any other State 10 due to Tillman more
than any other man, and this fact is re-
allied by the Alllancemen of other
States as we'll as Of this State. While
some All1ancemen may be- inclined to
Gake exceptions to some parts of his
| letter, they Will acknowledge its wis
dom and its boldnes5. "a bird in the
hand Is worth dozen in the BUSH" and
man IS more apt to get q bird in tho
nand IL he concentrates his efforts upon
the capture Of one bird than If he tries
10 catch dozsn at once. This Ia home.
~ philosophy, but 1t is the philosophy of
Governor Tillman's letter and viii
bear testing. While the masses have
oeen trying to secure dozen reforms
Iney nave secured none, and have
advice Is that effort be concentrated
upon the task Of securing the most i'm.
porCant and the most needed reforms
now; then when they have been
brought about, it will be time to fight
tor other. and less needed reforms.
This Is practical, hard, common sense.
Ii tried its. worth will be proven be-
yond the shadow of a doubt. Governor
Iiiiman has raised a star dard under
Union may array themselves and can
secure victory. The standard bears !
this inscription: "Free silver, more |
Rreen6acks and gold--all legal tender |
and all receivable for any and all dues, |
public and private"
That Is platform broad enough for
a party to stand upon. Success under
that standard will not be secured with
out a struggle, but success can be &C.
cured under 1t. The above sentence
expresses the most crying need of the
country today. When that need is
done away with. the national reform.
ers can decide what Dext to fight for.
DON'T SUIT TIE DEMOCRACY.
The Columbia State, Conservative.
says:
Ihe Governor ''readliy and will. |
ingly promises" to vote on the lines he |
has indicated without regard to any
caucus" He justtlies this by saying |
That the Northeastern Democrats have
SET us an example on that line which |
Will be sufficient excuse for all time"
'rhe Gold Bug Democrats" he adds,
refused to caucus on the repeal of the
Sherman law last summer" Yes. and !
they were bitterly denounced by the |
GovernOr's organs for doing so, and
called by them "Republicans" and
TRAITORS" Now the Governor proposes
TO folioW their example and do what
ne heartily disapproved Of their doing.
we take the liberty OF reminding him L
that just before this declaration he
wrote Of similar imitation. "Gt can.
not be defended, because two wrongs
never made one right" We find no.
where In the letter any reference to
Democratic principles or the national
Democratic platform. The Objections
he has to Governmental loans to the
people and government ownership of
railroads and telegraphs are apparently
conceived without reference to the
principles or policies Of Democracy.
one important question in the Alliance
catechlsm the & OvernOr passes over in
silence. He does not say whether he
Will or will not bind himself to vote
against any and all persons who refuse
TO pledge support to the Alliance de.
mands. The persistent Mr.. Mitchell
might find it advantageous to make
supplementary inquiry on this point.
incidentally the Governor says that
ne did not in 1892 oppose the adoption
or the Ocala platform by the May con
ventlon-though "unalterably opposed"
to at least one of it's featurei-in order
to keep "hOt.headed Alliancenien from
splitting Off into third party" that
Is to say, he subordinated principle to
policy, and consented to the adoptIon
or the populist platform In order to
keep Populists in the control of the
Democratic party machinery. Ocalites.
and Populists In other States made a
fatal blnnder"tin being homes. and
going out of a party whose principles
they opposed; they should have re-
manned in the party and betrayed it.
"South Carolina sets her sisters Wise
example In 189s." and sit is incumbent
on her to repeat it in 1884, ut IS time
to be formulating the platform and
marshalling the people for 1896. That
IS TO say, this year the hypocrisy of 1892
must be repeated, and the people drill
ed so as to 20 in 1895 into the Cover
nor's proposed new silver party when
ne gives the word. This Is the result
Of our analysis. We are not able to
say whether the letter will suit the
Alliance, for 1t Is not complete sur.
render. But it certainly will not suit
the Democracy.
AN ABJECT SURRENDER,
The News and Courier, Conservative,
says:
In his letter TO the chairman of the
executive committee of the Farmers
Alliance, Governor Tillman exnlaina