The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-07-22
THE SUB-TRBASURY SCHEME.
SENATOR PUGH OF ALABAMA WRITES
CALMLY AND DIsPASSIoNATELY
A Paper which Every Nan III tboc-
willie County should Read, No
Matter What His Opinion May BE.

A Paper which Every Man III Ahhe-
willie County should Read, No
Matter What His Opinion May BE.
Curious to say, no one ever called on
Senator Pugh foI his views on the SUD
treasury scheme until very recently. By
q resolution the Dallas alliance asked for
them shortly after his Interview in the
AGE-HERALD, and he 10 us responded ;t>
follows:
WASHINGTON, ID. c., May l, 1891
To the Farmers Alliance of Dallas
county, Alabama:
Your resolution requesting for puhilrt-
ton nv views of what is known ~ the
sub-treasurv bill, introduced ill the sen
ate and house Of the last congress. ana
Endorsed by the st. Louis and Ocala con-
ventions OF the National alliance, reach,
ed me through the Alliance Herald, ana
conceding your right 10 my opinions on
this or anv other public measure upon
which it may become my duty to vote as
a senetor, cheerfully comply with your
request. 1t is the first call that has been
made on Inc for my opinion OF the pro-
posed bill by any alliance organization.
The citizens of each state, irrespective OF
pursuit. are interested in the proposed
measure. as it would affect in some way
and to some extent the interest and wei,
fare of all these people. y citizen nee"
not be a farmer, or land owner, or renter
engaged in cultivating the soil, and pro-
ducing the crops that may be stored IN
the warehouses and drawn on as specified
i'm the bill to make him Interested III
3 farming and III legislation affecting the
interest of the farmers. We know that
mauy members of the alliance in Ma
bama and other states who are high III
J official position and taking an active part
in directing the action and shaping the
measures and policies Of the alliance Or
panizations, do not own an acre OF 1arln-
ing land, run no plonghs, and have no
crops to store, and yet they are received
as brothers and given the confidence
of alliancemen who are real farmers ana
actual workers in the fields. 1t ought
to make no difference who are the authors
and advocates of the sub-treasury scheme,
or what motives actuate them i'll dcvls-
ing and urging such measure. The
inquiry should be, what are the real
merits of the scheme, and how is 1t like
ly it would operate upon the Industries
{ Of the country, and especially upon the
interest of the farmers who are claimed
to be the beneficiaries of such legislation?
Have all the alliancemen who endorse
the bill, and 60 so far as to resolve that
they will vote for no candidate for Office
who is opposed to it, ever read It's pro-
visions and examined it probable work
lug in our political and financial machin-
erv? We owe duty to our country
and ourselves to examine the bill, that
should be discharged conscienuously
and to the best of our ability, and not
indifferently and obstinately.
The sub-treasury scheme is admitted
to he entirely new and untried. 1t is,
therefore, nothing but an experiment.
Is it wise, and safe and fair, 10 be so
( certain and determined in our support OF
all untried experiment, and to put al
, those who are opposed TO II under lhe
ban of distrust, and to exclude them from
political confidence and fellowship? Be-
4 cause it is an untried experiment we
( should be more tolerant and conSlderate
. of each others opinions. The measure
should have full, fair and respectful dis
cussion in the newspapers, on the stump
and in both houses of congress. nave
read and studied the bill to the best OF
nv ability and considered the arguments
for and against it and my conclusions
Z and convictions in relation to II were
never clearer and stronger upon any
subject. Still, do not claim to ne M
: fallible or Interchangeable i'll my opinions;
Let us examine the bill fairly and
calmly.
l. 1t is important to understand and
apree on the evil or wrong we desire 10
remedy by legislation.
2. When we understand and agree on
what we wish to remedy we shall be bet
tor able to decide correctly whether the
remedy or measure proposed Is the Dcst
that can be devised and put in The forms
OF law to remove the evil anu correct
the wrong.
First, then, it is allcgal that the farmers
as the producers OF food and raw ihitcrlal
for manufacturing, have no eQual ana
fair chance in the markets Of the country
in disposiug of their crops at reasonable
prices; that the farmers are unJustly
kept in the debtor class, and as such are
made TO submit to undue influences and
exactions of the creditor class in high
rates of interest and in great inequalities
in financial and commercial facilities ana
accommodations, and in being deprived
of the right of deciding when and at
what price they will dispose Of their
crops; that the consumer of the farmers
crops dictates the prices for them and buys
them at his will and pleasure, and when
the farmer buys what he consumes he
has as little to do with fixing the prices
then as he had when he sold his crops
that this condition of inquallity and un-
by those who own the money of the
country and regulate its circulation, and
dictate prices and rates of interest. All
these complaints are more or less well
founded in the conditions and practices
prevailing; subject, however, to quail
ficationS in the degree Of blame properly
chargeable to the debtor and creditor
class respectively. Being in debt is not
always, or i'll majority Of instances, an
unavoidable condition, and it is not al
ways condition of disadvantage with
out compensative results. 1t is going in
debt unnecessarily as an indulgence Of
extravaganza that causes most of our
troubles. five owed no man anything
that could have been avoided our indebt-
!. edness would be very much less and our
condition very much improved.
2. Having, as you must admit, fairly
stated the grievances and grounds of
complaint, will now examine the pro-
visions Of the sub-treasury plan, to de-
termine whether or not it is likely to
prove an adequate remedy, or amy reme-
dy at all, for the evils of which the far
mers complain.
We all agree that any remedy for the
relief of our complaints will require
more money in circulation, and cheaper
rates of interest, and better facilities for
getting it by those who have none and
need it to pay debts.
We agree that the farmers want some
thing that will take them out of the
clutches of the usurer, and the middle
men, and the plutocrats, or money
sharks.
Would the Sub-treaSury plan furnish
such relief, or any other relief as should