Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-05
The suD-Treasury schsme-Aeain.

financial sirens who would lure them into
dangerous waters.
- - -
The Sub-Treasury Scheme-Again.
In his letter ia our issue of Tuesday
IN. @. h. Of Surry county--high au-
thority makes statement which. though
IL is not altogether new, will crafty the
good people of Virginia when he says that
every wrong the farmers have suffered can
better be remedied within the Democratic
party than elsewhere. believing, as no
does. that every principle in the Alliance
platform except one can be heartily sup
ported and accepted by tho Democratic
party. This exception is the sub-treasury
scheme, and as to this he adds that ne 10
satisfied the majority of the intelligent
members do not favor that measure. The
Virginia State Alliance haverefused to give
II their support" N. Q. II. in unambig-
uous terms declares that the principle on
which the sub-treasury scheme IS based ID
wrong, and IL enacted into law would be
viofative of the fundamental principle OF
the order that special privileges" should
be granted to none. but equal and I'M
partial justice to all"
The sub-treasury scheme does not COM
mend itself to the farmers OF Virginia as q
practical measure of relief to them. 1t Is
akin 10 greenbackism or the fat-money
scheme. If they are To be allowed to de-
post the products of their farms IN Gov
eminent warehouses and to borrow money
from the Government on the credit thus
secured for themselves. it Is easy to foresee
that all other classes will demand ike
accommodation at the hands OF our ma
tional lawmakers. Lands, tenements and
hereditaments will constitute better Sc
eurity than cotton. OF tobacco, or corn
or wheat, or coal-oil, or coal itself, or any
other such commodity. In fact, 1t strikes
US as surprising that anybody could DC
induced by any process OF reasoning TO
believe that the people could be benehted
by any attempt TO set OF naught the laws
OF finance. Yet this sub-treasury scheme
is said to be popular with the farmers and
Farmers Alliances in other States. In
North Carolina it is 30 strong that Governor
VANCE was it is said, compelled to promise
to support it before he was last winter re-
elected United States senator.
To enact the sub-treasury scheme into
a law would be to legislate in the interest
of Door people with a vengeance. 1t would
be to enable all persons who raise large
crops to demand in money large proper
tion OF the sum at which those crops
might be valued. How would the toiling
masses be benefited by such legislation 2
In 1880 there were In the United States
2. s9s. SIG agricultural lsborers out OF O total
Of 7. $40. 493 persons engaged in agriculture.
These three millions and more would have
nothing upon which to borrow money from
"the best Government the world ever
saws The same year there were 4.O74, 23S
persons engaged in professional and
personal services. These four millions
and more would have nothing upon
which to borrow money from the Gov
eminent. The same year there were en-
paced in trade and transportation 1,s1o. 256
persons. These persons, nearly two mil
lions. would have nothing upon which to
borrow money from the Government. The
same year there we're 1857, liz persons en-
gagged in manufacturing, mining and me-
cbanical trades. How are these many mil
lions of people to be brought up to the
support of the sub-treasury schemep What
interest would they have in law which
should operate to exclude them from It's
benefits? Or il in any way law could re-
ceiye the approval of Congress and the
President which should provide for lend
ing money to the moneyless and property
less classes, as well as to the thrifty and
well-to-do, what would such money be
worth to anybody? To what uses could
the money be appliedP
IN. Q. H. is opposed to the formation
of third party. He predicts that II the
Alliance attempts to form one it will fan
To accomplish the reforms essential to the
future prosperity of the country. This Is
no threat, but tho advice of friend. 1t is
based upon high motives.
AS we have said we would have the
people study thoroughly the principles
upon which the sub-treasury scheme is
based before they commit themselves to its
support. There seems to us to be no re-
deeming feature IN it. We cannot under
stand how any class of men would profit
bv such a law as is advocated even though
il ia claimed, in the interest Of the class
upon which all other classes depend for
their subsistence,
The farmers constitute a class absolutely
indispensable. Whatever else the com
munity could do without, it could not dis
pense with the products of the farmers
Whoever else might be spared, the farmer
could not be. Agriculture is in peculiar
sense " the art preservatiye of all arts"
1t is the bread produced by the agricul
thirst which every man eats. Gin the sweat
of his brow" IL we are to let all othel
occupations perish. save that of the farmer
| So much the more reason why he shoult
not desert his indispensable calling anC
| wander into financial bog.