The Brookhaven leader., 1891-03-12
GEORGE ANSWERS.
AGREES WITH wALTHALL
THAT THE sUB.TREASU.
RY BILL Is UNCON-
sTITUTIONAL,
And Says IL Is Impracticable,
Dangerous and Subversive of
Democratic Principles.

ty Alliance that inquired of Senators
George ard Walthall their Views of the
constitut.onality of the Sub-Treasury
bill now pending in Congress and If
they believed it to be uucOnstitutiOn-
al, to state in what particular, and
asking them to submit some plan to
advocate for the relief of the masses
of the people, have given the follow
ing letter from Senator George to the
press, Senator Walthall's letter having
been already published:
UNITED STATES SENATE,
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 1891.
Messrs j. T. Buckley, c. J. Coleman and I. T.
Cox, Committee:
GENTs.-Your letter was received
some days ago. My duties here are
such that have not the time to an
swer by elaborate arguments, the
Questiuns you PROFOUND. write now
to state, as briefly rs can, your ques-
tiOns. First, l believe that the Sub
Treasury plan, as it is called, is uncon-
stitutional. 1t proposes to lend mon
ey to persons who furnish q certain
kind of security. The government of
the Uuited States is one of limited
powers it has only such powers as
are expressly delegated by the COnsti
tuition and such as are necessary and
proper to execute the powers which
are expressly delegated, and there Is
no power expressly delegated in which
THE POWER TO LEND MONEY
is necessary and proper for its full ex-
ecutiOn. If you will read over care
fully the f1rst article of the constitu
ton you will see that l am correct in
this. Congress may, where it has the
right to make an appropriation out of
the treasury for a public purpose,
make it on condition that the locality
to be benefited by the money will re-
turn the whole or part of it, but it has
no power to make an appropriation of
money to be used In private business.
The power to borrow money is ex-
pressly delegated, and it would seem
clear that if the power to lend had
been intended to be given it would
have been expressed in connection
with the power to borrow.
Second-I do not believe that the
proposed Sub-Treasury scheme would
prove benefit to the farmers of the
country. l think it would prove rath-
es curse. 1t would be very costly
scheme, necessitating the employment
of many thousands of new officials,
and this cost would in the main be
paid as taxes are now paid by the far
mers and laborers of the country.
All the officials connected with the
management of the warehouses would
under the constitution be necessarily
appointed by the president. They
would, therefore, be selected without
proper knowledge of their qualifica-
tons, morals or mental ability, and
would soon become as other officials
are,
THE MEANS OF REwARDING
the political workers of the party In
power. Cotton and other products
would be graded by these officials not
according to merit and value. but to
reward the friends of the official or to
punish their enemies.
Third-Government is not organic
ed, nor is it fit instrument for the
transaction of private business. All
that the government does in the way
of business, such as erecting public
buildings, improving harbOrs, rivers,
ETC., costs about twice as much more
than the same work would cost if done
by private parties. There are many
other reasons which, in my Judgment,
60 to show that the scheme, even if it
was constitutional, Is not a good one
for the farmers and the country, but l
have not the time to mention them.
| have no scheme for
THE RELIEF OF THE FARMERS
other than such as comes from good,
honest, fair, impartial government,
the lessening of taxation, removing
the obstacles to free markets all over
the world, the free coinage Of both
gold and silver, and the issue of Unit
ed States treasury notes so as to give
to them 1.-THE treasury notes. an amount
equal to $40 per head of our pOpula-
ton. With this free coinage and the
issue of treasury notes and of green
backs, the currency would soon amount
to $50 per head of our people. This
note is hastily prepared, with the view
of meeting your questions without un-
necessary delay. shall take occasion
in the future to discuss these matters
more freely. Yours truly,
r. GEnpcE