The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-03
SLIGH AT SARDIS.
He is Amused at the Sewberry Editors and
Booms the Subtreasury.
IClinton Gazette, August -. !

Jones, came forward and announced
that DR.. F. NJ. Settler would open the
proceedings with prayer. This done,
the chair Introduced as the first speaker
Of the day, Rev. J. A. Sigh, member
of the House Of Representatives from
Newberry, a widely known agitator in
behalf of the oppressed farming inter-
ests of the State, and much and popu-
lar gazetted orator and Allianceman.
Mr.. Sligh's address was lengthy, elo-
quent and full of soundness Of princi-
pie. He by way ofprelude, made some
most fattering remarks respecting the
noble qualities of tie good people of
Laurens County. He said: "Iou OF
Laurens County have done as much,
if not more than the people Of any
other county in the State to redeem
and uphold the fair name and welfare
of grand old South Carolina.
Instead of my coming among you to
teach you regarding the situation and
to lay before you the issues involved in
this great warfare against the wong, l
should be at your feet learning more Of
the source of this great revolutionary
upheaval that is now quaking the
foundation not only of South Carolina,
but of the whole country. The people
are beginning to think and to act fer
themselves; tho people are learning fast
and are the faster asking for more in
formation, for light, for truth; and you
ought to do it for your own benefit. 1t
ir revolution, it is on US, it is ii our
hearts; and it must, it shall come. 1t
will not be smothered until it has ac-
complished it's purpose, as sure as na-
tions have their rise and fall. Mark
my words, it will end in a peaceable
revolution and then, and not until then,
will there be peace at last. There Is no
class of men under the blue canopy OF
heaven, superior to the farmers in pa
triotism, loyalty, honesty, and truth
fulness. And when we as a class rise
UP in our might and majesty as one
mighty man, restless, and will not be
silenced, thsre is cause; there must
be remedy. There is cause; cause
produces effect. The opposition blame
Tillman, Shell and others including
myself, for the entire restless condition
of things IN the State. Well, Tillman
and others did start the ball rolling
that opened the eyes of the oppressed
and set the people to thinking for the
public good.
lam right well amused at the editors,
especially those of Newberry. They
always cry out against man when the
farmers put him forward as their leader.
These same editor you see, wants to
boss the job themselves. They want
the high places ond the fat of the land.
A Western speculator will say, it's an
overproduction of corn, or wheat, that
causes low prices. Over one million OF
bales of cotton are on hand yet await
ing better prices; but who bnows? 1t
may be caused by underconsunption, a
lack of business to take up and con-
sunoe the cotton that causes the present
depression in prices. Myself and family
would use more of cotton goods if we
had the money, but how shall we gel
if? The Alliap e wants the farmers to
have more money; there is not enough
money in circulation. Others talk
about what the farmers ought to DO
to avoid overproduction of cotton. L
want to know whether or not the
present state 0. things came of foverpro-
duction. Whoever heard of overpro-
duction coming from lazy man? The
farmers are often dubbed 'lazy" when
he goes to town. The falmers lost
much more time last year attending
political gatherings and learning about
the condition of things than in any pre-
vious year, and they made last year the
largest cotton crop of record. 1mme-
diately after the war there was plenty
of money; cotton sold at from S TO ~
cents per pound fifteen years ago.
There was no trouble 10 make money
then; but now we are growing rapidly
from bad to worse. Property was
worth more year ago than it is to-day,
with cotton selling at cents. No
money in the country, money becom-
ing scarcer every day, no property
wanted, no prosperity in the country,
your home mortgaged, and that to he
foreclosed giving the shylock leader a
title. Anda general loss Of confidence
all round.
Very few men, including our Congress
men, know much about the financial
condition or problem. After the wal
there was about so per capita; more
money in circulation in '66, '61 than IN
'91. The population has doubled since
then and there is less money to conduct
the business transactions Of the people,
Tho remedy for all these evils is the
Subtreasury plan. 1t is called hum
bug and it's friends are called fools by
the opposition. The Subtreasury bill
that we want and must have is not the
old Senator Vance bill, but a better one.
We want relief, if not by the Subtreas'
ury, we must have relief from some
source. The farmers have hit the nal
on the head by suggesting something
as remedy for the evils, and If the
Subtreasury is not what we want, 1t Is
something like it. There are 3,5W
national banks in the United States;
per cent. of the people have the privi'