The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-08-14

about two hundred citizens of the
county, gathered in the court house
to hear tho several candidates for
Congress from this district, discuss
the issues of the day. The candi-
| dates present were Hon. w. G.. Ben
ct, Of Abhcvillc, Hon. George John
stone, of Ncwbcrry, Hon. Il. b. Muir.
ray and Col. d. X. Norris, and Col.
Il. T.. Bowen, of this county.
The meeting was called to order
by County Chairman ODcll, and
opened with prayer by Rev. j. NJ.
Stewart. Our space only admits of
a short synopsis of the speeches.
The first speaker was Hon. George
Johnstonc. lie spoke in substance
IS follows:
FELLOW C1rIzENS: This is the sec.
onu time | have come before YOU as q
candidate for congress, and J. an full
~ conscious Of the magnitude of the
undertaking and of being q member
OF one of the greatest law-making
powers on Garth. Our interests arc
common with the siXty-iivc millions
Of inhabitants of this grand country.
We have been shaken from center TO
circumference by recent political agi-
tatlon. Our people are rs trustful rs
any on the globe, and they would not
have become thus apitnted had thev
not had cause for it. T am with
thea. | am u farmer, and no fancy
one at that. All my interests arc in
the farm. NV interests arc idoutic,l
with yours. IF the election bill now
before Congress, known as the "gorcc
BILL" should become a law, | cannot
advise YOU what to do. No matter
whM the future contnins for MS. we
must be governed bv what is rirht
and Just. We must govern or leave
this country, and we will not leave it.
The outrageous tariff tax is the
one great cause of the farmers on.
preston. The protrctiunists rrorosc
to double the tax on cotton Tics, not
for the benefit Of the government,
but tn enrich the munumiist. The
tariff is tax and should be called
such. No government on earth
should be allowed to collect more tax
thm is necessary to run il on a frn.
&al basis. More than this is rob.
berry. The law OF supply and de-
niand should govern prices. There
should've. mor,EcuGrrncy. Where there
!" Il Strln%rncy in the circulating ne
di"m, the price of labor goes down.
lhC money power north has caused
thi!' staHuation. 1T has the govern
mcnt by the threat. This keeps the
price OF property down. | favor n
frc" and unlimited coinage of silver,
and l. also fav"r doing away with ma
, tional banks, hut hv Il ;5rudual pro-
cess. To strike them down at once
would cause q commercial agitation.
l advocate the chartcriny Of State
banks, and let them hold the State
bonds. Within the next few years
the State debt will be due, and az
rtnMcmts will nave to be made to
pay or refund the bonds, which might
be dome Ivy rctundinH the bonds Mt 3
or 80 per cent. and let the State
banks hold them. 1 am in favor of
Joining hands with the Alliance and
do away with foreign money and
alien l0ndho!dcrs and money lenders.
L also favor the issue Of fractional
paper currency. T oppose the buy.
ing Of railroad and telegraph lines
by the government. It will give too
much room fDr fraud and corruption.
The North would reap the benefit and
it would increase taxation.
AS to the Suh-Tl caSurv bill T am
IN sympathy with its PURPOSES but il
has defects which l am compelled to
point ont, it docs not provide for the
poor tenant who needs the money as
much as the landlord-I favor any
measure that will enable us to hold
our cotton but this bill as it is will
give the spcculator too good chance;
1t says the owner can deposit produces:
it should be restricted to the produc