The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-04
FOOL THE PEOPLE.
. Bill Arp Says That 1t l. the Motto Of the
i Politicians.
Atlanta Constitution !

of the Republic. They had a great
gathering in Boston last week, and
nearly all the speakers yelled for more
pensions, and bigger ones The speak
ers were all politicians, and the old SOL
diers and all their kinfolks have got
votes and want money.
A politician will ride any hobby to
catch votes. 1 don't believe that the
solid people of the North. the business
men and taxpayers, favor this pension
plunder, but they can't stop it. These
annual meetings Of the Grand Army of
the Republic may have little patriot
ism, but are mainly for politics and
plunder. More than half the Grand
Army were foreign hirelings and SUBJ
stitutes who fought for the money and
nothing else, and these are the fellows
who are drawing most Of the pensions.
They were hospital rats and camp
followers and teamsters, and got sick
easy, and have played sick and dis
abled ever since. Their numbers prove
what set they We're, nearly 100000
against 100000, and they have 100000
pensioners still alive and kicking.
Sam Jones told them up in Missouri
that if our boys mad have known how
bad we were whipping them they
would have fought on until now. "You
fellers," said he, "are drawing all the
pensions, and that's right. You fought
for money, and you ought to have it.
Our boys fought for patriotism-for
love of their country, and they've got
that yet. You never conquered it out
of 'em, and you never will. So it's all
right. Every soldier ought to have
what he fought for. That is very fine
sarcasm, but still I am not happy as
long as some of that pension money
comes out of me. If the war is over
how many years must the South pay
out S4O, 900, 900 to Northern soldiers and
draw none for her own? If we could
pick out the patriots who really needed
pension We wouldn't say a word, but
it's Northern outrage to continue this
business. It is an outrage on the North
as we'll as the South, and if the Alliance
don't stop it, it won't be stopped. The
Alliance can do some big things if they
will. The nation can't stand this ex-
travagance. How can the tariff be re-
formed and reduced with an empty
treasury Mr.. Cleveland left it full,
but it's empty now. Where is tie
money to come from to build ware
houses and advance so per cent. upcl
St,.-,>--->~SS.7-=-------- =
buys 500 worth of goods in year ~
sides his meat and bread. Ofthat S3i,y;
be pays $40 in tariff to the government
at Washington but does not pay more
that S. in tax to his own State govern
ment. Judge Wright was once meD'-
Der of Congress and told me in a whis-
per that if the farmers of this countrg
knew how much tariff they paid oa
their hats and shoes and clothing and
axes and hoes and plates and knives
and forks and paper and pens and
lamps and kitchen ware and every
other ware they would rise up to man
and shoulder their muskets and swear
by. the eternal they wouldn't stand it.
He said it wouldn't be safe to let them
know it. Judge Wright is on the side
of the toilers-the bread winners and
the farmers I wish it was so that he
could join the Alliance, for know that
his heart is with them. [ believe he
would join if it want for that oath of
secrecy. A man told me that he had
Joined and was writing thunder and
lightning for the Alliance paper, but
| reckon he is mistaken, for I remem-
Der that about IS years ago, when the
know-knothing party was about to
take the country, the Judge took me
out behind the house and advised me,
as friend, to keep out of it, for it was
contrary to the principles of free gov
ernment to have secret, oath-bound
politics organization. I didn't take his
advice, but like a young fool joined
them, and was sworn in one dark night
in the top loft of Chambers millhouse,
five miles from town, and never got
home till after midnight, and told my
wife a story about pressing business de,
tanning me down town, but next morn
ing she got up before I did and found
flour and cobwebs all over my clothes
and had to tell her the truth, and how
we were going to keep any more
foreigners from becoming citizens Of
our great Republic, and our motto was
that of Washington, who, the night
before great battle, said, "Put none
but Americans on guard tonight"
But Aleck Stephens and Judge
Wright took the field against our party
because it was secret, and they gave US
hail Columbia, and broke it up.
It must be some other Wright-bu1
not "our Gus" Our Gus is an old
"settled" man. T like that word 'set.
tied" Uncle Sam says folks ain't
much account till they get "settled.' y
He said he would hunt US up a settled
'oman for cook, for these young fly
up the creeks dident know their owr
minds and wouldent stay anywhere
long at time Judge Wright is set
tied man.
But it don't matter about the secrecy
if the farmers will reform things. W.
want them to turn the rascals out 0
office everywhere and begin system
of economy in government. Reform
the tariff and educate the people so tina