The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-04-02
Stand 10 the Party.
ADDRESS BY THE B|METALuC NATIONAL
COMMITTEE,
Mr.. w. D. MAYFlELD URGES STRONGLY
THAT THE FIGHT FOR FREE SILVER
MUST BE MADE WITH THE PARTY.

When the silver convention met in
Memphis last year q Btmetallic Ma
tional Democratic Committee was APP
pointed, consisting of one member from
each State, with Senator Harris, Of
Tennessee, US chairman. Hon. w. ID.
Maytied is the member from this
State, and hen has issued an address
to the binetallists of South Carolina
in which he strongly urges them to
make their fight inside the Democrat
ic ranks and shows the folly of hoping
to accomplish anything by boiling /"
and wandering off to strange gods,
Gov. Evans and Senator Tillman
urged Mr.. Mayiield's appointment as
o member of the committee. and rs
Gov. Evans has said that the address
"was all right" hence he must favor
making the silver fight solely within
the Democratic party.
The address, which is "To the Bi-
metallic Democrats Of South Carolina"
reads as follows:
The leaders of the Republican party
are active in their efforts to effect u
, in this State. They are earnest in
bheir solicitations for recruits from
among the white people of the State
who are naturally Democrats. The
Republican party is divided on the fl
nancial question. Some Of the leading
Republicans favor a single gold stand"
ard, and others Of them believe in tho
free coinage Of silver.
The spirit favoring the formation of
o Third party is entertained by some
of our citizens. The advocates OF the
Third party believe in the free coinage
of silver, and contend that the only
way to get it is through q Third party.
1'bey are advising our people to take
no part in the May convention to Sc
lect delegates to the National Demo-
era tic Convention which meets at
Chicago in July.
Many Of our people who have been
lifelong Democrats are as aVOwed free
coinage Of silver advocates as are these
Third Larty advocates ; but to refrain
from sending delegates to the Chicago
Demo.,rL tic Convention is contrary to
their ,poli tical training, and against
the best interest of the Democratic
party Of this State. This Third party
policy is uncertain and dangerous, for
there is no rtsasona Bile prospect for it
to succeed, and it is' fraught with great
piness at home in" smuch as it Is only
another step toward the further di-
vision of the white vote of tho State.
1t can not control in this State.
Independent Silv er Leagues are
being formed now in the State, under
the call of certain adv oca tes. The ad-
vocates of this policy also favor the
free coinage Of silver, snd they con-
tend that this is the only way to secure
it. They hope by this st cp 10 commit
the State to this policy and TO carry
the vote Of the State into q silver con
vention outside of the Democratic
party. This policy, which means the
organization of an indepeu. lent silver
party within the State, 8 as dangerous
to the interest of the Democratic party
of the State, and the safety of the
lives and property of oar peO. pie as Is
the Third party policy. 1t is still fur
ther n step towards q still furti lcr al
vision of the white vote the State,
and is ruinous to the Demo 'cratic party
OF the State in its tenG cncies, and
there is no more prospect for its sue
cess in national affairs nor in this
State than there is for the Third party
to succeed.
Now, what should be, done Let us
look at the matter for q M omcnt in the
light Of existing facts.
The first turn we m AXE presents us
face to face with the fact that the De-
mocrntic party !s as badly divide on
the money question as is the Repllbll-
can party. This we IN ust and do ad-
NIT. But it is no worse divided on this
question than is the Re publican party.
The next turn we make brings us face
to face with the fact tn at the Repu bli-
can party Is holding together and is not
falling to pieces, and will not fall to
pieces, while some 'of our Democra tic
friends are trying to effect divisi on
upon top Of division in this State with
In the Democratic anks. Why should
not the Democratic party hold on to it's
organization, and r. afuse to divide, jus
as the Republican party is doing? If
these divisions within the Democratic
party succeed, what are we to hope for
IN national politi cs, and at home ?
Defeat stares us in. tho face before we
Both the Third party and the silver
party are without sufficient financial
backing to mako @ successful national
campaign. They are both without
suffclent party organization to under
take the fight. United in backing,
organization, and membership they
are too weak to hope to succeed of
themselves. What then must be their
hope? Certa inly it is, that they arc
depending on uniting their forces and
relying on enc ugh deserters from the
Republican an Democratic parties to
enable them to win the fight. Their
reliance is in desertion from the two
great political parties. The all inn
portant questit IN is, will the desertion
be great enou gh to enable them to
succeed? The answer comes at once,
no. True mer will not desert the
party In which tn ey have been raised
and In whose do ctrines their fathers
before them belle ved and delighted to
cherish, so long a the party sticks to
the main fuIldan lcntal principles un-
derlying it's orga nization. Simply be-
cause the member s Of q party disagree,
or are divided, on a particular line OF
policy, which is NJ 1T fundamental. Is no
reason for supposi ng that tho members
OF either parSyr in any considerable
numbers, will den rt their party. And
why should they ny >tdesert their party:
because there is as much chance for
one policy to wi O in the end, within
the party, as tn o. % is for the othor
much less tho vic lation of principle
involved in desc ,rtt on. On matters o
public policy, pa rty lines arc frequent
ly not observed o0w oy our members O
Congress. The free coinage Republi
cans and the FRI 40 co. mage Democrats