The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-07-31
An Appeal to Reason by 7. Larry CAN'T.
ARTICLE I.

Before the meeting of the Demo
cratic party in Kansas City last year,
wrote in the Spartanburg Free
Lance, paper at that time owned and
edited by Mr.. T. B. ThacEston, several
letters, over my own name, arguing
that it would be political suicide for
our party to renominate Mr.. VIM. J.
Bryan for the presidency, Ialso urged
the importance of the convention adopt
ne a broad and liberal platform, which
would heal the wounds in the member
ship of the party and unite all demo-
Gratis against our common enemy, the
republican party. I also contended
that the acquisition by the United
States of the Philippine Islands, thus
securing for our country a permanent
foothold in the East, would do more
than all else combined 10 develop and
enrich the South. and that this policy
would be especially beneficial to both
the cotton producers and the cotton
manufacturers in opening new markets
for our great Southern staple and the
products made therefrom. I insisted
that the annexation of those islands
would force the opening of the Mica
raguan canal, as both a commercial
and war necessity, and with the com
pletion of this great international
waterway, the prosperity, growth and
enrichment of the seaboard States
would be phenomenal. I contended
that it would be folly for the democratic
party to again enchain its national
standard bearers with bimetallic
plank in the pla, form, for the financial
issue had been ire 7ocably and eternally
settled, and it was a waste OF words
and energy to reopen it. In my letter
in the Free Lance contended that the
democratic convention should adopt
platform in keeping with the changed
condition of affairs IN the country and
get out of those OLD political -''+s in
which we have been Inovin aN," ;e
the war, and accept the sit %
The democratic party inSlsle. = a
war with Spain, and yet, when the
battle had been fought and victory
won, we let the republicans reap all
honors, and our leaders in congress
place their party in the unenviable
light of encouraging and sympathlzing
with the enemies of our country, and
who were in arms against our govern
ment and the soldiers.
There was no necessity of yielding to
the republican party, but it is worse
than folly to antagoniZe and oppose
everything that our political opponents
advocate, when repeated elections held
in this country had endorsed those
methods, and that they were settled
conditions.
There are plenty of grounds upon
which we can oppose the rulnous pol
icy OF the republican party without
going to the extreme length OF am
tagonizing the prosperity and honor OF
the common country. That lniQultous
trust system, which enables combine
capital to rob and Cypress the masses;
our infamous laws that tax the people
to keep in idleness deserters and camp
followers; the carpetbag government
| instituted in our new possession and the
high handed corruption of the party
that has so long ruled this government,
will furnish to the democrats abundant
material from which they can frame a
platform that would appeal to the intel
| Ggence, patriotism and honesty OF the
voters, would win for our party a
crowning victory and give US for long
series OF years control OF the govern
ment.
Three times in thirty-six years the
democracts have elected presidents.
Through a compromise, which turned
over to the democrats control OF the
State government of South Carolina
Florida and Louisiana. Tilden was de-
pived of his segt and Hayes counted in.
Grover Cleveland was elected and
served for two terms, and both OF his
administrations were curse and
blight upon the country. Panics and
business paralysis seized upon the land,
thousands of mills and factories were
closed down, and the highways lined
with idle workmen. Secret bond sales
were made, which cost our taxpayers
! millions of dollars, and in time OF
profound peace the public debt was
largely increased.
I simply refer to those articles OF
mine, written more than a year ago,
to show that am no new convert to
what is known as Progressive democ-