The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-31

~ oelieVe tnat the newspaper which
published such a statement is guilty
only of ignorance and is guiItless Of
the deliberate desire to misrepresent
the facts.
Again, II free lumber, as is alleged
by this newspaper, is a traditional
policy of the Democratic partv. then
We ought to find in the platforms of
the party some reference to free Ium-
Der. l defy the newspaper which go
glibly makes this declaration TO noint
out single platform of the Demo-
cratic party, except that of 1908. in
which any reference at all is made TO
the subject of free lumber. I assert.
and dare proof to the contrary, that
no Democratic platform in the history
Of the country ever contained any
| declaration with reference to lumber
| except the Denver platform. Yet it is
solemnly asserted that free lumber Is
traditionally a Democratic doctrine
| and this newspaper which assumes to
teach Democratic doctrines would
have the people believe a statement
which is disproven by the facts. 1
challenge this newspaper to deny the
| accuracy Of my statements; I chal-
! lenge 1T to meet squarely and fairly
| the issue here Joined. I demand that
the scuttlefish method shall be aban-
doned and that this case shall be pre-
sented fairly and squarely to the peo-
| pie, and as far as am concerned
personally, shall be content with the
verdict which they give.
| The report of my speech made at
Davis says I made the startling as
sertion that the platform of the Dem
ocratic party Disseminated against
the South" I did not say exactly this
what Ibid say, and repeat it here,
was, that the Democratic platform in
demanding that lumber should be
placed upon the free list had discrimi-
mated against the South and that the
iniquitous Republican doctrine of free
raw material for the New England
manufacturers and protected manu-
factured products for the New Eng
land nufacturers-written into
the doctrine of the Democratic party
by the selfish greed of the New Eng
lander-was a discrimination against
the Southern producer in favor Of the
New England manufacturer. I said
more than this, that no true South
erner, with the interest Of his people
at heart, with the courage to fight for
an equal showing for his own people
under the law, would stand for any
such iniquitous and unjust discrimi-
nation. If that be treason, make the
most Of it.
The doctrine of free raw material
and protected finished products, made
out Of this same raw material, was
never recognized by the Democratic
party az anything other than a Re-
publican policy so long as the Demo-
cratic party policy was fixed by the
influence Of the Southern Democracy.
AS long as the South dominated the
Democratic party of the country the
doctrine sof free raw material was re-
garded as a Republican principle and
as means OF furnishing protection to
the manufacturer. But as soon as the
South became a subjugated people,
dependent for it's very life upon it's
allies of the North, East and West;
when the South had lost it's influence
within the party councils; whenS> the
policies of the party began to -
made by the New England Democracy,
1t was then and not until then that the
Democratic party began to get away
from it's traditional positions with re-
spect to the doctrine Of dutiable raw
material. Why? Because free raw
material is in the interest of the New
England manufacturer; it Is to his
benefit to get his raw material free Of
taxation and to raise all revenue with
which to run the government by plac-
ing heavy duties upon his manufac-
tured products. 1t is another case Of
New England selfshness, sacrificing a
party principle to New England greed.
There may be those in South Carolina
who want to join hands in this cru
sade of the New England manufac-
turer against the producing popula-
tion Of the South, but as for me I
shall be found either carrying their
flag or fighting in ranks in the in
terest Of my own people.
1t is asserted that the platform Of
1888 declared in favor of free raw
material. I deny the accuracy Of that
statement and I assert as a matter
of history that this doctrine has never