The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-03-22
COLUMBIA. S. 9.
Fri .ay Morning. Maroh % 1879. J

sWh1t Has Your Party Done, and What
il it Doing, for tho Toiling massesl"
This! is the query, according to the
Union, which should be put to political
parties. It is very proper question.
and one the answer to which ia damning
to carpet.bagism in South Carolina.
The Republican party North may, in
deed, make some at least plausible
answers in their own behalf in that Sec
tion of country. But even then, it is
we'll known fact that it is the power Of
capital that sustains the party. In New
York, the capitalists are Republicans.
and the toiling masses are the Irish De-
mocracy.
Republican legislation hes also favored
the wealthy rather than the poor. The
wealthy bond-holder has no tax to pay,
while the toiling masses arc compelled
to labor to pay the interest on the bonds
which the wealthy capitalist possesses.
More than all. the prices OF tho very ne
oesssries of life which the poor man con-
sumes are enhanced fifty, 100. 200. and
even still higher per cent, for the bone
fit Of rich manufacturers.
The cost of living to farm laborer in
South Carolina is about doubled. by the
operation Of tariff which the Republi-
can party has created to increase the
wealth Of the already afluent manu-
faoturer. A protective tariff may bene-
ft. to some extent, few operatives in
factories, but even to them the advan-
sage ia doubtful; while it unquestionably
works positive wrong to the toiling
millions who are not thus employed,
and especially to the agricultural la
borer. But here, in South Curolina,
what has carpet-bagism, (for we have no
Republicanism.) done for the poor la
borer? Many and lavish promises have
been made. alluring prospects of forty
acres and mule, land for the landless.
0 home for the homeless, and such like
fanciful benefits have been held out, but
where is the realization? Hundreds of
thousands Of dollars OF the peoples
money have been squandered, ostensi-
bly, for the purpose of buying lands
cheap for the poor oolored people.
Where is it gone, and where has CO.
lored man bought an acre of ground
from the State. except at. double its sale
able valueP The carpet. baggers have
pocketed the money, and the poor toll
ing millions are left to toll with the
debt on their shoulders. and to be left as
legacy to their posterity beaides.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars have
been appropriated for the ostensible
purpose of educating the oolored chill
dren. Where has that gone, and where,
is there decent fraction of the colored
youth of the State receiving educational
advantages? Millions upon millions of
dollars, too. of the peoples money, and
which the toiling millions must inevita-
bly, share in paying, have been squan-
dered to crafty the pampered lust and
avaricious greed of our carpet bag rulers
Where is the corresponding benefit to
the laboring millions? A host of carpet
baggers are rolling in wealth. They
sport their fancy teams, their gilded
bretts, their hashy jewelry, and gloat
over the contemplation of their stocks
and bonds, accumulated in their petri-
otic endeavors to benefit the toiling mil
lions. The colored people who have de-
voted themselves to honest toll in the
country are, like their white fellow-citi-
zens, in no better condition than they
were seven years ago. Those that have
accumulated anything have dono it by
the sweat of their brows. and despite
the disadvantages which rotten Co.
vernment begets. Carpet-baggers may
speak glibly enough about being the
working.man's friends, but their deeds
show the contrary. Ten millions of
State money stolen last year looks very
much like helping the honest laboring
man. That cat won't jump, Mr.. Union.
Some daVS AGO the ,SunGLru 3Eorn;,o