Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-06
PREJUDICE AND aNCE.

Whenever political campaign comes
on in this country We are sure to have
revival OF the absurd lie that the
Golden club is sending millions of dol
lars 10 America to corrupt the honest
suffragan and introduce British free
trade. 1t is hoary and venerable
chestnut. and is not noticed by SEN
sible people, but the misfortune is that
many people are not sensible, and they
have votes that count for as much as if
they had ever so much sense. The cry
is loudly raised in Ohio that q corrupt
ion fund of round million dollars has
been sent to that state to defeat Me
kinley. The New York Herald. wish
ing to put an extinguisher on this an
cient legend, sent an interviewer 10
Mr.. Potter, the president of the Golden
club, and asked him what his club was
doing to defeat Mckinley. Mr.. Potter
read the clipping that was handed to
him in which the charge was made.
and laughed as he asked if there was
anybody in the United States credulous
enough to believe such tales. The
Golden club, he said, had no financial
interest in the triumph OF free trade in
America, and no money to spend TO
reach that end The club was simply
an association TO honor the memory
and uphold the theories of Golden.
They had never sent dollar of money
to the United States to be used for
political purposes, and never expected
to. The Herald might make this de-
NAL as emphatic and as comprehensive
as it could.
Branching Off from the direct ques-
ton. Mr.. Potter said {:
There is no doubt that many of the po-
liticians stirred up hatred of England in
order to secure support for their party TN
der the the supposition that the tariff would
injure British interests. No doubt many
voters were actuated by this motive, but it
is ridiculous to say that the national legis-
lature of the United States had anything in
its mind but the interests of the people at
large. The American government, | be-
lieve. has no such aim as the destruction of
British trade. 1t is in all its parts endeavor-
ing to do what it thinks best for the country
without any regard for outside issues. If
It's policy is false or weak it will be changed
just as soon as the American people are
convinced. Now, in Texas, for instance,
my son represents a large organization in
which great deal of Scotch money is in
vested. This organization has been lending
capital throughout Texas at very reaSona-
ble rates Of interest, but not long ago, so
my son informed me, the Texas legislature
enacted law which prevents aliens from
holding security nece ssary to protect these
funds; in other words, the Texas legisla-
ture has shut off the people it represents
from large amount of capital which they
need. The fallacy of such a law can be
seen in a moment, and | feel sure that the
results will open the eyes of Texans to the
lack of common sense displayed in making
this law, and the result, of course, will be
its repeal
In sense, Mr.. Potter is very right.
There is great deal OF unreasoning
prejudice against England among our
people. The discussion of our alien
land law has brought this to the sur
face. The feeling in our state is more
unreasonable than the use of the same
hatred to sustain the high tariff. The
tariff exclusion covers the whole coun-
try. The money exclusion covers only
Texas. Though one is less in degree
than the other, they are OF likeakind
as to legislation-both are for the pro-
lection OF certain interests. One pro-
tects the manufacturing monopolists,
the other protects the financial monop-
olists against competition and cheaper
goods and cheaper money. Hatred of
England in these cases, as in all other
cases OF hatred, Injuries the haters more
than it does the objects of the hate.