Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-03
Senator George on the Ocala Platform

Senator NrsOrSe On Tic ONesiS& 'e<S@~
Mr.. Gronax. Of Mississippi. is one OF the
ablest men in the United States Senate.
file WINS once President of the Supreme
Court of that State. and as such made Ior
himself high reputation az aconstitutional
LAWYER. His speech in the United States
Senate In favor of the BLAIR educational
bill was perhaps the ablest made in tha'
body maintaining the constitutional power
of Congress to pass such law. His term
as United States Senator is nearly at an
end. and he is q candidate for reelection.
Under these circumstances the Amite
County Alliance addressed to him letter
asking him for an explicit statement OF his
views of the Ocala platform. His answer
IL full, sound. and complete. lie speaks
out boldly in favor Of some portions Oh
that platform and just as boldly against
other features of it. We do not coincide
with Mr.. GEORGE in all his arguments; but
az we some time ago commented at some
length upon the Ocala platform, we shall
not always express our dissent from his
reasoning even when We do not approve
It.
Mr.. GEORGE IL opposed TO the present
national banking: system and favors the
abolition Of the whole of 1t as soon as TINS
can be done without contracting tne
volume Of the currency.
He Is quite hostile to the proposed
eub-Treasury scheme and also to the
STANFORD plan of loans on real estate. lie
opposes both on constitutional grounos
and also because both would be injurious
10 the people But he is i'll favor OF IN
creasinc as speedily rs possible the volume
of currency to fifty dollars per capita.
Mr.. GEORGE will do all he can under the
Federal Constitution to prevent gambling
in futures.
He advocates the free-coinage OF Sill
yer. OF course he does. Every good
Democrat ought to do so. Every man
should be willing to concede that much to
the Alliances and others of the agricultu-
raj class. Possibly this measure would
bring about universal standard OF values
(both gold and silver and consequently a
universal currency.
As far as Congress has jurisdiction, Mr..
GEORGE is in favor of the power being ex-
ercised fully to restrict alien ownership of
land.
Mr.. GEORGE argues ably the proposition
concerning the railroads and the public
lands.
As to the demand for equal rights, no
favors TO any, low taxes, &C., DC. of course
Senator GEoReE. like all the rest OF rs,
looks with favor upon them. These gilt
tering generalities need not occupy much
of our time or space.
The Senator argues ably against Govern
ment or national control of railroads. lie
SAWS of course nobody would wish to con-
fiscate the railroads, and to buy them 1t
would require seven billions of dollars.
To borrow such sum we would have to
nav about three hundred millions of dol
lars year in interest. Besides, the rail-
road employees and officials would consti-
tute standing army of at least million
and half Of men and would control the
Government. An empire might result.
But the SUBJ Treasury scheme is the most
important because the most taking feature
of the Ocala platform. Mr.. GEORGE shows
that this scheme of depositing cotton IN
Government warehouses TO await higher
prices would ruin the planters. Purchasers
would know that all this cotton was held
up. and would refuse to buy till the cotton
was thrown upon the market. Then prices
would 60 down, because the consumption
would have fallen off as O consequence or
warehousing the cotton, and when the
time to sell the cotton arrived there would
be large surplus on hand and prices
would necessarily decline. He argues this
point fully and clearly. His reasoning APP
plies as well to tobacco as to cotton.
The sub-Treasury scheme Mr.. GEORGE
declares TO be a scheme to lend green
backs upon cotton, etc., at 50 per cent. of
the value. He opposes this scheme with
all his power. He also opposes Senator
SrANFoRD's proposition to lend Govern
ment money at 2 per cent. upon lands.
This proposition would lead to depreci-
ated currency-the worst of all evils-and
render all business unsafe. If it were
passed it would increase the violence of
the attacks now made in the North on
landowners. Besides the adult male land
holders in the United States do not ex-
coed IS per cent of the adult male popu-
lation.
Mr.. GEORGE declares that the Democratic
nominee for President ought to stand upon
the Democratic platform and be in favor
of the free coinage of silver. And so the
people say. 1t will not do TO try to hum
bug the people on this subject. They are
terribly in earnest in their demand for the
free coinage of silver. Let us all agree to
make this concession to them.
We have stated Dir. GEORGES conten.
tions without giving many OF his argu-
ments, His name carries weight with it.
Ill. u