The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-05-30


OBJECT the independence Of though
ana actlon on the part of the people il
political affairs. 1t was this that made
me a "Reformer." A white primary
where The white people Of the Stat'
could settle Their differences among
themselves. In part it has accomplish
ed It's object in spite of the efforts tt
u"ar1 1t INTO one. man movement
It's leader has not been content for i
to be complete, and has attempted
more than once to dictate who should
and who should not he elected to office
All revolutions Of this kind go farther
than It's originators design, no power
can control them.
Men who suppose that the "move.
mcnt' OF 1890 was Il mere efferves-
cence to give office to favored few
arc greatly mistaken. Some Of the best
and trucst have never held office, and
the time is coming when those who
betrayed and prostituted this great
movement into "Onc-man power -
and mere scramble for the "loaves and
tue fishes will be held to an account
l stand to-day just where l stood in
lS9O, with the added experience of ten
years OF study and contact with public
men and affairs. | thank God that one
thing has been accomplished. The
people have been disenthralled and en-
llghtencd, and will never be satisfied
with The accomplishment of anything
less than the full purpose of the move
ment---free thought, free speech a fair
ballot and rule of the people. This
must and shall be the final outcome.
NO attempt to break down the reforms
nearly accomplished can succeed. The
natural and inevitable consequence of
that revolution must follow. Nothing
can stay them.
THE "ALLIANCE."
Fcllow-cltizens: 1t affords me great
pleasure to address ou to-day. l thank
you for the honor and the opportunity.
L recognize the fact that l am your
public servant, and am accountable to
the people who elected me for my
stewardship. This responsibility of
public Office is the great conservative
and prcscrvative force in our republi-
can form OF government. 1t is the
province ami duty of a Representative
TO study all important public questions
aLo form judgment as TO their effect
on the welfare of the people. TO do
this, he must at times act independents
ly and lead public sentiment rather
than blindly follow what is rcputcd TO
be the majority. It is his duty to study
national problems and vote according
to his best lights and honest convic-
tlons, leaving the inal decision as to
the wisdom Of his course to the people.
AS for myself, [ acknowledge no master
save the sovereign people, speaking at
the ballot-boX, and l refuse to obey
the dictates Of any political boss, eitil-
er in or outside of South Carolina.
This IS my conception of the rights,
duties and position Of Senator. My
course since my election has been pro-
jected along the line of discretion and
accountability. In voting on great
national issues l have considered the
best interests of the South and the
country rather than the impractical re-
suits to flow from a rigid adherence to
party lines. 1t is passing strange that
some of the men elected TO Congress
in 1892 should criicsc me for dong
what they solemnly pledged themselves
to do. Don't you remember that an
Alliance Delegation was elected in
1892 pledged not to be bound by a
Democratic caucus, but to vote for
measures calculated to benefit the
nation at large, irrespective of party?
Il feel like recalling The words, "Oh,
Lord God of Hosts, Lest we forget,
Lest we forget"
PRINCIPLES HIGHER THAN PARTY.
- Political parties under our form of
government are o necessity. They
grow out Of the political relations
established by the government itself.
There have been si1ce the birth of the
nation and always will be two great
political parties, if there were no real
issues they would divide and fight
over the mere spoils Of Office. These
differences originated in the diverse
views entertained when our Constitu-
tlon was adopted as to what conslilut-
ed the proper functions of the govern
ment.
Party platforms have always been
supposed 10 be the eXponents of these
views. A bloody Civil war settled the
question of States rights, and for a
quarter of century the waving of the
bloody-shirt on the one side and
the nigger in the wood-pile" on the
other constituted the dividing lines.
say that every man, OH a purely sec
tional question, like white supremacy
is traitor and renegade who does no
stand by his own section and his owr
people. lsay that any man, on domestic
problems, problems of internal con
Germ, should, as far as possible, bow
to the behcsts of his party. If b'
cannot agree with his party on ques
tions of this kind, he should, if possi
bic, find a party with which he is i,
accord. l assert, fellow. citizens, tha
it is almost a crime for any party t,
make great, broad, non-political Amcri
can measures, involving the politica
and commercial development of th
nation, the test of party fealty. Issue
essential to the maintenance of tn
honor and prestige of the nation or