The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-07-31
Tilluan to the Alliance. +
He Fawrs Free Silver and
Independent Action..-The
Democratic Party May
Take Care Of It.
self.
The Alliance Meeting at T1rzah-
A Political Meeting Pure and
Simple. :.

The following report of Senator Till
mans speech at Tirzah is taken from
The State. There were other speeches
Marion Busler, of North Carolins,
and Gov. Evans, but their speeches
we're of secondary importance com
pared With the speech of Senator Till
man.
,..When I received the invitation to
speak at Tirzah my mind travelled
back to 1886. Capt. Tiliman. who bad
been raising some rumpus in the Neaes
and Courier with his pen, was invited
to York"
The Senator then INDUCED in little
fun at his own expense, and referred
to the old Tirzah, where he made his
first extemporaneous speech nine gears
ago.
s.I had been tongue-tied previous TO
that, but the people of York clipped it.
aud my tongue has been wagging ever
since"
He vas glad to be 90 hand today.
He thought they liked him. because he
had always tried to tell them the
truth. This was what he wautedd to do
now. This was an Alliance meeting.
The Alliance was not so strong in
numbers as heretofore, but as an edu-
cative force it's principles we're strong
er than ever. He felt proud that the
Alliance was the organization through
our principles Of reform had been ad-
vauced. Why are you SO poor He
said tbas Senator Butler told a truth
when he said Fifty votcrsiu one party
are cutting 6fsy other votes in DIFF
ferent party.
..Look at your condition. Although
the United States has produced uoex-
smpled crops for many years. there
are millions Of our people starving. and
other Millions naked. We will always
be Democrats in principle, because we
sucked those principles with ouy moth
er'ss milk, but we cannot continue to
wear the livery of party IN which
such debauchery and treachery exist
"Wben you look back at the repeal
of the Sherman Law you 6ud that the
Republicans and Democrats of the
Northern section voted without regard
to party lines. They buy your Con-
pressmeu up there at Washington like
= You buy sheep. They also controlled
the nomination for President in both
parties. !"
It did not matter whether Harrison
or Cleveland was elected. The Repub-
licaps had been trying for years to
demonetize silver and could not do it.
The change of the government FROM
one party to another enabled Cleve-
land. by the use Of! the patronage. to
demonetize silver. The greedy Demo-
Gratis who bad pledged the people to
fight for silver, sold their votes fer
Offices for their friends or for money.
I don't know which, aud the coospir-
acv was consummated. The Demo-
cratic platform was good enough to be
elected Oh, but not worth carry out.
The result has been that our yardstick
which measures values has been cut
in half, with the effect Of doubling the
purchasing power Of the gold dollar.
+ takes cow twice as much of labor or
the products of labor, to buy dollar;
Everything has shrunk 10 value except
debts. To all intents and purposes
they have been doubled. I will illus
trate. If man had ten biscuits aud
there we're two plates Of butter. one
white and one yellow. aud you threw
away the white (silver), there is only
half as much butter to the biscuit as
there was before. The sbrinkagc in
the amount Of butter represeots the
shriukage Of the price Of commodities.
and until We make them bring back
that other plate Of butter all the pro-
ducers of this country will have to
spread it very thin, and great many
will have neither bread uor butter.
I, is clear that both old parties are
disiutegratiug AID an new alignment
is in process of formation. Party ties
are weakened. Like drowning men
who catch a, straws, the people are
casting about for meaus of relief. The
issue has heretofore been obscured or
sidetracked. but 10 the next P'esiden-
tial campaign the only question will De
the financial question. a new hason
& Dixon line is forming on the oae
side with the Northeastern section. con-
sis,iug of the creditor and manufactur-
ing States. Ga the other side will be a
Solid South allied with practically
Solid West.
An examination Of the census reports
will indicate the enormous Increase Il"
the wealth of the New Eogland ADD
Middle States. as compared with the